The 2019 Phillies have failed to live up to the hype that fans and media set out for them from day one. This team needs better pitching because guys like Zach Eflin, Vince Velasquez, and Jake Arrieta, bone spur and all, are not cutting it. The hitting has been disappointing as well, but you simply can’t rely on it to bail out a pitching staff that only has one reliable starter in Aaron Nola.
With all of the issues, this team is still only one game back of a wildcard spot, but it feels like they are seven back the way they’re playing. The most recent example of this was seen in the Braves series this weekend. Again, the Phillies had a shot at gaining ground on the division leaders and making a move for a potential wild card spot opening with the Nationals playing the Dodgers, but unsurprisingly they failed to make any headway.
The Braves exploited the Phil’s staff and bullpen by outscoring the Phil’s 28-18 in the series which included two routs of 9-2 and 15-7. The Braves pitching isn’t spectacular but it is definitely miles ahead of the Phillies as won the Dallas Keuchel lottery and have two young guns in Max Fried and Mike Soroka. The Braves are simply deeper in all aspects than the Phil’s and it showed yet again as they outclassed the Fightins this weekend, leaving fans disappointed.
Flashback to the first series of the season where the Phillies swept the Braves and Phillies fans hopes were certainly high, but they weren’t realistic. Since then the Phillies have won just 3 games in 3 series against the Braves and are now 6-6 in the season series. Injuries have plagued the team as losing Andrew McCutchen, Jay Bruce, and David Robertson have hurt the squad, but it also has shown the fans that the team needs more to be contenders.
Many fans are jumping ship with the trade deadline looming and the month of August right around the corner is a prime indication that the expectations are not being met, even with the team in a push for the wildcard. The reality is that Philadelphia fans don’t stay complacent, they always want the best, and all season the Phillies have not given them that.
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