The Philadelphia Phillies are no longer the only remaining winless team in baseball!
They are indeed off to a disappointing 1-5 start, but hopefully, Tuesday night’s win over the New York Yankees is a sign to come.
It’s definitely not time to hit the panic button on this team yet. We are six games into a 162 game season, and we have seen former Phillies playoff teams get off to bad starts.
There are some things, however, that we can react to in a fair way as fans. Let’s dive into what’s going on with this team and if it warrants a reaction or an overreaction.
REACTION: Rhys Hoskins’ Absence Really Hurts
Whether you believe it or not, this baseball team does not feel the same without Rhys Hoskins in the lineup.
His impact as a player can not be understated. Losing 30+ home runs from the lineup doesn’t help the offense whatsoever, and new starting first baseman Darick Hall does not have the experience that Rhys has. Not to mention it has been a nightmare to craft a lineup without Rhys.
But what Rhys brought outside the lines is what makes him so special. Not only is his bat important, but Rhys as a leader in the clubhouse is what the Phillies are really missing.
The energy of this team does not feel like the energy of a team who is coming off a World Series appearance, and it is impossible to pinpoint how much of that is attributed to Hoskins’ absence.
However, it also can be demoralizing to see one of your teammates and leaders go down with a serious injury right before the start of the regular season.
Rhys’ absence is hurting this baseball team, whether it is on the field or off.
OVERREACTION: Kyle Schwarber’s Start is a Sign of Things to Come
Kyle Schwarber has not gotten off to the best start, as he has only recorded 4 hits and 2 homeruns in 26 at bats so far. Coming off a Silver Slugger season where he had a career-high 46 home runs, it is certainly not the start Schwarber hoped for, and he seemed to be getting frustrated at the plate in that Rangers series.
Schwarber is coming off a season in which he had a career-high 200 strikeouts as well, and he has struck out twice in three of their first six games. He has also has just one walk on the season.
Although Schwarber is struggling at the moment, he is not a stranger to slow starts. In April of 2022, his first month in a Phillies uniform, he had 12 hits in 71 at bats, good for a .169 batting average. After going 2-4 with a home run on Opening Day of 2022, he was 1 for his next 28.
Let’s not panic just yet with Schwarber. Hell, he hit one on Sunday Night Baseball that would have been out in 26/30 ballparks, and he recently partnered with Yards Brewery, where a free can of Philly Standard (2.5 stars out of 4 on Philly Brew Review) will be given out every time Schwarber homers.
Schwarber had his first home run of the season and 200th of his career in Tuesday’s win over the Yankees, and he also added an RBI single. He added another home run on Wednesday afternoon. Expect him to keep it going as the Phillies have their home opening series later this week.
REACTION: Alec Bohm and Trea Turner Start Off Hot
It’s nice to see that Alec Bohm is off to a hot start, as he has 7 hits in 18 at bats through 5 games. This includes 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, and a home run off of Jacob DeGrom.
With Bryce Harper out for a few more weeks and Rhys Hoskins slated to miss the entire 2023 season, Bohm’s success at the plate is a major part of this team’s success, especially early on.
An Alec Bohm breakout year could be upon us, just like Frankie V predicted weeks ago.
Something that isn’t as surprising but equally nice to see is the start Trea Turner has gotten off to. He has 10 hits in 27 at bats during a six game hitting streak, which included a four game 2-hit streak.
Turner is well on his way to being one of the league leaders in hits, and the value he has on the bases and in the field can not be taken for granted as well.
After watching Turner tear it up in the World Baseball Classic, and Bohm has the best spring training of his career, it’s fantastic to see it carry over to the regular season.
OVERREACTION: This Bullpen STINKS
Let me get one thing straight. I am not prepared to die on a hill for this bullpen. Not even close, as a matter of fact. But to the people calling it the worst in the league by far, let’s pump the brakes a little bit.
What was supposed to be a disastrous reliever game on Tuesday night turned into a bounce-back effort, as Matt Straham retired the first 8 batters he faced and only allowed 1 hit over 4 innings.
Andrew Bellatti was credited with the win, as he came in and struck out 2 in the 5th inning. The highlight of the night was Jose Alvarado’s dominant 6th inning, as he struck out the side with a series of filthy cutters. Connor Brogdon and Craig Kimbrel also pitched in Tuesday’s win.
After the disaster that was the bullpen in the first 4 games (thank God Yunior Marte got sent down), it was nice to see a better effort put forward by them in game 5.
If this Phillies bullpen can limit walks and home runs while also striking out batters as they did on Tuesday night, then the rest of the season can’t look as bad as the first 4 games.
Overall, I am not worried in the slightest about the Phillies’ 1-5 start. I am confident in their ability to right the ship, especially with the home opener coming up on Friday.
