About a week and a half ago, the Phillies were looking strong, winning 11 out of their last 12 games and holding a two-game lead over the Mets in the NL East.
But things have really taken a turn since then. They’re now trailing New York by 4.5 games.
After starting the season as one of the top teams, the Phillies lost nine of their last ten games, averaging just three runs during that stretch, including a three-game sweep by the 26-40 Pirates.
The team’s struggles seem to stem mainly from their batting performance.
Since their series against the Brewers on May 30th, they’ve only racked up 55 hits in nearly 300 at-bats. They’ve managed just eight home runs and scored 25 runs overall. They’ve also walked only 19 times while striking out 68.
In fact, their current batting statistics are dismal: .187 batting average, .239 on-base percentage, and a .320 slugging percentage.
They’ve lost five consecutive games, only managing to score eight runs in that span.
One key issue may be the absence of two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper, who went down with an injury. He strained his surgically repaired right elbow on May 27, missed five games, and returned briefly against the Blue Jays. Now, he’s on the 10-day injury list due to a wrist injury.
In the games that Harper has missed, the team has gone 1-7.
After being swept by the Pirates, second baseman Bryson Stott was asked if the team was trying too hard to compensate for Harper’s absence. He acknowledged it, reminiscing about a similar situation in 2022 when it took time for the team to adjust to Harper’s injury. “You want to be yourself,” he said, adding that they’re simply trying to play their game.
This season, Stott has a batting line of .239/.303/.338 and has really struggled during the recent 1-9 stretch, with only five hits.
“It’s a long season,” he noted, “but we know we’re capable of better than this.”
