(Yeah, this one's going on my wall.)
How weird is it that in 2018, a Philadelphia Phillie is currently leading the NL in Batting Average with a .360 at the moment?
Odubel Herrera, after becoming one of the faces of the team after only a few seasons on the club, has reached peak numbers, hitting really well through the first 1 and 1/2 months of the year, and lifting his team up through the standings. Right now the Phillies are tied with the Nationals for 2nd essentially, which is definitely a start, as I don't think anybody thought the Phillies would tie the Nationals for anything this decade.
The entire team isn't perfect, and some guys, like Carlos Santana and Jorge Alfaro are JUST NOW getting to the offensive abilities we thought they'd be hitting from the start. But still, the core of Herrera, Hoskins, Hernandez and Franco has been pretty productive, there's a minimal bench, and Pedro Florimon and Scott Kingery have filled in admirably for J.P. Crawford. Meanwhile, Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta are both pitching like pros, Nick Pivetta isn't far behind, and Zach Elfin has been fantastic in two starts. Brilliant developments are happening in Philadelphia, and it's about time.
The trick here, as the Mets are no longer an obstacle, is fighting the sudden incline of the Washington Nationals, who thankfully have to play the best team in the NL this week in Arizona, as well as the impenetrable lead of the Atlanta Braves and their rookies. They're in the middle of a three-team blockade, and I sincerely hope they have enough momentum to stay with it. Especially for Herrera's sake. He deserves a break.
Coming Tomorrow: Talk about an April-to-May glowup. We were all worried this guy was going to have a down season, but, as his first-place team hangs around .500, he's just getting started.
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