Rhys's Pieces

 

With all the issues I've had with the Phillies this year, I'll give them this: they've still gotten the edge in multiple series against the St. Louis Cardinals this year. They didn't used to be able to do that.

And, like, the Cards are good this year too. Or at least they were til last week or so. Meanwhile, the Phillies have had massive hot streaks and then gotten cold just as quickly, but with Rob Thomson as manager they've been a little more on the W side, and have only lost 11 games since he took over. Now, that's not Yankees June good, but it's also not bad for a team that's missing Jean Segura, Bryce Harper and Zach Eflin.

What's helped tremendously is that Rhys Hoskins is playing really well this year, right when we need a guy like him at the heart of the lineup. Rhys has 17 home runs, a team high for people not named Schwarber, has 42 RBIs, and has the highest WAR of any active position player on the team. Without Harper, Hoskins has stepped up in a way he hasn't before, and he's coming closer to the hero status he attained in his first year in Philly FIVE YEARS AGO [man it's been a bit]. Having him, Schwarber, Bohm and Didi all pretty on and rolling is making this Phils team a lot more watchable than they were.

And now, of course, is the time they have to take a trip to Toronto only for us to find out that Kyle Gibson, J.T. Realmuto, Aaron Nola and Alec Bohm aren't vaccinated. And that's a huge chunk of the team. Other teams, it's like 'two relievers' or 'one bench guy', but here it's FOUR STARTERS. Without JT, the Phils will really need to rely on Garrett Stubbs, who's been really good for us but it's not sure how he'll be on a daily basis. We'll also need to rely on a backup catcher, probably Rafael Marchan. With Wheeler still needing a few more days of rest, we'll need to start Bailey Falter, Cristopher Sanchez and possibly someone new we haven't thought of. And in Bohm's place, we'll really need to rely on Yairo Munoz, as well as plugging someone like Stott, Vierling or maybe even Darick Hall into third, unless they think Donny Sands is ready.

It's just something that creates a lot of problems that shouldn't be there because, well, uh, people really should be getting vaccinated because the Jays are a team that could easily take 3 games from us if we don't show up.

And also because we can't be getting COVID in inopportune moments, but mostly the Jays thing.

I love what this team is doing, I love how this team is handling injuries, but I'm so worried about this Jays series, as well as what might happen in similar situations down the road if COVID remains a thing and these players still don't wanna get vaccinated. 

Coming Tonight: I think we all thought he was done playing at peak levels, but somehow he's become one of the best players on the South Side of Chicago.