Skip to Search Skip to Live Player Skip to Content Skip to Footer

The Best Show Ever?: Weekdays 2pm – 6pm

The Best Show Ever?: Weekdays 2pm – 6pm

The Best Show Ever?: Weekdays 2pm – 6pm

Philadelphia Union Feeling the Weight Of Andre Blake’s Absence

Placeholder Shilloutte User Image
Author and Dylan MacKinnon

The Union have hit a bit of a snag. After looking like last year’s team in June and May, they have started to fall apart a bit. The Union have now lost their last two matches, both of which came on the road. They were outscored 5-1 in those two games. And it is hard not to look to the absence of star Goalkeeper Andre Blake as one of the primary reasons for this losing streak.

Andre Blake is currently away while he competes with team Jamaica in the Concacaf Gold Cup. And as you can see from them making it to the Semi-Finals, they are very much so benefiting from having Blake around.

…

Their gain is the Union‘s loss though. In his place, Joe Bendik has filled in. In 6 starts and 7 total games, he has given up 13 goals. Compare that to Andre Blake, who gave up 12 goals across 15 games. Bendik’s Goals Allowed Average is 1.96. Blake’s is 0.84. Bendik saves 53.6% of shots on goal. Meanwhile, Blake saves 73.3. And Blake has 6 cleans sheets, while Bendik has 0.

It is not just that Bendik has struggled, but he is replacing the best goalie in the MLS. The Union have other issues. Their scoring leaves a lot to be desired, as does their defense. But the biggest difference is they have gone from Andre Blake to a league-average goaltender. They can no longer beat teams on the back of just their goaltending. The acrobatic saves Blake would usually make, are finding the back of the goal.

They will have to go at least one more game without Andre Blake. Jamaica is set to take on Mexico in the Semi-Finals Wednesday Night, the same night the Union play next in Nashville. If Jamaica wins, they will then advance to the Finals to play either USA or Panama on Sunday, meaning Blake will miss Saturday’s game vs NYFC. The Union have already fallen to 6th in the league table, and are in danger of falling further. There are just 11 games left for them to make up ground, and they are going in the wrong direction.

They need their star goalie back.

You may also enjoy:

Phillies All-Star Break Report Card For All 26 Guys on The Roster

We have finally reached the All-Star Break. After a rough April and May, the Phillies have started to turn things around. This past week they swept the AL-leading Rays. Though they did follow that up dropping 2 of 3 to the Marlins. So now they go into the break 48-41, and half a game behind the Giants for the 3rd Wild Card. But that’s after entering June under .500 and way further out of the Playoffs. There have been a lot of ups and downs to this point. Struggling stars. Emerging young players. Bounce back seasons, and more.

So what to make of the first half? Probably worse than it should have been, but better than it could have been. The bullpen has been as good as any in baseball. The back of the rotation has been great too. But their supposed Aces have left a lot to be desired. And the lineup, the thing that was supposed to carry them, has at times been incredibly disappointing.

But who is doing their job, and who isn’t? Which players have stood out as playing well? What players need to pick up their game in the 2nd half? The All-Star break is a good point to go player by player and evaluate each of their performances through the first half of the season. Which is exactly what we did. Here is what grade every Phillies player got for their first-half performance.

Only players currently on the team, or on The IL, got grades. So guys like Bailey Falter, Kody Clemens, Daulton Gauthrie, or others who were on the team, but got either cut or sent down, don’t get grades.

 

  • Kyle Schwarber

    Things are not going great for Kyle Schwarber this season. In early June it felt like he had turned it around like he usually does in that month. But then things fell apart again. These last few weeks he is not even hitting HRs or walking like he usually does. I don’t know if something is wrong, and he has an injury we don’t know about, but he has been bad at the plate. When he is also the worst defensive Left Fielder in the league, it makes for a bad combo. 

    Grade- D 

  • Trea Turner

    Trea Turner has not been the player the Phillies expected when they signed him. But with that said, he has been better the last 30 days. Still not the big impact bat they were hoping for. But better. In the last 30 days he is hitting .280 with 11 steals. But the glove has also been a bit concerning at times. Overall they need more out of Turner. 

