By Evan Macy
Copyright phillyvoice
The Phillies won another series at home as the regular season reaches its conclusion, taking two of three from the Marlins.
After an ugly loss in extras Tuesday, the Phillies won the second two games — clinching the 2-seed in the National League in the process. The postseason is just around the corner. The Phillies looked very good, but have also seemingly let off the gas a bit with three games left to go.
Should Phillies fans be worried or filled with optimism? Here’s what we saw against Miami this week:
Worth worrying about
The bullpen
Dating back to their four-game sweep of the Mets at home ending on Sept. 11th, the Phillies have played 12 games. In those games they’ve gone 7-5, but the bullpen has been “clean” in just four of those 12 games.
The most troubling of these was the first game of the Marlins series. Cris Sánchez handed the pen a 3-0 lead and Tanner Banks gave two back (one earned) before Jhoan Duran blew his third save as a Phillie with a solo shot surrendered in the ninth. Orion Kerkering and Lou Trivino allowed three more runs in extras as the Phillies fell 6-5.
They found their footing with solid support on Wednesday and Thursday. This team is only going to win if the bullpen can toss clean innings. They’ll have a lot to work on during the five days off the team has before the NLDS.
They’re wildly inconsistent
As we mentioned, the second-best team in baseball is limping to the finish line, with that so-so 7-5 record as proof. They’re battling injuries but there’s really no excuse. They squandered a golden opportunity to challenge the Brewers for the 1-seed in the NL, as the Brew Crew dropped three straight games just as the Phillies did the same. They are two games back for the top seed in the NL with three games to go — but they don’t own the tiebreaker. It’s a long shot.
In Los Angeles last week the Phils were shut out, then they scored eight runs the next night in Arizona, and then combined for 10 total runs in three consecutive losses. On Wednesday they set a franchise record with eight homers in a win against Miami. On Thursday, they were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and skirted to a 1-0 win. They’re up, then they’re down.
When the Phillies made their back-to-back deep playoff runs in 2022 and 2023 they were an NL Wild Card team and they were fighting and clawing every night. Can that mentality return after inconsistent play to finish and a week of rest ahead?
The defense
Philly made two costly errors on Tuesday, one from Rafael Marchan in extra innings and one from Harrison Bader in centerfield. They had two more errors Wednesday, on mishaps from infielders Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa.
Giving opponents extra outs seems like a pretty solid way to lose in the postseason.
Interestingly, the Phillies are in the bottom five in total errors made this season. Their defense has improved over past seasons when they were among the worst in baseball. But they’re an older team and lack the range and athleticism of some younger teams they’ll be facing. J.T. Realmuto is one of the best defensive players, not just catchers, in the sport and his right hand being back to normal after getting hit by a foul ball will be monumentally important.
NOT worth worrying about
Their health
There were some injury scares this week. Bryce Harper missed two games with a bad case of the flu but he was back Thursday. Realmuto was drilled by a foul ball on his throwing hand — but X-rays were negative and the team seems likely to be cautious with him before the postseason.
Edmundo Sosa is back, he started on Wednesday and looked pretty darn good in his return. And Trea Turner was reportedly at 75% Wednesday after he partook in some live hitting, getting six at bats and doing some running.
It seems possible that in nine days they’ll have their full lineup ready to go.
The hitting is there
Kyle Schwarber is hitting like it’s still mid-summer — he had two homers (he’s up to 56) and a double in the first to games of the set. Edmundo Sosa returned to the lineup from the IL and became the first Phillies shortstop ever to blast three home runs in a game Wednesday.
The offense showed up in the first two games of this series and it’s a good sign for the postseason. If the bats don’t cool off during five days off next week the momentum at the plate could certainly be there — and this all before Turner’s anticipated return to the lineup.
And so is the starting pitching
In his final start before Game 1 of the NLDS next weekend, Cris Sánchez was on the mound Tuesday and allowed just three hits in seven scoreless innings. Exactly what you want to see.
On Wednesday, Jesús Luzardo ended any doubt that he deserves to be in the playoff rotation, tossing seven frames of one-run baseball. He surrendered three total hits and struck out 10 in the mid-series win.
And on Thursday Walker Buehler started his postseason audition, solidly blanking the Marlins for five innings. His command wasn’t great but he pitched around trouble and helped the Phillies hold the lead.
A meaningless series at home against the Twins to wrap up the season is up this weekend.
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