I’m not going to sugarcoat this.
The Phillies are pretty much unwatchable right now.
After losing 4-2 to Max Scherzer and the Mets on Thursday afternoon and getting swept by a bitter division rival, the Phillies head to the Nation’s capital with their tails tucked firmly between their legs, now losers of four straight.
They are 25-31 overall, one game out of last place.
They have lost 12 of their last 17 games and 18 of their last 28.
Kyle Schwarber is hitting .160. Trea Turner still isn’t hitting. Aaron Nola is pitching like a team’s fourth-best starter and their actual fourth-best starter, Taijuan Walker, had to be pulled from Thursday’s game after four innings due to an apparent injury. Alec Bohm just hit the injured list with a hamstring strain, meaning a human being named Mike Ellis is going to get starts at first base against left-handed pitching.
Yep, that’s right. Mike Ellis will be the 2023 Phillies starting first baseman at some point this year. If you had that on your Bingo card, head to Vegas.
So it’s safe to say this team is a pretty brutal watch right now and, if you’d rather spend your time filing your nails or sticking your head in an ice bucket, I wouldn’t blame you.
That’s where the Hittin’ Season podcast comes in!
You see, I’m a sicko. I watch this team because it’s what I’ve been doing every summer since 1985. No matter how bad they play, no matter how disappointing they are, not matter how angry they get me, I keep coming back, just about every night, for more torture.
If you want to take a little Phillies break, you can, filled with the knowledge Justin, Liz and I are watching and talking about it three times a week.
You can keep up on all the latest with the Phils, checking in every few days, as we grouse about the current state of affairs. Because, at some point, the Phillies are likely to turn the ship around and play better — and you’ll want to get back on board.
Look, it’s OK to be a bit of a bandwagon fan, especially when it comes to baseball. The schedule-makers decided long ago to have every team play 162 games a season. With games averaging about 3 hours (a stat that’s admittedly dropping, thanks to the pitch timer), that’s 486 hours of baseball per season. So fans have to choose when to take strategic breaks.
Now might be one of those times.
If that’s true for you, have no fear. The Hittin’ Season podcast is here to keep you abreast of everything while you take a much-needed Phillies break.
