Well, since those jerseys have been around for almost 30 years, you probably do. But, you’ve barely seen them in 2020 because the Phils have played almost all of their games at Citizens Bank Park.
Due to the Miami Marlins’ coronavirus outbreak at the beginning of this shortened 60-game season — and the threat of inclement weather one night in the Bronx — the Phillies have played 16 of their 17 games in South Philadelphia.
Finally, they are hitting the road — and will be away through Aug. 27.
“I think it will make it feel more like the season,” Manager Joe Girardi told the Phillies Radio Network before Sunday’s 6-2 win over the Mets.
In a normal year, road games are a non-issue. But at this point in 2020, it’s a big deal — especially in Major League Baseball, which is a sport operating with regional travel and not a “bubble” like the NBA or NHL due to the pandemic.
“We’re gonna have to be vigilant and just play it safe,” added starting pitcher Zack Wheeler. “Just don’t do anything dumb. Just stay at the hotel and just go to the ballpark, play, do our job, and it’s pretty simple.”
In addition to the Miami Marlins, the St. Louis Cardinals have dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak this season that gave them two weeks of postponements. We don’t know how exactly these outbreaks happened, but there’s a different kind of awareness when teams go on the road.
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“The medical team has done a really good job of keeping us informed about what are smart decisions and what aren’t, what might put us at risk and in some jeopardy,” Hoskins said.
“We’ve seen other teams. We’ve been a part of it, kind of. Other teams are irresponsible, and it pays,” Wheeler claimed. “It doesn’t just hurt you. It hurts your teammates, coaches, other players on other teams.”
For the past couple of weeks, the Phils have had the luxury of the same routine every day — going between Citizens Bank Park and their homes in the Delaware Valley. They won’t have that option this time around.