Ramping up to the middle of May and the start of summer, the Philadelphia Phillies are hoping for a boost from within.
Currently sitting in second place in the National League East behind the division rival New York Mets, the Phillies have had below-average pitching and an offense that at times looks like one of the best in the league, but at times looks like one of the worst.
Some stars have rolled right into the season, like Kyle Schwarber who has a .953 OPS and NL-leading 11 homers and Zack Wheeler with 57 strikeouts in 44 innings. But others have yet to find their footing. Luckily for the team, some key offseason additions such as Jesús Luzardo and Max Kepler have shown up right out of the gate to keep them within striking distance.
3 Phillies stars we need to see more from in May
While championships aren't won in May, they can be lost. It's clear that the Phillies are missing production from some of their star athletes, and it will be crucial for them to step up and turn their woes around as soon as possible.
Bryce Harper, 1B
MV3 has not played up to his par in 2025, and he'll be the first one to tell you that. Hitting to a 119 OPS+, a number that would be the lowest mark of his career over a full season, Bryce Harper has still been one of the Phillies' more productive hitters with the third-best number for a starter on the team.
Hitting in the second and third position in the lineup brings more pressure to slug; however, that's something that hasn't been there, or at least to the Las Vegas native's standards. While Harper traditionally has been very good in March and April, 2024 showed a different story, one much like 2025, when he slashed .230/.345/.460 with six homers. This year, he slashed .234/.370/.423 with five home runs through the end of April.
When the calendar flipped to May last season, the former MVP flexed his prowess with a .990 OPS and seven home runs while driving in 24. His career numbers follow suit, with an OPS over .900 for the month of May. Harper's recent at-bats have looked more like himself, and the numbers don't lie, either. With an xSLG in the 73rd percentile and a hard-hit percentage in the 82nd percentile, things are going to start to go his way very soon.
Nick Castellanos, RF
Nick Castellanos was one of the Phillies' best hitters during the first 20 games of the season, hitting to a .319 batting average. He was looking like a completely different hitter, laying off bad pitches, getting on base, and using the whole field. Since then, he has struggled mightily.
From April 19 to May 4, Castellanos collected 12 hits in 14 games and dropped his OPS from .900 all the way down to .743. During that period, the Phillies right fielder had only three extra-base hits, all doubles.
The longtime Detroit Tiger isn't playing necessarily bad by any means. His batting average and on-base percentage at this point would both be the best marks of his Phillies career for a full season. If the team was churning and the lineup was working one through nine, then there would be less talk about the Castellanos slump, but the Phillies are in need of some slug.
The 33-year-old has proven throughout his career to be able to split gaps, drive runners in, and hit the ball over the fence. Hitting behind Harper and Schwarber, the team leaders in walks, there will be plenty of opportunities with guys on. With the struggles of Alec Bohm, Castellanos has been pushed into the middle-of-the-order bopper role once again. It is important for him to get back on track and turn the singles into extra bases.
Orion Kerkering, RHP
A rising star in the city, Orion Kerkering burst onto the scene in 2023, dominating MLB with one of the nastiest pitches in baseball, his patented sweeper. After a pitching to a 2.29 ERA in 2024, however, the young righty has allowed seven runs through his first 15 games this year, equating to a 4.85 ERA while being a negative bWAR player.
Some insiders, such as Jayson Stark of The Athletic believe that the Phillies pitching coaches and analysts helped the former USF Bull change the shape of his No. 1 pitch, leading to hitters getting a better look at the sweeper. According to Baseball Savant's movement profile, Kerkering's sweeper is seeing less drop and significantly less horizontal movement toward first base, which could be a cause for concern and a reason he hasn't been as successful to begin this year.
Kerkering still has an elite arsenal with just three pitches: the sweeper, and two variations of fastball that are both averaging over 96 mph. The 24-year-old is hoping to see more swings and misses out of the zone, an area that has decreased by over six percentage points between 2024 and 2025. The Phillies are in desperate need of reliable bullpen arms, and Kerkering needs to have the stuff to be the man to right the ship in May.