The Philadelphia Phillies are in a skid at the moment. After dropping back-to-back home series against the Dodgers and Yankees, the team lost a few frustrating games to the Marlins.Â
Zack Wheeler wasn't sharp in his last outing, an 8-7 Marlins victory. Wheeler lasted only three innings and gave up five earned runs. The offense fought back and took a 7-5 lead into the ninth inning with their All-Star closer Jhoan Duran looking to shut the door. Five soft hits and porous defense later, and the Marlins were celebrating, snapping their 12-game losing streak.
With the margins so tight, and the Phillies being able to rely on fewer and fewer people, there are certain players the team cannot afford to fall off during the homestretch of the regular season if they hope to make the playoffs. Some of those players are obvious in their importance, and others may catch fans by surprise with their value.
3 Phillies whose regression would kill their 2026 chances (one isn't so obvious)
Zack WheelerÂ
Since signing with the Phillies in 2020, Wheeler has been one of the top aces on the Phillies staff. Nobody could have predicted that he would immediately jump back into All-Star form too after getting his 2025 season cut short due to venous thoracic outlet syndrome.
Despite being passed over for the All-Star Game several times, Wheeler was more than deserving of the honor. Even after a rough outing against Miami, Wheeler is still 10-2 on the season with a 2.53 ERA, 123 strikeouts and a 4.6 WAR.
Wheeler, along with Cristopher Sánchez and Jesus Luzardo, have helped keep the Phillies afloat in the playoff race through significant bouts of inconsistency as a team. As pointed out by Phillies Tailgate on Twitter, the Phillies haven't won a game not started by Wheeler, Sanchez, or Luzardo since June 24. This further emphasizes the need for Wheeler to remain ace-like for the remainder of the season. Starts like his Marlins outing must remain mere blips. Otherwise, the Phils are near-cooked.
Jhoan DuranÂ
Jhoan Duran has been one of the most consistent Phillies this season, with his blown save on Monday being just his second in 26 chances. Duran had not allowed a run in 14 straight outings, including the entire month of July up until that point.
With a thin bullpen where the only other consistent relievers have been Jonathan Bowlan and Orion Kerkering, the Phillies have needed Duran's near-perfection every time he's pitched. He can't just be good. He must be near-perfect.
With the trade deadline coming up, the Phillies could look to add firepower to bolster their bullpen and further support Duran.
Bryson StottÂ
When one thinks of the impact players on the Phillies, Bryson Stott might not be the player that immediately springs to mind, but he provides something that no other Phillies player has this season: top-of-the-line defense.
In an infield where Trea Turner recently had a stretch of seven errors in 10 games, Stott has offered rare stability. On the season, Stott has only one error at second base. Stott has been a Gold Glove finalist in 2023 and 2024, and he looks to be on his way to being a finalist once again in 2026.
Stott isn't only showing his value with his glove, but also with his bat. His batting average has floated around .290 since May 31, and he's pulling the ball at the best rate of his career.
According to Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia, Stott is pulling the ball at a 36.2 percent rate, a career high. Also, his year-to-year jump (from 2025) is the 14th highest in baseball.
While Stott isn't the flashiest name on the team, he can be the glue guy with both his glove and his bat that keeps this season from completely falling apart. If he regresses, Phillies fans will notice.
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