In Philadelphia, the team had won seven games in a row before Wednesday's game at Citizens Bank Park. They've had similar success earlier in the season.
Ignore the fact that the Phillies won 10 of their last 11 games and 18 of their last 21. It's okay to enjoy it without passing judgment, at least for now.
Despite the bright outlook for the South Philadelphia baseball scene, it's important to remember that it's only May and the baseball season is a marathon. The unexpected 5-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday proved this point once again.
Kyle Schwarber expressed that everyone in the room was unhappy after the Phillies lost, emphasizing that a loss is a loss no matter the team's standing. The team's mindset is always to try to win every game they play.
In the past two years, the Phillies could bounce back from slow starts due to the lengthy season. This season, however, it's been different, despite facing back-to-back losses at home in the opening games.
Beneath the impressive pitching, improved fielding, and favorable matchups, there is something that sets apart this Phillies team from the previous ones.
But first, let's consider the schedule.
The early matchups against weaker teams like Washington, Colorado, and Chicago White Sox, followed by successful series, helped the Phillies build a seven-game win streak. Strong pitching performances by Zack Wheeler and Ranger Suarez, along with good results on the road, contributed to their success.
The Phillies were aiming for another series sweep against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. They rallied late despite a strong performance by their starting pitcher, Chris Bassitt.
Even though they may face tough opponents like Baltimore and the Yankees soon, the Phillies still hold the best record in the major leagues at 26-12.
However, it's important to remember that it's still May, and the standings don't carry much weight with less than 40 games played.
The Phillies have their weaknesses, especially with Nick Castellanos' inconsistent performance at the plate. Additionally, the loss of Trea Turner to injury last week is a setback.
However, the difficult issue recently has been what to do about a Phillies team with six effective starting pitchers and a bullpen that is not getting enough work.
Spencer Turnbull was supposed to be a reliever, but he has always been a starter, and by starting the season in place of injured Taijuan Walker, he proved to be one of the Phillies’ best starters… a significant achievement. Now that Walker is healthy…
“It's a good problem to have,” manager Rob Thomson said with a curled lip.
Moreover, Bryce Harper is hitting the ball to all parts of the field and hitting home runs in three consecutive games before this one. His latest was a grand slam on Tuesday night in a 10-1 win for fifth (sixth?) starter Cristopher Sanchez, who showed his appreciation.
“Being side by side with a superstar like Bryce is amazing,” Sanchez said. “It's an incredible feeling. We just have too many good guys, like, the bench, everybody’s good. We have two lineups.”
And with that, Sanchez identified that new X-factor.
A reason, one that Harper himself promoted on Tuesday, that undermines the argument that it's too early to get too excited about this Phillies team.
A crucial element, less obvious than most, in the argument that this club could and should see itself as being in prime position to compete with the likes of the Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, Orioles, etc. for a championship come the fall. This is why a premier player like Turner can go out with a significant injury, and the wins keep coming anyway.
It’s also what Harper has been anticipating.
“If you look at a lot of really good teams in the league, they have depth,” Harper said on Tuesday. “If that’s starting pitching depth, or infield or hitting or anything, I think a lot of really good teams have that. I think (team president Dave) Dombrowski has done a great job of rounding out our roster, making sure we have those pieces and that depth in the minor leagues that can come up at any point and help us win.
“I said a couple of years ago that we have to rely on our young guys and minor league guys to be able to develop and come up and be able to help at any point, and I think they’re doing a good job of that now.”
It is indeed, that time. The Phillies went to a World Series in 2022 and stretched a National League Championship Series to seven games in 2023. They are better in 2024. There are many reasons. The most important one is how deeply enriched they’ve become.
Contact Rob Parent at [email protected]
