Just as they did four years when Rob Thomson replaced Joe Girardi, the Philadelphia Phillies have caught lightning in a bottle with interim manager Don Mattingly taking the reins from Thomson. A 16-5 record through his first 21 games at the helm has thrust the team back into second place in the NL East, and they are now just one of two teams in the division with a record above .500.
Of course, the other team in that group is the Atlanta Braves, who have been laying waste to their competition in 2026. Their 33-16 record is the best in baseball through 49 games, giving them a seven-game lead for first place in the division that easily leads the league.
However, if there's one hole to poke in their success thus far, it's the fact that they just cannot get healthy. The roster has been absolutely ransacked by injuries all year, shelving key contributors like catcher Sean Murphy and starter Spencer Schwellenbach for extended periods of time.
This latest bit of news, though, is perhaps the most devastating: Superstar backstop Drake Baldwin is heading to the injured list with an oblique strain.
Atlanta, which has overcome injury after injury in their runaway season, now sustain huge blow with MVP candidate Drake Baldwin going on the IL with a strained right oblique muscle.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) May 19, 2026
Braves' desperate catching situation cracks door for Phillies to make up ground in NL East
With Murphy and Baldwin now both out of action, the Braves will have to turn to 37-year-old journeyman Sandy León and minor-league mainstay Chadwick Tromp to not only produce in the lineup, but also handle their second-ranked pitching staff in ERA (3.19).
That's not exactly an inspiring situation to be in, and if there's one position where it's difficult to add reinforcements (by trade or free agency) in the middle of a season, it's catcher. Integrating a new face into a run-prevention program while trying to win meaningful contests is an unenviable task.
Baldwin's MRI revealed a Grade 1 strain, which is the best-case scenario, but we know how tricky obliques can be. Either way, they've just lost a slugger hitting .303/.389/.543 (160 wRC+) in the middle of their lineup and a key piece of their game-calling strategy. They'll suffer a serious hit until he (or Murphy) returns.
Unfortunate though that is for Atlanta, this could be just the kind of window the Phillies need to catch the NL East leaders in the standings. They've done a lot of their damage under Mattingly against bad teams, though an upcoming stretch of schedule featuring the Guardians, Dodgers, and Padres (twice) will really test their mettle.
With a little help from the injury-plagued Braves, the Phillies can survive that window and keep pace in the division.
Add us as a preferred source on Google