A few positive notes as Phillies head toward final 35 games of regular season

ATLANTA — Do you feel like you’re in a weird limbo with your emotions when it comes to the Phillies right now? (Don’t worry, it’s valid.)

They’re a club that is 21 games over .500, has a six-game lead in the NL East and yet, a series loss to the Braves (the third this season) is deflating. Of course it is. The Phillies could have done some serious damage against Atlanta and left them in the dust with the rest of the division. 

Drive off into the sunset that is postseason baseball. 

That hope is far from squandered — but the constant back and forth of highs and lows can be draining. It’s frustrating for fans but also for the players, the coaches and everyone that reports daily to try and win a ball game. 

This is a club that hates to lose more than they like to win. 

We know the potential of this lineup. So do they. 

Even though it feels like we’re treading in murky waters (again, 21 games over .500 and first place in the NL East for 112 days), Trea Turner knows that there have been positives through this stretch. 

“When you're not winning, it's hard to look at that,” he said Thursday.

Trying to keep the glass half-full mentality, here are a few positives to help shape the perspective as we head down the final 35-game stretch of the season. 

Tip your cap to Topper

Thursday’s series finale against the Braves was Rob Thomson’s 400th game as Phillies manager. Since taking over for Joe Girardi in June 2022, he has gone 229-171. With at least 400 games managed, Thomson holds the best win percentage in franchise history at .572. 

He’s helped take the Phillies to the World Series, with back-to-back playoff appearances. The club has held the top spot in the NL East since May 3 and another Red October seems to be in the forecast *knocks on wood.* 

He’ll become just the third manager in Phillies history to make the playoffs in three or more consecutive seasons (Danny Ozark 1976-1978, Charlie Manuel 2007-2011) but the first to add that accomplishment to his resume in his first three seasons. 

There are, of course, a handful of times throughout his stint where his decision making has come into question (sorry for the immediate flashbacks of 2023 postseason Craig Kimbrel) … but nobody is perfect. 

From a bird’s eye view, the good in every capacity outweighs the bad. 

Way to be, Bohm 

Let’s take away the fact Alec Bohm had a 20-game stretch in July where he drove in just one run — this has been the season of consistency for the 28-year-old.  Bohm leads the Phillies in runs batted in (85), leads MLB in doubles (43), ranks third in the National League in extra base hits (58) and has teetered around batting .300 since late April. 

Here are just a *few* other factors to Bohm’s 2024 season:

•Earned the nod as an All-Star starter for the first time in his career
•Named NL Player of the Week in April for the first time in his career
•Was the first Phillies infielder to reach base safely in 36 games in a single season since Jimmy Rollins in 2005
•Had a career-high 18-game hitting streak (April 16 - May 5) that was the longest-active streak in MLB at the time. It was the longest by a Phillies third baseman since Willie "Puddin' Head" Jones' 23 in 1949.

What’s the outfield sitch? (For everyone not named Nick Castellanos) 

Austin Hays wrapped up his rehab stint in triple-A Lehigh Valley Wednesday night and will meet the club in Kansas City, where it’s likely he’ll be activated before the series-opener against the Royals. Prior to his hamstring injury, Hays became the everyday guy in left field since the team acquired him from the Orioles at the trade deadline. While he’ll be eased back into the lineup, some interesting developments have been made in his absence. 

The surge of Weston Wilson and Johan Rojas. 

When Hays joined the team, Rojas’ playing time had been cut into as Brandon Marsh primarily shifted to center field. Since Hays hit the injured list August 9, Rojas has re-upped his starts in center but has also found his most consistent streak at the plate all season. He had nine hits in 10 games and five runs batted in. He's also batting .300 in the month of August, which is a drastic improvement. 

What Wilson has accomplished in his limited playing time should not be undervalued, either.  

In the seven games he’s played in August, Wilson  …

•Hit for the 10th cycle in Phillies franchise history (August 15 versus the Nationals)
•Collected 11 hits with 19 total bases
•Reached base safely in six of the seven games 

You can say that’s pretty, pretty good. 

Marsh’s numbers have not been great this season against lefties but his kryptonite has easily been his strikeout rate. At 33.3 percent, he is in the bottom three percentile of all MLB batters. 

Still, his defensive contributions at both left and center field are of high value. 

Each outfielder has different strengths, so it will most likely be a game-by-game decision moving forward unless any reach a too-hot-to-take-out-of-the-lineup status. Only time will tell. 

The final stretch 

35 games remain for the Phillies' 2024 regular season — 18 of which are division matchups against the Braves (4), Marlins (4), Mets (7) and Nationals (3). They have two additional series against other National League teams (Brewers 3, Cubs 3). 

The remaining 11 games are against the Royals (3), Astros (3), Rays (3) and Blue Jays (2). 

Of the 35 contests, 13 are against teams that currently hold a playoff position. 

The seven games against the Mets (three at home, four on the road) in late September could wind up being huge. Since the last time the teams faced each other in the London Series, the Mets have been making a push to squeeze their way into a wild card spot. The Phillies have the Mets’ number this season though, 4-2. 

Sorry to drop the cliché Tug McGraw quote ... but ya gotta believe. Have some faith the club will sort things out and get hot at the right time. I do.

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