5 things we learned about the Philadelphia Phillies this season
By Nick Butler
With the end of the season right around the corner, the hunt for Red October in Philly is also coming to an end. But what exactly did we learn about this Philadelphia Phillies team this year?
For starters, the DAWG mentality runs deep in Philadelphia … and not just across the street on the gridiron. There have been countless times during this season that the Phillies could have folded and fallen off but fought back time after time, landing them at the top of the Wild Card race in the National League heading into Thursday’s action.
The Daycare has become a legit threat. Last season, we saw some flashes of what a legit and future cornerstone piece of a franchise could be developing. Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh and add-in Johan Rojas has given Rob Thomson youth, speed and some extremely reliable players.
The Phillies faithful have proven to be a bigger intangible than they were during last year’s World Series run. When Trea Turner was having such a down year, Jack Fritz of 94.1 WIP put it out on X to give Trea Turner a standing ovation. The Phillies fanatics delivered, and the message was heard by Turner.
Bryce Harper might actually be one of the greatest players of our generation and is doing it so quietly. How many other players do you know can return from Tommy John surgery and perform at the levels he is? I can’t fail to mention the pure mastery of transitioning to first base as if it’s normal.
Lastly, it feels like Dave Dombrowski did not do enough to improve the bullpen or get a legit starter and someone who can be a reliable third starter for this team in the playoffs. While Walker, Sanchez and Suarez have been good, outside of Wheeler, the other two starter spots are still up in the air.