The Phillies hit a new low on the 2023 season after being swept by the rival Mets on Thursday, and while the season is just two months old, the Phils are putting themselves in a position where turning the season around may still not be enough to get back to the postseason.
“It’s a fiasco,” Joe DeCamara said. “They are digging a hole that they really might not climb out of.”
The Phils, losers of four in a row, are now 3.5 games back of the Pirates for the final Wild Card spot, 4.5 games behind the Mets for the second spot, and 8.5 games back of the Diamondbacks and Dodgers, who are tied for the NL West lead, where the other would be the top Wild Card spot.
“I flat-out don’t think the Phillies will contend for the division,” Joe said. “It really becomes a Wild Card issue. The Phillies are now eight games back of the Diamondbacks. Let that sink in. They’re also 4.5 games back of the Mets, and I can give you four or five other teams they’re behind.”
What’s worse, Joe doesn’t see where the valid excuses are for the Phillies’ struggles. For the most part, the team they constructed in the offseason is the team that is on the field, and it hasn’t been nearly enough.
“The Rhys [Hoskins] thing hurt, Ranger [Suarez] hurt, and Bryce [Harper] was a factor,” Joe said. “I’m not saying that’s not nothing…but it’s not like they got wiped out. [trea] Turner plays every day, [Kyle] Schwarber plays every day, [Nick] Castellanos plays every day, J.T. [Realmuto] pretty much plays every day. [Aaron] Nola and [Zack] Wheeler are healthy. It’s staggering.”