Take a Deep Breath and Step Away from the Panic Button

The brooms came out at Citi Field this week — but not for the Phillies.

Swept in a three-game series, with two one-run losses, the Phils looked lifeless at the plate and shaky out of the bullpen. Understandably, fans are anxious.

But before we go slamming that big red panic button, let’s evaluate where things really stand.

Patience with the offense

Dating back to last year’s crushing NLDS loss, the Phillies have averaged just 2.2 runs per game over their last five contests at Citi Field. The only true rally in that span came from the bottom of the order — a telling sign of the lineup’s current imbalance.

Outside of the Marlins series, in which they faced a weak rotation, the Phillies’ bats have been ice-cold.

It starts at the top with superstars attempting to turn the game around with one swing of the bat. The approaches have been unbearable, as they have been in the last two postseason trips. The changes need to start at the top — there has to be more patience at the plate.

One player who has made a good approach change is Nick Castellanos; he has been much more patient, and it’s paying off as he’s hitting .275. There have been bumps, but hitters are still trying to figure out their approach this year as pitchers’ attack plans change based on the numbers from the previous season.

Still, the sky isn’t falling. Bryson Stott has been a bright spot. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Castellanos all boast above-average OPS marks. While Trea Turner and J.T. Realmuto are slumping, there’s enough talent in this lineup to believe in a turnaround. Early-season adversity might be just what this team needs to recalibrate before it really counts.

The offensive struggles of late last year have made their way into this season, but the silver lining, if you’re looking for it, is the adversity being faced early rather than later.

Slam the panic button on the bullpen

Their relief pitching, on the other hand, has changed drastically from last year and is much less reliable than the star-studded offense they retained. They had major losses in the form of Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez, who were two of the few that provided security in the late innings, the other one being Jose Alvarado.

Offseason additions Carlos Hernandez, Joe Ross, and Jordan Romano have yet to deliver consistent results.

The panic button can be pressed for the bullpen. They lack a legit set-up man who can hand the keys to the only trusted reliever, Alvarado. It was hoped that Orion Kerkering could take up the role, but he has been brutal. The offseason plan for the bullpen was poorly designed and based on a few mid-tier relievers banding together.

We’ve seen Romano bounce between Connor Brogdon-esque appearances and Jeff Hoffman-esque appearances. If Caleb Cotham is able to bring out more of the ladder, then that adds quite a lot more reliability for the Phillies’ relief options.

Even so, acquisitions are still necessary to fortify this bullpen as it boasts the second-worst ERA in the entire league. The rare amount of run support that the offense provides is quickly diminished when the ball is handed off to the bullpen.

Pitching Rotation Can Only Improve

The pitching rotation is the only thing that fans should absolutely be confident about. Dave Dombrowski may have had a poor plan for the bullpen this offseason, but he definitely did well with the acquisition of Jesus Luzardo.

The rotation holds the seventh-best ERA in the league, and that’s with Aaron Nola‘s slow start and Ranger Suarez starting on the injured list. It’s hard to judge Nola’s slow start, though, because in his games pitched, the offense has provided almost zero support, which leaves him on an island.

With Andrew Painter and Suarez both coming into this rotation throughout the season, it only gets better.

Deep Breath In, Deep Breath Out

The Phillies have played 25 games — that’s only 15% of their season, and they are still over the .500 mark. Take your hand off the panic button; this is a star-studded lineup that has performed extremely well as a group before, and the expectation is that they will get back to it. Add in one of the best rotations in baseball with the best pitching prospect on the horizon, they’re going to manage.

Yes, the bullpen is a problem. But it’s a solvable one — and with the depth they possess at Lehigh Valley and Dombrowski’s decision making, don’t be surprised if help arrives before the trade deadline.

So, for now, let’s take our hands off that panic button, take some deep breaths, and maybe you’ll get surprised by this upcoming Cubs series.

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