The Phillies have lots of reasons to worry.
The $10 million closer's done, and the backup closer's hurt. The MVP is still out, the home run leader still can't play in the field, and the center fielder's left leg remains infirm. The two aces, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, got hammered in their last three combined outings, all against the Mets, against whom the Phillies are 0-9 in their starts this season. The Mets went 14-5 against the Phillies this season, the last win a deflating, ninth-inning comeback Sunday that flipped the script the Phillies had written in the eighth. It gave the Mets a third win in four grueling games over three days, the start of a dog-days stretch of 14 games in 13 days.
Don't worry. These Phillies are primed for a late-summer run.
In fact, as the Phillies head into the last six weeks of the season, the final National League wild-card berth in hand, the good news far outweighs the bad.
1. The schedule
The Phillies on Monday started a run of 22 straight games against teams with losing records.
They began a seven-game stretch at home Monday with four against the Reds, who were 23 games below .500, and three against the Pirates, who were 27 games below .500. The Phillies were 2-1 against the Reds and 4-0 against the Pirates.
Meanwhile, the Brewers, who sat 1 1/2 games behind them Monday, traveled to face the Dodgers, the best team in baseball, in a three-game series that began Monday. The Padres, who held a half-game lead over the Phillies for the second wild-card slot, head to Cleveland on Tuesday for two games against the Guardians, who lead the AL Central.
"I think it's a big week," manager Rob Thomson said Monday. "And today is a big day, to bounce back from a tough weekend. Long games, long days. These guys have rebounded all year long."
2. The slugger
Bryce Harper took live batting practice Monday, and he looked magnificent. He will DH from Tuesday through Saturday at triple-A Lehigh Valley, and if he feels good Sunday, he will resume his role as DH in Arizona on Monday. Harper still cannot play right field as he deals with a ligament tear in his right elbow.
3. Schwarber’s comeback
Kyle Schwarber moved from left field to DH when he strained his right calf Aug. 11. After a demanding and encouraging weekend of baserunning, Schwarber practiced in the outfield before Monday's game for the first time since the injury. If he reports no setbacks, he said he will start in left field before this series ends.
His return will have a marked trickle-down effect. When Schwarber plays left field, it allows rookie Darick Hall to act as DH (Hall plays first base only, where slugger Rhys Hoskins starts). When Schwarber acts as DH, it means that Hall is benched in favor of outfielders Nick Maton and Matt Vierling.
Hall's .846 OPS led all major-league rookies with at least 129 at-bats. Vierling's OPS was .580. (Maton was at 1.112, but he'd only had 26 at-bats.)
Schwarber reported no discomfort or limitations Monday after his workout. And, while he respects the contributions of the other guys, Schwarber was eager for the lineup to regain its potency when he resumes playing left field.
"D-Hall's done more than anyone expected," Schwarber said. "Is that a bat you want in your lineup? One hundred percent."
4. Mr. Robertson's neighborhood
With closer Seranthony Domínguez on the 15-day injured list with triceps soreness, and with the rest of the bullpen on fumes, 37-year-old David Robertson called the dugout Sunday afternoon and asked to pitch the ninth after he'd logging a messy, two-inning, 36-pitch save Saturday night. He gave up a two-run homer, blew the save, and lost the game. Mistake? Maybe. Maybe Robertson shouldn't have called down. Maybe Thomson should have refused to use him.
But this is the sort of bulldog approach every reliever should have. Domínguez can return as soon as Sept. 2. Meanwhile, veteran Corey Knebel, who began the season as the closer and who remained a valuable middle-innings option, will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. The Phillies dealt a young power arm to the Cubs to acquire Robertson for these very possibilities down this very stretch.
He'll be a godsend.
5. J.T.’s earning his money
Through July 10, J.T. Realmuto, the Phillies' $115 million catcher, hit .236 with seven homers and a .680 OPS in 75 games, and he played spotty defense.
Realmuto hit .343 with six homers and 1.039 OPS in his next 28 games and played superb defense.
6. Bohm's for real
Through June 12, third-year baseman Alec Bohm — who started one of the three games in the Phillies' opening series — was hitting hit .246 with a .635 OPS in 58 games and played spotty defense.
Bohm hit .327 with an .823 OPS in his next 55 games and played good defense.
7. Rhys heated up
Through June 5, Rhys Hoskins hit .216 with a .697 OPS in his first 53 games.
He hit .274 with a whopping .992 OPS in his next 67 games.
8. Nick showed up
Through July 24, $100 million outfielder Nick Castellanos hit .245 with a .655 OPS.
He hit .337 with an .849 OPS in his next 26 games.
9. 3, 4, 5, 6
Since May 30, back-end starters Kyle Gibson, Ranger Suárez, Bailey Falter, and deadline acquisition Noah Syndergaard have given the Phillies a reasonable chance to win: say, no more than three runs in five innings, with less emphasis on Falter's innings, considering he's a converted reliever.
They had performed acceptably in 27 of their 36 starts entering Syndergaard's scheduled start Monday. In particular, Suárez is 3-1 with a 1.82 ERA in his last eight starts, but they've all outperformed expectations.
"Ranger's been nails for a month-and-a-half, two months," Gibson said.
10. Jean Segura, professional hitter
Segura is hitting .340 with an .873 OPS since he returned from the injured list Aug. 4 (broken finger). He also is playing excellent defense at second base. He's 32, and it's the final weeks of a contract year, and he's the longest-tenured big-leaguer who has not played in the postseason. His eighth-inning, pinch-hit homer — the first pinch-hit homer and first pinch-hit RBI of his 11-year career — gave the Phillies a one-run lead, and he has infused the clubhouse with energy.,
The wait is almost over, and, despite a weekend of injury and disappointment, the future looks just fine.
"We've got a lot of good things going for us," Gibson said. "We're going to have a full squad when September gets here."
