The next two weeks could define the Phillies' season
A Phillies team that had so much promise early on now has some making up to do to get back on track.
The Philadelphia Phillies had dropped yet another series opener, but thanks to Kyle Schwarber's biggest hit of the season were able to split the two-game series against the NL East last-place Miami Marlins. They split with a Marlins team that hosted a roster fire sale at the July 30 trade deadline, which left their active payroll at $13,522,805, the lowest in MLB. For comparison, Taijuan Walker by himself, is earning $18 million in 2024, per Spotrac.
The Phillies' 70-50 record is nothing to scoff at if you take a step back, but it's the grueling way it took to get here that has made it feel unbearable. They are second only to the Chicago White Sox for the worst record since the All-Star break at 8-16.
It felt closer to a free-fall, and fans wondered if this was a precursor to the team's future. Miraculously, the Phillies still hold a 6.0-game lead in the division over the Atlanta Braves. Hopefully, the Phillies can build on their turnaround 9-5 win on Wednesday to maintain that lead.
The next two weeks could define the Phillies' season
Fans feared how July was going to test this club by strength of schedule. Unfortunately, August isn't much better. Over the next couple of weeks, the Phillies will have quite the test. Starting Thursday, they host the Nationals for four games. After that, they play at Atlanta (three games) and Kansas City (three games), then come back home against Houston (three games) and Atlanta (four games).
The stretch looks like a murderer's row with seven games against an always-tough Braves team. They also play a Royals team that is led by AL MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr., who in 63 games at home has a ridiculous line of .403/.456/.728 for a 1.184 OPS with 12 home runs, 49 RBI and 63 runs scored.
The matchup that didn't look too bad at the beginning of the year was the Houston Astros when they fell into an early crater of a hole. Since May 10, they've certainly rectified that in a hurry sporting the best MLB record at 51-30.
The Phillies do have the remaining month of August still at their disposal and a seemingly lighter September schedule to possibly make up lost ground. They need to continue winning now before the whispers of a collapse become a reality. Turn the season around, put this slump in the rearview mirror and relive the vibes that got you here.
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