Recently, it’s been a brutal stretch for the Philadelphia Phillies, with yet another painful loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. The final game ended 2-1, but the story behind the score runs much deeper.
We're talking about a 5-game losing streak and sweeps in back-to-back weekends — first by Milwaukee, now by Pittsburgh. The offense is floundering, and even solid pitching can’t mask the flaws.
This article will explore the major takeaways from the Phillies-Pirates game, picking out where the possible issues lie and the way forward.
Sunday’s showdown featured Pirates rookie ace Paul Skenes, who dazzled with 7 2⁄3 innings, one earned run, and nine strikeouts. His 1.88 ERA this season speaks for itself. But after four quality starts from Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez, this kind of performance shouldn’t sink the Phillies.
Unfortunately, the offense is flatlining. Across the recent 10-game skid, the Phillies are hitting a dismal .189 with a .320 slugging percentage and averaging just 2.4 runs per loss. With the bats dead quiet and Bryce Harper sidelined, the lineup has fallen into disarray. So far, four of the past five games yielded only one run. A season the Phillies started 11-1 now looks shaky.
Rob Thomson shrugs, “We’ll see what happens,” when asked about lineup tweaks. That answer isn’t satisfying fans or analysts any longer.
The defining moment came in the seventh inning on Saturday. With the game tied, runners on second and third, and no outs, Alec Bohm doubled, Nick Castellanos drew a full count, and J.T. Realmuto flied out shallow. Bryson Stott flied out on a changeup. That missed opportunity stung, and the Pirates homered right afterward to win the game.
Even key sluggers are weakening to off-speed pitches. Their team slugging percentage vs. non-fastballs dropped from .484 last year to .347 now — one of the worst in baseball.
Babe Ruth once said, “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”
In the Phillies’ case, it seems the desire to compete is out of the windows. The team isn’t just slowing, they’re sprinting backward.
It’s not just the bats — the fielding is shaky, too. Phillies center fielders hold a ghastly .609 OPS this season, the worst in franchise history. With defenders misplaying routine balls, pressure falls on pitchers.
“Pitching is the art of instilling fear.” Sandy Koufax once remarked.
However, if your defense can’t handle soft liners, that fear becomes a nightmare.
Still, some slivers of hope remain. Cristopher Sánchez recently threw 7⅔ solid innings on Sunday. Remarkably, he’s the first Phillies starter to go into the eighth this season.
Ranger Suárez joined him with a 7-inning effort too, giving hope to the team. These outings show the rotation still has legs. But that strong rotation isn’t enough when the offense collapses and the bullpen is shaky.
Bryson Stott cut straight to the point: “With the outings we’re getting from our pitchers — you feel like you are letting them down.”
He admitted pressing too hard in Harper’s absence, echoing a similar moment in 2022. In that season, after a haul of bad performances, 87-75, they went on to finish 3rd in the NL East.
As performance falters, veteran voices and team chemistry matter more. Philly veterans may need to take charge — if not in a big team meeting, then in leadership by example.
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The Phillies' recent slump has exposed major offensive and pitching issues, worsened by Bryce Harper’s absence. With tough series ahead, a turnaround is more important than air. Strong starts from Sánchez and Suárez offer hope, but the lineup must step up.
The next two weeks could determine whether the Phillies rebound or spiral further out of playoff contention.
The article was provided by Kate Richardson
