There was a legitimate worry when Zack Wheeler got hurt that the Phillies wouldn't be able to retain the momentum necessary to make a deep postseason run, and for a week and a half it did feel very real. The wins weren't happening, the heroes weren't showing up, Jordan Romano kept getting work. It just wasn't fun for a bit, which is what makes this recent surge all the more exciting. This is the kind of Phillies team that can squeak out a win against the Brewers, the best team in the NL. Maybe we can't win at CitiField, but neither can the Mets the majority of the time.
The joy of this team is that the top story, of Kyle Schwarber hitting loads of home runs and outdoing even his own Philly marks, is just the tip of the iceberg. Below that you have other helpful stories, like Brandon Marsh coming alive in the second half and getting up to .275 with 8 homers and 32 RBIs, or Alec Bohm coming back from a month on the IL with some exceptional production and getting to 51 RBIs, or Bryson Stott being one of the best 9-hitters in the league simply by being overqualified. I think Trea Turner's monster season has been lost in the shuffle, as he's leading the NL in hits and steals, and leads the NL with a .301 average [which is funny considering the AL leader has like 32 points more]. Turner, at 32, is having his best season in Philly, and is leading this team as much as Harper and Schwarber are, which was the dream when we signed him. I even like what I've been seeing from Harrison Bader, who's hitting .313 since coming over and is just as menacing in the clutch as he's always been.
The trick to establishing leverage in October will be acting like the current rotation setup of Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, Jesus Luzardo, Taijuan Walker and rehabbing Aaron Nola is workable even without Wheeler. The Phils did go and get Walker Buehler due to concerns over the back half, and while Buehler's struggled this year...so have Walker and Nola. Philly and October could be what makes Buehler click, as we saw last October in LA. Until then, we're seeing progress from Luzardo and Suarez, and Walker's nowhere near as terrible as he was during the first half. This is an improved Taijuan Walker, not the punchline from last year.
The most surprising part of the past month has been bringing up Lou Trivino and David Robertson, two older relief options, and seeing them deliver very strong material against all odds. We can't even get that from some YOUNGER relievers.
The Phillies have a chance to outdo their previous teams and fulfill the promise of this core as we potentially get to the end of their time together. I'd love to see something happen. I don't know if it will, but right now the probability is looking pretty good.
Coming Tonight: A former first round pick with sights on a first seed.
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