Lack of balance in Phillies' lineup in August is alarming

The Philadelphia Phillies have experienced their largest stretch of adversity of the season that began in mid-July. They had a 4-11 record during the remainder of the month following the series sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park.

Entering the four-game set versus the Washington Nationals, Philadelphia is 6-7 during August. The organization is 10-18 overall since July 12 and has not looked like a World Series contender. The offense has broken out during their wins on August 14 and 15 versus the Miami Marlins and Nationals, respectively.

Optimistic fans will be encouraged the Phillies have returned to their excellent play from before the All-Star break, based on the offensive outbreak during these two contests. It will take multiple series wins consecutively to convince cynical fans that they have returned to the former level of play they exhibited regularly from mid-April to the beginning of July.

From an inconsistent lineup to some bad outings from the starting pitching and relievers, the Phillies have much to work on until the end of the regular season. The offensive imbalance is a significant contributor to their downward spiral.

Lack of balance in Phillies' lineup in August is alarming

When Philadelphia's slump began a month ago, key players at the top of the lineup struggled mightily. From July 12 to July 31, Alec Bohm was the only hitter with a batting average above .280. He had a slash line of .315/.422/.481 in 64 plate appearances over 15 games.

According to FanGraphs, here are some Phillies players who did not do well during this span:

1. Bryce Harper: 66 PA, .153/.242/.390
2. Trea Turner: 64 PA, .203/.266/.407
3. Brandon Marsh: 45 PA, .119/.156/.262
4. Kyle Schwarber - 69 PA, .220/.420/.460

The Phillies' lack of winning stemmed from a lack of production from Schwarber, Turner, and Harper - the first three batters in their lineup. The club is reliant upon the trio to jolt the offense. Philadelphia will be at a disadvantage offensively if the three do not do well at the plate in consecutive contests.

During the first two weeks of August, these players have struggled at the plate:

1. Brandon Marsh: 45 PA, .175/.267/.225
2. Bryson Stott: 43 PA, .143/.163/.262
3. Trea Turner: 53 PA, .212/.226/.269
4. J.T. Realmuto: 46 PA, .220/.304/.366

Marsh has struggled with more playing time following the release of utility player Whit Merrifield and the trade of reserve outfielder Cristian Pache. The Georgia native looks like he is better suited as a part-time player. However, the Phillies' outfield has lacked consistency overall at the plate this year.

Johan Rojas was briefly sent down to Triple-A to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs before being recalled due to an open roster spot. He should be playing part-time considering he excelled with his most recent stint in the minors. Unfortunately, he may need more than a full season to adjust to major league pitching.

While Stott had a decent slash line of .275/.302/.350 in 43 plate appearances over 13 games during the two-and-a-half week span in July, he has exhibited poor offensive numbers so far in August. Since September of last year, the second baseman has been inconsistent as a hitter.

Here are a few roster members who have done well so far in August:

1. Bryce Harper: 52 PA, .333/.385/.563
2. Johan Rojas: 30 PA, .333/.400/.407
3. Alec Bohm: 57 PA, .309/.333/.509
4. Kyle Schwarber: 63 PA, .302/.397/.698
5. Nick Castellanos: 53 PA, .304/.396/.522

Turner, Schwarber and Harper have done better this month at the top of the batting order. Bohm continues his breakout campaign this year. He looks more up to the task of being the Phillies cleanup hitter this postseason as opposed to last year's playoffs.

It is encouraging for the Phillies' chances of improvement if Rojas and Castellanos can contribute. The latter is expected to perform among the club's top hitters. He is one of the top-paid position players on the roster.

The Phillies have too much talent to come up short of making the World Series this year. While it is difficult to be disappointed by simply making the Fall Classic, the roster and fanbase will feel the team underachieved if they do not win a championship this season. After all, the organization played consistently like the best team in the majors for nearly three months from mid-April until the All-Star break.