    Grade- C

  • Nick Castellanos

    Nick Castellanos is one of the few hitters who have done their job consistently this season. He is the only Phillies hitter who made the All-Star Team. He is 6th in hits in the entire MLB. And he has even played some decent defense, getting his 8th OF assist over the weekend. After last year’s disaster, Nick has been their MVP halfway through the season.  

    Grade- A+

  • Bryce Harper

    Bryce is a hard player to evaluate. Everything first has to be put through the context that he wasn’t even supposed to start playing until recently. The offseason Tommy John’s should have kept him out until late June. He returned in May. And since then has played… decent. The lack of power is a concern. But he is also hitting .290 with an OBP that has hovered around. 400. They need more, but given the circumstances, I don’t know if it is fair to ask for more yet.  

    Grade- B  

    Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on June 02, 2023 in Washington, DC.

    (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

  • JT Realmuto

    JT Realmuto may have lost the best batcher in Baseball title. He is not even an All-Star at the position this season. He is also just 7th at Catcher in hits, 9th in HRs, and 4th in OPS. Does that mean he has been bad? No. But he has not been great either. His .249 batting average leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe he gets hot in the 2nd half again. But JT needs to be better at the plate.  

    Of course, he is still great behind the plate. Even in a season where steals are way up, he is still throwing guys out at a decent clip.

    Grade- C

  • Bryson Stott

    Stott is the other guy in the lineup apart from Castellanos that has just done his job all season long. He had a small cold streak in late April while they experimented with him as the leadoff hitter. But apart from that his batting average has been around .300. Stott has the 9th most hits in the MLB. That is despite Rob Thomson for some inexplainable reason sitting him vs most lefties. Not to mention he is giving them Gold Glove Caliber defense at 2nd. He has turned into a solid professional hitter. Is he a Superstar? Not yet. But he is a guy you love having in the lineup.  

    Grade- A + 

  • Alec Bohm

    Apart from the RBIs, Bohms first two months left something to be desired. In early June his Avg had dropped under .260, and his Slugging % under .400. But for the past 30 days he has been great. Hitting .322 in that time, to get his season average up over .280, and his slugging percentage over .400.  The glove has even been better this season. Given his size and the position he plays, you want more power. But it’s clear he is a talented and smart hitter.  

    Grade- B 

  • Brandon Marsh

    Marsh was as good as anyone in baseball in April. Then as bad as anyone in May and June. More recently, he seems to have found a sweet spot somewhere in the middle. Marsh is a good fielder and has the makings of a solid hitter. But he makes too many mental mistakes, and his splits vs lefties make it hard to see him as an everyday guy right now. Now he has Pache pushing him for playing time. And with how good Mickey Moniak is playing with the Angels, there is pressure on him to be more than he is right now.  

    Grade- C + 

  • Christain Pache 

    Pache unfortunately missed much of this season with an injury. But when he has played he certainly made a case for more playing time. Not only is he a gold glove caliber fielder, but he has made huge strides at the plate. Enough to earn an everyday role? We will see. But in his current role as the 4th OF, it’s tough to ask for much more. His OPS in a limited role is almost 1.000. A big step up for a guy who couldn’t stay in a lineup last season with Oakland. 

    Grade- A+ 

  • Edmundo Sosa

    Sosa is the ideal Utility Infielder. And that may be all he is. Sosa has a solid bat and a great glove. When asked to play more of an everyday role with all the injuries the Phillies were dealing with, he got exposed a little bit. But now that he is back to playing some days, and is more of a super bench player, he is looking great again. And maybe that is all he is. Every team needs that type of guy, and he fills the role as well as anyone.  

