Struggling Phillies Star Says 'I'm Letting My Guys Down' During Ice-Cold Stretch

Entering Monday's contest, the Philadelphia Phillies sit with a 9-6 record.

That's not poor by any means, but after two straight series losses against the talented but struggling Atlanta Braves and the middling St. Louis Cardinals, there are some concerns starting to arise about what this team can truly accomplish.

Front and center of the issues is Alec Bohm.

Coming off an offseason where he was being shopped by the front office, the 2024 All-Star has struggled out of the gate, sitting with an abysmal slash line of .150/.164/.167 and an OPS+ of -4.

However, Bohm isn't the only one going through it right now.

Brandon Marsh, who manager Rob Thomson gave an everyday outfield role to coming out of spring training after he had been in a platoon split since arrive to the Phillies, has not adjusted to life as a full-time big league starter well just yet.

Outside of Bohm, it's Marsh who has been the most disappointing.

He's slashing .108/.250/.189 with one homer, four RBI and an OPS+ of 29. He hasn't gotten a hit in the month of April and is 0-for-26 in his last 31 plate appearances.

"It's been a rough start to the season, for sure," Marsh said, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. "I know I'm not doing my part, which stinks the worst. I just feel like I'm letting my guys down. I need to be better for them."

The offensive issues in the outfield have been a storyline for the past three years.

Nick Castellanos has been the only player who has produced for a full season, and at times, his inconsistencies make him a non-factor at the plate, as well.

Johan Rojas, Brandon Marsh and the cycle of outside help that has been brought in over the years, has not been able to stabilize this unit, and the lack of offensive firepower from a prominent position group has largely lowered the ceiling of what Philadelphia's high-end result can be.

That's not to say Marsh can't figure it out this season.

Thomson is confident the 27-year-old center fielder can develop into a star player if he reaches his full potential, but getting to that point has been the challenge for both Marsh and the Phillies.

His struggles also brings up the age-old question; should he be allowed to play through his struggles or would he be better suited to sit down for a few games?

"I gotta think about that one," Thomson said on Sunday, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. "He's really frustrated and understandably."

If Philadelphia does sit March down for a stretch, then that puts Rojas back into the spotlight.

A player who has gone through his own struggles at the plate as an everyday outfielder, he is slashing .308/.400/.308 in a limited sample size of 15 plate appearances across seven games.

It's a tough spot to be in for Thomson as he manages his lineup on a short-term basis and with long-term results in mind.

Whenever Marsh is on the field, whether that's in his current everyday role or back to a platoon piece, he's looking to find ways he can help the team.

"I've got to do anything I can to help this ballclub win and right now I'm not doing that," Marsh said. "So I've got to figure some things out."

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