As everyone figured it would for the Phillies, the bottom fell out after a while, and the calamities piled up. First Jose Alvarado got suspended for PED usage, then Bryce Harper got hurt after getting thrown at by Spencer Strider, then Jesus Luzardo started tipping his pitches and, in a time of need, Zack Wheeler left on paternity leave. After it was all said and done the Phillies were left 5 games out of first, behind the Mets, who've woken up after Juan Soto figured his shit out, and they were playing a week or so of some very embarrassing baseball. Which...yeah, I expected this. The other shoe's gotta drop eventually. Unlike a lot of Philly fans, I wasn't gonna pretend this was suddenly a bad team just cause they struggled for a bit. That's baseball.
I think the most interesting thing about the Phillies right now is the shift they've made in their rotation, and how it's working. Because Wheeler, Sanchez and Suarez are all intact, and some have moved up, and Luzardo has returned to his April/May glory, and now Mick Abel has slotted perfectly into Nola's place. Nola was having some issues this season, he's giving up more homers than usual and his arm is probably just strung out from all the consistent work. Abel, meanwhile, is young, confident, was lighting up the minors and outdueled Paul Skenes in his MLB debut. His subsequent starts have featured a good start and a rocky one. If they were all good it'd be weird.
It's also been very good seeing Ranger Suarez return to his former glory, a year after everyone feared he was cooked. He hurt his throwing hand against the Cardinals, then overexerted himself and needed to sit for a chunk of the season. Though he arrived late this year, Suarez is still looking like his old self, with a 4-1 record, a 2.70 ERA, 38 Ks and a 1.5 WAR through 7 starts. This is comparable to his 2023-2024 work, and proof that the back half of the rotation isn't gonna be a slog. Sanchez is also still very strong, with a 3.10 ERA, a 5-2 record and 83 Ks. And Wheeler is Wheeler. I think at this point he's less preoccupied with Cy Young finishes provided he makes it into Cooperstown, which is becoming more and more likely.
The lineup without Harper has been an adjustment, but things are still getting done. Bohm is taking starts at first, and he's at the very least hitting, with 28 RBIs and a much better last couple weeks. Turner leads the league in hits with 82 and is hitting .303 with 30 RBIs and 19 steals, so at the very least we have one reliable guy like that. Max Kepler's been heating up lately and been responsible for a bunch of RBIs. And Schwarber is still Schwarber. It's not like this team is DOA without Harper, as it has been in the past.
The Phils have to play Toronto and Miami next, followed up a reunion with the Mets. Seeing as they took two from the Cubs, it could go well. However, they need to prove that the late May collapse did not break them, and that they still can contend even when things go wrong.
Coming Tomorrow- Surprisingly his career stayed afloat after getting out of the Bronx.
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