    Grade- B+ 

  • Darick Hall

    Like Pache, Hall has not gotten much of a chance to play given his early injury. He played just 6 games before getting hurt, and now just 5 since returning. He has not done much in that short time. But against the Rays we got a taste of the power that had the Phillies thinking he could be an everyday 1st baseman. Sadly for him, the plan seems to have changed to Harper playing first. And once he is cleared to do that there may not be much of a role for Hall besides as a Pinch Hitter, and an occasional fill-in at first when Harper needs a day off from the field. 

    Grade- C 

  • Garrett Stubbs

    Stubbs is a perfectly adequate backup catcher. He has not given them much when in the lineup. But he is also not an automatic out like Andrew Knapp used to be. And behind the plate he does a decent job throwing guys out like JT does. He is not as good as he was last year. But he doesn’t play that much and gives them more than any recent Phillies backup catcher ever did.  

    Grade- C 

    PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 11: Closer Craig Kimbrel #31 of the Philadelphia Phillies is congratulated by catcher Garrett Stubbs #21 after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-3 during a game at Citizens Bank Park on June 11, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

    (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

  • Zack Wheeler

    Wheeler has just not looked like an Ace this season. Is it the long season from last year catching up to him? Maybe. But even if that is the case, they need more out of him. His ERA is up over 4.0 after his last 2 starts. A far cry from the CY Young level pitcher we got used to the past few seasons. They don’t have the pitching depth to sit him down if the issue is just fatigue. So whatever his issue is, he is going to have to figure it out while pitching through it.  

    Grade- D+ 

    MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 7: Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on July 7, 2023 in Miami, Florida.

    (Photo by Sam Navarro/Getty Images)

  • Aaron Nola

    At this point, every Phillies fan is sick of Aaron Nola’s nonsense. Looks great one game, then falls apart the next. It played out exactly that way over the last week. He looked like an Ace vs the Rays. Then he gave up 4 earned runs, 5 total, in 6 innings to the Marlins. It is impossible to trust him right now. And there is not a person in Philadelphia who can say with a straight face that they would be confident with Nola on the mound in a playoff game. His ERA is 4.3, and he has given us no reason to believe he can turn that around.  The only good thing you can say about him this season is he at least eats innings. 

    Grade – F 

     

  • Ranger Suarez

    The last couple of starts have been shaky. But now he gets the All-Star break to right the ship. Overall Ranger Suarez has been incredibly impressive. In June he looked as good as any pitcher in Baseball. We saw how dependable he is in the playoffs last season too. Ever since he became a starter he has statically been among the best left-handed pitchers in baseball.  

    Grade – A

  • Taijuan Walker

    After looking awful in April and May, Walker has really turned things around. Even in his last start where he didn’t have his best stuff, he managed to battle and survive 7 innings, despite giving up 4 runs. And across 6 starts in June his ERA was 1.5. Walker is often a fast starter and struggles late in the season. Maybe he is just doing the reverse this season. But even despite his season ERA being over 4, he has been more trustworthy than either of the team’s apparent Aces.  He is also 2nd in the league with 10 wins. 

    Grade- B-  

  • Christopher Sanchez

    Sanchez has been nothing but impressive since he took over the 5th spot in the rotation. In 5 starts his ERA is 2.84. He is not credited with any wins yet, but not because of anything he did wrong. He even went 6 innings in his last 2 starts. Will it last? Only time will tell. But his stuff looks good, and he is controlling it well. For a 5th starter, you couldn’t ask for anything more than what he has given them.  

    Grade- A+ 

    PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 05: Cristopher Sanchez #61 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Citizens Bank Park on June 05, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

    (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

  • Craig Kimbrel

    Kimbrel looks like the guy who used to take the mound for the Braves. Ever since he left Atlanta, his career has been up and down. Some good years, some bad years. But this year is definitely is an up year. After a shaky April, he has been automatic. Kimbrel is 14 for 14 in save situations. He was named to his 9th All-Star Team, won Reliever of the Month in June, and since May 9th has given up just 3 runs. If there were any questions about what he had left in the tank when the Phillies signed him, people are not asking them anymore. 

