The Philadelphia Phillies have emerged as one of baseball’s hottest teams, continuing to perform at an elite level. Following a sluggish start to the season, the club has gone on an impressive run since switching managers. Letting go of Rob Thomson has proven to be the correct decision, even though not all of the early struggles were necessarily his fault.
Philadelphia’s veteran core seemed to need a jolt, and the dismissal of their manager provided exactly that. Don Mattingly has done a commendable job since taking the helm, and the Phillies show no signs of letting up. One factor that flew under the radar during their rough start was the absence of Zack Wheeler. Even with plenty of talent still on the roster, Wheeler is among the game’s top pitchers, and his time away clearly affected the team. Now, with more than a third of the season completed, the Phillies are projected to be one of the league’s premier teams.
Bradford Doolittle of ESPN recently estimated how many wins the Phillies might finish with this year. The projections placed them at 86.6 victories, which would represent a remarkable turnaround.
Philadelphia on the Rise
That projected win total of 86.6 ranks eighth-best in MLB and serves as an encouraging sign for the organization. Considering the Phillies opened the season with a 9–19 record, they have since climbed to six games above .500 at 37–31, following a win and a series victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Despite their strong play, the team still needs reinforcements in a couple of areas. The lineup appears to be the most likely target for adding at least one bat. If Philadelphia can acquire an impact hitter before the trade deadline, their projected win total could climb even higher.
Even with the Phillies playing much better, the National League is shaping up to be highly competitive. The two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers remain a major threat, and within their own division, the Atlanta Braves are also excelling. Overall, it’s impressive to see Philadelphia put itself in such a strong position, but there’s still work to be done if they hope to achieve their ultimate goal.
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