Can Philadelphia Phillies Overcome In-Game Mentality and Salvage Season?
Shocking most, the Philadelphia Phillies won the rubber match game 6-5 in ten innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. They erased a five-run deficit thanks to shortstop Trea Turner. He tied the game with a two-run homer in the ninth inning before Alec Bohm's bases-loaded single in the tenth.
Arizona was a capable opponent during the whole series, delivering a legitimate lineup and strong defensive work. It's why they won Monday 6-3 and defeated the Phillies 4-3 on Tuesday.
Wednesday's win aside, Philadelphia sits below .500 at 23-26. They're seven games back of the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves. They're 3-7 in the last 10 games. And they're about to embark on one of their toughest road trips yet in 2023.
So while Turner had a highlight-worthy evening and Bohm is showing that his improvement is on an upward trajectory, there's still a glaring problem.
Both pitchers and batters can't keep up their drive after they put runs on the board.
Yes, there's been woes about Phillies pitching for weeks. Sending Bailey Falter down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley was only the most recent setback.
However, on Tuesday, left-handed pitcher Matt Strahm was fine. Yes, he gave up a two-run home run in the second inning but that was it.
Newly added righty Dylan Covey surprised everyone with a bulk relief appearance. He threw five innings and allowed just one run and struck out six.
So what's the issue? Well, the Phillies made it 20 out of 39 times in May that they failed to have a shutdown inning after scoring during Tuesday's loss.
As a team, you cannot allow runs in the opponent's next at-bats right after you put up runs. That is a mood killer if this writer has ever seen one. Not only is it deflating for a team's morale but doing it often just sinks in the psyche.
It's not like the Phillies have horrible issues at the plate all the time. When they get behind in a game, they show up to the plate and push. Offensively, guys like Bryce Harper and Bohm for example, are producing and a win (if they're behind) doesn't feel too far out of reach.
Then it's as if the pitchers get the yips and all the momentum is gone. Especially when it's a high-stakes or close match, it's a shutdown.
12 different pitchers this month for the Phillies coughed up runs. Three of those were unearned thanks to bad defense. The rest? Bad luck or bad mindset.
Baseball is a game played between the ears: at times it is 100-percent mental. The mistakes, the losses, and the poorly played games all live rent-free in the brains of the Phillies.
This 10-game road trip is going to be an uphill battle. They're making pit stops to face divisional rivals Atlanta and New York Mets before May is over.
June saw the team turn things around in 2022 but if they can't get out of their own way (and head), this might be how the next couple of months are played.
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