6 Things The Phillies Need To Do To Follow The Eagles Footsteps
Philadelphia has been so distracted by the joy of winning a Super Bowl, there has been nearly no talk about the Phillies reporting to Spring Training. What is usually a holiday in Philly, went under the radar. But as disappointing as the end of the Phillies season was, the Phillies are probably the city’s next best chance at another parade.
The Flyers are in rebuild mode, and the Sixers… well we won’t talk about what is going on with them. But the Phillies have been in the playoffs in each of the last 3 seasons, have been to a World Series, and just won the NL East. They have been right there each time, but keep coming up short.
That was the case for the Eagles too though. They came up a little short in Super Bowl 57 and then had a disastrous end the the 2023-2024 season. People were ready to move on from the Copach, and ready to give up on the QB. But obviously, they turned things around in a big way.
Can the Phillies follow in those footsteps though? Can they go from that disaster they had vs the Mets last season to a parade down Broad Street?
Here Are 6 Things The Phillies Need To Do To Follow The Eagles Footsteps
Trea Turner Is More Consistent At The Plate
Trea Turner came here two years ago and was immediately getting MVP hype. He has yet to live up to that hype. His numbers were better last year, but still the 2nd lowest they have been going back to 2018. Batting Average, OBP, and SLG have all been down across the board since he put on the Red Pinstripes.
The issue is that he is suddenly an inconsistent player. His career with the Nationals and Dodgers were defined by how he almost never slumped. But his time in Philly has seen multiple slumps. The entire first 3 months of the 2023 season. All of August and in the playoffs this past season. He disappeared vs the Diamondbacks in the NLCS.
He just has not been reliable or consistent at the plate. Especially when it counts the most. He is the 2nd most talented hitter on this team. If the Phillies are going to get over that hump, they need him to show up.
Get More From The Non-Stars
The Eagles had a lot of star players. But that is not the only reason they won. It was also because the rest of the roster stepped up. They got production from nearly all 53 guys and some practice squaders who had to be called up during the season.
The Phillies have not gotten that. Guys like Brandon Marsh, Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, Johan Rojas, and JT Realmuto have not done their part, at least not in the playoffs.
Bryce Harper has hit well in the postseason. Outside of the most recent loss to the Mets, Schewarber has been great in the post-season. Nick Castellanos was great vs the Mets, and great vs the Braves in 2023. We already talked about Trea, but even he was great vs the Braves in 2023 at least.
But in 3 post-season runs, they have yet to get much from the guys who are supposed to be the young stars. Bohm has hit .214/.295/.333/.629 in 34 postseason games. Stott has hit .188/.278/.287/.565 in 33 postseason games. Marsh has hit .233/.303/.411/.714 in 32 games.
Imagine if in this Eagles postseason run if there was no Nolan Smith stepping up, or Milton Williams, or Mekhi Becton. It takes a team to win it all. And while they need more from the stars too, the young guys or role players need to play better.
Starters Continue To Stay Healthy
This is not something that needs to change, but something that needs to continue to happen. The Phillies, unlike many teams, have had remarkable health, especially in their starting rotation. Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, and Ranger Suarez have each made it to the playoffs healthy. They can now add Jesus Luzardo to that mix.
It was their big advantage over the Braves in both 2022 and 2023. Many teams have struggled with having 3-4 starters available for the playoffs. Starting Depth is perhaps the Phillies’ biggest strength. The Dodgers are the only team that can match them. But if the Phillies get to the playoffs with all 5 of those guys healthy, plus perhaps Andrew Painter, it will go a long way to helping the Phillies get to where they want to be.
Don’t Play It Safe At The Deadline
For the past 2 off-seasons, and the past trade deadline, the Phillies have now played it safe, not making any big moves. Part of that is them already being one of the most expensive teams in the league. But John Middleton has stated multiple times he is willing to pay what it takes to get his trophy back. And if that is the case, they might need to take some big swings.
The Dodgers were coming up short for years before they finally got over that hurdle. Even after that, they kept adding. At this year’s deadline, the Phillies may need to do the same. After 3 months, we will know what this team’s issue is. It likely won’t be starting pitching, but it very well might be another bat. And I am not talking about another Austin Hays type move.
If the OF bats struggle as much as they did last season, the Phillies need to bite the bullet and get a real OF bat. Not a platoon player, but someone who can start and make an impact in October. It does not need to be a superstar. They don’t need to make the biggest splash. But there needs to be a splash. Because the status quo has failed multiple times now.
Get Impact Out Of Rookies
There are a couple of rookies the Phillies could see this year. The most obvious one is Andrew Painter. After spending last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, the Phillies will slow play it with him. He won’t get called up until mid-season, and they will watch his innings once he does get up. But that does not mean he can’t make an impact.
Likewise, the Phillies could call up Justin Crawford at some point. If he continues to play at a high level down in AA, and the Phillies continue to get little to no production out of centerfield, Crawford could get the call.
We have seen what young guys can do for a team. Mark Vientos was key for the Mets in their win over the Phillies. Can Crawford be that for the Phillies? Painter might not be able to start come playoff time, but can he come out of the Pen this post-season?
Get Hot at The Right Time
This part feels obvious, but it is still vital. The Phillies went ice-cold vs the Mets. They were not playing their best for the last couple of months. This was in contrast to 2022 and even 2023 when they played their best Baseball late, specifically in the playoffs.
They do not have the talent the Dodgers have. No one does. They can match them with pitching, but not with hitting. But if they are hitting at the right time, they can. We saw what this lineup can do to people against the Braves in the 1st two post-season runs. But they went cold against the D Backs, and cold against the Astros before that.
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