April is just about to come to a close, and the Philadelphia Phillies hope May has better luck in store for them. The Phillies closed out their road trip Sunday night with a series victory over the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in 10 innings and pushing them to a 15-13 record overall.
The team has certainly faced their fair share of adversity through the first month of action and has become a talking point around the sport. The Phillies have the capability to bounce back and chase down the division crown, just as they did last season, but one MLB insider notes that there is still plenty of pessimism for them moving forward.
MLB insider's reason for Phillies pessimism is just salt in the wound now
Every early stretch of play has its questions, and with only a fraction of the season played, it's tough to know where teams will end up. The Phillies seem to be turning a small corner, but pessimism still remains after early season returns. According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the bullpen has haunted them early and is his biggest reason for being pessimistic about the Phillies (subscription required). The concern also comes as a shock this year, as it was an area of strength for them in 2024.
The bullpen enters play on Tuesday with the second-highest ERA in the majors at 5.28 in just 92 innings pitched, the fewest among MLB bullpens.
Bowden explains that the Phillies need to add another reliever, specifically a right-hander, either before or at the trade deadline to have another chance at a World Series title. The acquisition and utilization of Jordan Romano has been questionable at best, while other key arms have underperformed and failed to pick up their starting staff. Romano, although he didn't have the best start to his year, has found some moments to shine, per Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
If they don't figure out a way to fix the bullpen woes, it could turn into a chronic issue and a crutch for the Phillies trying to win ballgames beyond just the regular season. The club has a few things going their way in the starting rotation, but with the offensive inconsistencies showing again, the bullpen has to be at least serviceable if there is to be another year of playoff baseball in Philadelphia.
This past weekend was a step in the right direction as their bullpen ERA starts to dip downward. If there is a chance for the current relievers to settle into their roles before reinforcements arrive, there'll be more optimism when all is said and done.