As June approaches the Phillies need to get back on track

The Philadelphia Phillies are getting past the point of the season where the "it's early" excuse can keep being used. The club dealt with injuries to major players entering the season and as the season progressed. After splitting the series in Atlanta, the Phillies stand seven games behind the division leading Braves entering a pivotal series in New York against the Mets.

The Phillies have the pieces to be a competitive team in a talented National League East. As June comes and goes, the Phillies need to figure out a few different areas in order to gain ground in the division.

Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner will likely heat up for Phillies

"June Schwarber" should be arriving shortly. Kyle Schwarber has had an all or nothing start to the 2023 season. Through 184 at-bats, Schwarber is hitting just .168, however, he has 13 home runs which is tied for ninth in all of Major League Baseball.

The positive news for Phillies' fans is that Schwarber has a track record of heating up in June. Throughout his career the slugger has hit .215 in March and April and .188 in May. As the summer months approach those numbers climb pretty dramatically. In June Schwarber is a career .258 hitter with an OPS of .959.

Schwarber is not known for his batting average, but his OPS will rise as he begins to hit for a higher average in the next month. The Phillies need their left fielder to start hitting more consistently and continue to knock balls out of the park. His run producing ability will help propel the team as they look to make up ground over the summer.

Trea Turner has been disappointing to begin the season. There have been some signs pointing to a potential increase in production from the Phillies' shortstop, however. In the series in Atlanta, Turner hit two RBI doubles to the opposite field. He also hit a game tying home run in the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks which led to an eventual walk off win.

Turner— like Schwarber— has typically gotten off to a slower start in his career. As the season progresses, so does Turner's productivity. For his career, Turner's OPS rises over .800 once June comes around.

The Phillies need to get and stay healthy

The Phillies' roster has been riddled with injuries to start the year. Bryce Harper began the season on the injured list and missed the first month and a half. Rhys Hoskins is sidelined for the season due to an ACL tear that he suffered in spring training. His replacement— Darick Hall— was injured in the beginning of April. José Alvarado was placed on the injured list in early May after a dominating start to the season. The club's potential fifth starter Andrew Painter made one spring training appearance before being shut down to heal a ligament in his throwing arm.

The injuries are not the only thing to blame for the Phillies' pedestrian start to the year, but they certainly have not helped. While Hoskins will likely not return this season, Harper, Alvarado, Hall, and perhaps even Painter have or will return to make an impact on the team. Injuries are a natural part of the sport, unfortunately, but good teams can overcome them. To this point in the season, the Phillies have had players such as Kody Clemens step up to fill in for injured players. The bullpen has also done a good job of stepping up in Alvarado's absence.

The Phillies need key players to stay healthy to be a threat in the division. The team has some depth in certain areas in the minor leagues, but other areas are already thin, and the team cannot afford major injuries to those positions.