    Grade- A+ 

  • Jose Alvarado 

    When healthy, Alvarado has been as good as any relief pitcher in baseball. A 1.38 ERA at the midway point. The problem is he just went on the IL for the second time this season. First, it was elbow soreness, nor forearm soreness. They don’t think it’s a big deal but missing him for any amount of time puts strain on the bullpen. Hopefully, he will be back on the mound pumping 100 mph fastballs past hitters soon. 

    Grade- A+ 

  • Gregory Soto 

    Soto had some disasters early in the season. But since June he has given up just 2 earned runs. And while his total ERA is over 4.0, much of that comes from 5 really bad games. 13 of his 16 earned runs allowed came in 4 games Between March and May. In his other 38 outings, he gave up just 3 runs. His ERA outside those 4 bad games is 0.86.  

    Grade- A 

  • Seranthony Dominguez 

    Seranthony was starting to pitch really well before he got hurt. Then he had a very bad outing vs the Dbacks, and despite a bounce back the next time out, he has been on the IL since then. But before that 3-run outing, he had given up just 3 ERS since April 9th. Hopefully when he returns at some point in July, he is more like that guy.  

    Grade- B 

  • Jeff Hoffman 

    Since joining the Phillies in May, Hoffman has been as solid as it gets. He had one really bad outing vs the Dodgers that many Phillies fans remember. And he followed that up with another mediocre outing vs the Braves. But in the other 20 innings he has hurled for the Phillies, he gave up just 1 earned run. He doesn’t have the explosive stuff Alvarado, Kimbrel, and Soto do. But he is a solid middle-inning guy.  

    Grade- B 

    PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 30: Jeff Hoffman #68 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on June 30, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

    (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

  • Yunior Marte

    The 5.32 ERA is ugly, but not exactly accurate. Because relief pitchers throw so few total innings, a few awful games can inflate an ERA. And Marte’s issue is that he is prone to a blowup game here and there. When he is wild, he isn’t just throwing balls, but leaving balls over the middle of the plate primed to be hit a mile. But most nights he has actually been pretty good. Since returning to the team in late April has given up 0 runs in 18 out of 22 outings. For a middle relief guy, you will take it. 

    Grade- B- 

  • Matt Strahm

    Strahm did great for them when forced into a starting spot early in the season. Unfortunately, all those innings seem to have taken a toll though. He has already blown past his career high in innings pitched. Now he is back in the bullpen. There was a stretch of 4 games in June where he gave up 8 runs. But he has settled in a bit since then, hurling 7.2 straight scoreless innings. 

    Grade- B 

    PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 30: Matt Strahm #25 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on June 30, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

    (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

  • Dylan Covey

    Why is he still on this team? Covery is statically one of the worst pitchers ever. He has appeared in 10 games for the Phillies, and given up runs in 5 of them. They can do much better. Take a random guy from the minors and he will probably do better. Once Alvarado is back, hopefully, it’s the end of the Covey era. They will also have to bring up Noah Song soon too, another option to replace Covey. 

    Grade- F 

  • Andrew Vasquez

    Vasquez is another guy who has simply been solid and dependable in a middle-relief role. He is a lefty, which helps a ton. But he is also just pitching really well. He has an ERA of 1.70 over 37 innings. No one really talks about him, because he is not one of the big names in the pen, but honestly, he has been one of their better pitchers thus far. What is leading to the success is his deadly slider which is punishing left-handed pitchers.

    Grade- A+

 

 

Tyrone Johnson is the host of “The Best Show Ever” on 97.5 The Fanatic. He has been with the station for the past 8 years. Before working at the Fanatic, Tyrone produced political radio, did financial reports, and was assistant chief engineer of another radio station. As a content creator for 97.5 The Fanatic, Tyrone writes articles on the Sixers, Eagles, Phillies, and Flyers.

Sign Up For The Fanatic MVP Insider Newsletter

Get the info you need on the Philly Sports landscape, events you need to know about, exclusive contests, and more.

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.
Placeholder Shilloutte User Image
Author and Dylan MacKinnon
Category:
Tags:
,,

More Union