Phillies All-Star Has Been Least Productive Player in MLB in Second Half

The Philadelphia Phillies need one of their All-Stars to get back on track.

May 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Phillies finally started to look like the team many expected them to in the second half of the season.

Catching the Atlanta Braves in the National League East is going to require a small miracle, but being in the thick of the National League playoff picture at all is impressive. After starting the season 9-19 and firing manager Rob Thomson, the team is now 83-67, a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs for the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the NL and a game ahead of the San Diego Padres.

It has taken a complete team effort to get to this point, with contributions being provided up and down the roster. However, there are a few players who haven’t been able to get going.

A lot of attention has been placed on shortstop Trea Turner and his struggles throughout the entire campaign, but he has been league average since the All-Star break with a 100 wRC+; that is a lot more productive than outfielder Brandon Marsh has been.

Brandon Marsh has been struggling mightily in second half

Aug 30, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) reacts after a solo home run by third baseman Edmundo Sosa (33) during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A well-deserved All-Star for the first time in his career, Marsh was on fire throughout the first half, sometimes the only consistent source of offensive production for the team. He had a .301/.339/.490 slash line in the first half with a 121 wRC+, which was 46th among qualified hitters in the MLB.

In the second half of the season, he hasn’t gotten close to that production and has actually been the least productive hitter in baseball since the All-Star break with a wRC+ of 28, putting him last among the 164 qualified hitters. The next closest hitter to him is Mickey Moniak of the Colorado Rockies with a 44.

That has certainly been a drag on the overall performance of the team, as Marsh has become virtually unplayable in the second half with a .184/.244/.247 slash line with two home runs in 173 plate appearances.

Brandon Marsh mired in months-long slump

Aug 7, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) looks on after hitting into the final out of a loss against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In July, he produced a .140/.213/.209 slash line in 94 plate appearances, as things were starting to tail off heading into the All-Star break. He was better in August with a .244/.320/.314 slash line, but things have bottomed out since the calendar flipped to September.

This month, Marsh has a .120/.120/.160 slash line thus far in 25 plate appearances. That certainly isn’t going to cut it for a team battling for a spot in the playoffs.

Interim manager Don Mattingly has been sitting him regularly when a left-handed pitcher is on the mound, and in some cases, he could start being benched against right-handed pitchers as well, given how much he has struggled.

Sign up for our free newsletter to receive the latest news and updates!