The intensity of a pennant race hasn’t created a must-see atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park the past two months. The Philadelphia Phillies still maintain a comfortable lead in the NL East despite an extended slog that has crushed the buzz around the city from the early months of the season. 

They lost their seventh of 10 series since the MLB All–Star Break, and a strong level of criticism has been directed at manager Rob Thomson. Is it justified?

Phillies vs. Washington Nationals

• Thursday 8/15: Win 13-3
• Friday 8/16: Win 3-2
• Saturday 8/17: Win 5-1
• Sunday 8/18: Loss 6-4

Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves

• Tuesday 8/20: Loss 3-1
• Wednesday 8/21: Win 3-2
• Thursday 8/22: Loss 3-2

All stats as of the beginning of play on August 23

• Another Series Loss

  The Phillies dropped their opening weekend series against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. They lost another two of three at Truist Park in early July, and they lost a third series against their wounded arch rivals this week.

  Six runs in three games didn’t get the job done. Reynaldo Lopez dazzled in the series opener in his first start since July 28. Max Fried followed it up with seven strong innings on Wednesday, and Spencer Schwellenbach brought Atlanta the series win with a dominant effort on Thursday.

  Raisel Iglesias struck out the side to save the rubber match against a hapless offense that looked lost at the plate in a forgettable series.

  The apparent momentum from four victories in the previous five games since a team meeting in Philadelphia didn’t help the bats put away the Braves.

  The Phillies rank towards the middle of the league in most major offensive categories since the All-Star Break. They’re 16th in runs scored, 16th in batting average, and 19th in OPS during the 12-19 stretch that’s the worst mark in the National League.

  Despite an extended period of middling baseball, the Phillies still hold a six-game lead in the NL East. A rematch at Citizens Bank Park from August 29-September 1 will be Atlanta’s last chance to gain major ground on the Phillies.

  

  Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images

• Rob Thomson Facing Heavy Criticism

  The Phillies turned their 2022 season around after Rob Thomson took the reins in his first opportunity as an MLB manager. The baseball lifer has won five playoff series in two seasons for a franchise that hadn’t given fans an opportunity to unleash the wrath of Red October since 2011.

  Thomson shoulders a venomous amount of criticism considering his track record. The latest intense criticism came after he let Cal Stevenson hit in a key spot in the ninth inning with Bryce Harper on the bench.

  Related: Don’t Repeat The Charlie Manuel Mistake With Rob Thomson

  While the threat of a premier slugger looked tempting in the moment, the criticism doesn’t properly account for Thomson’s successful big-picture approach during his tenure. He sat Harper with the intention of giving his slugger a full day off as the wear and tear of a 162-game season takes its toll.

  Jeff Francoeur joined Kincade & Salciunas to discuss the strengths of the Phillies skipper who has earned and kept the trust of his players.

  “When I get to talk to Rob Thomson, I think that’s why I like him so much because he reminds me of Bobby (Cox). He knows how hard the game is, man. We sit in there, and hear him say ‘Hey, guys just got to keep grinding,’ and I know fans get frustrated sometimes. Talk show people (get frustrated)… You (players) get into the playoffs, that’s why you’re willing to run through a brick wall for your manager.” –Jeff Francoeur

  Thomson has succeeded with a “hands off” approach that instills confidence in his players. The same fan base that hammered Charlie Manuel during his first two seasons with the Phillies is repeating the same mistake with intense criticism of Rob Thomson.

  Todd Zolecki joined Philly Sports Tonight to discuss some of the questions about Thomson’s lack of fire and hesitation to crack the whip to instill a subjective sense of urgency in his players.

  “If you start screaming and hollering and throwing bats and tipping over the spread and benching the star players because they didn’t run hard one time, you lose that clubhouse real fast. You become the butt of a lot of jokes, and nobody takes you seriously… It doesn’t happen anymore in modern baseball.” –Todd Zolecki

• Jose Alvarado Slumping

  The Phillies hoped to use Jose Alvarado as their primary left-handed reliever in high-leverage situations during the postseason.

  Alvarado has hit a concerning slump that reached a new peak on Monday. He walked four of the six Atlanta Braves hitters he faced in ⅔ of a rough eighth inning.

  The Hefty Lefty has become the most appropriate microcosm of a bullpen that isn’t pitching with a rhythm that matches their talent level. He’s pitched 11 ⅓ innings in 13 appearances since the MLB All-Star Break with a cringy 6.35 ERA.

  Alvarado’s rate of 4.3 walks per nine in 2024 now exceeds the rate of his two career best seasons in 2022 and 2023. While’s he proven himself as a qualified high-leverage lefty the past two seasons, the velocity on his power sinker has dropped considerably since the beginning of the season. He’s also not throwing his cutter as effectively as an out pitch.

  The Venezuelan fireballer throws with intimidating conviction when he’s at his best. When he’s not at best, it’s easy to recognize. Just ask any Phillies fan about their blood pressure levels after Alvarado rose one over J.T. Realmuto’s head on Monday.

  The free passes and the drop in his strikeout rate crush the commonly-used advanced metrics that measure a pitcher’s impact independent fielding.

  Colin Newby on X (formerly Twitter): "Jose Alvarado has hit a serious slump. Will the Phillies stay with the Hefty Lefty in high-leverage situations entering the playoffs? pic.twitter.com/dYxybJbkT7 / X"

  Jose Alvarado has hit a serious slump. Will the Phillies stay with the Hefty Lefty in high-leverage situations entering the playoffs? pic.twitter.com/dYxybJbkT7

  Orion Kerkering has also lost the rhythm he showed during an excellent stretch in the first half of the season, which raises questions about possible fatigue for a young pitcher without significant MLB experience.

  Carlos Estevez hasn’t posted terrible numbers in 10 games since the Phillies reshaped their bullpen at the MLB Trade Deadline. However, he certainly hasn’t looked like an unhittable stopper who calms the heart rates of Phillies fans in tense postseason situations. Tanner Banks is a decent addition, but he’s unlikely to become a late-inning option during the postseason.

  The Phillies suddenly have more than their fair share of question marks in a bullpen that looked dominant at times during the first half of the season.

• Looking Ahead

  The Phillies will continue an extended stretch against playoff contenders with a weekend series against the Kansas City Royals before returning to Citizens Bank Park for a seven-game homestand through Labor Day weekend.

  • Friday 8/23 at 8:10pm: Taijuan Walker (3-4, 5.69 ERA) vs. Michael Wacha (10-6, 3.33 ERA)
  • Saturday 8/24 at 7:10pm: Ranger Suarez (10-5, 2.87 ERA) vs. Brady Singer (9-8, 3.18 ERA)
  • Sunday 8/25 at 2:10pm: Zack Wheeler (12-6, 2.73 ERA) vs. Seth Lugo (14-7, 3.02 ERA)

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