3) The biggest Phillies concern is how there is no obvious solution
The Phillies don’t have a big prospect in Triple-A knocking on the door. A bat. An arm. Even a glove. None of it is there. The only realistic solution for the Phillies aside from getting lucky on a waiver claim is for the players to perform better. June isn’t the time when a massive trade can be made. And frankly, after this series against the Mets, the Phillies look much more like a sell-off is coming than an actual summer of buying.
The lineup may look dangerous and the rotation has some really good arms. Even the bullpen, at times this year, has been trustworthy. Philadelphia never seemed to have any sort of a backup plan. There was no true fifth starter from the start of the season. They ignored roster depth. All of their dependence is in big name players performing at a high level. This formula worked in 2022. Not so much in 2023.
It was on June 3, 2023 when the Phillies fired Joe Girardi. They were 22-29 at the time. Firing Rob Thomson isn’t the solution this time. What can they possibly do?
If the Phillies aren’t rattled awake after losing to the Mets, nothing will get them right. The concerns for the Phillies are real. How they respond after will tell us exactly who they are.