Phillies at the break: Where they stand, key numbers and what’s ahead the rest of the way
The Phillies could make history if they continue at this pace, but the schedule gets tougher coming out of the break. Let’s take a look at the road ahead.
![The Phillies are 62-34, the second-highest win total they’ve ever had after 96 games.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/yCUJ3S6KraqtmSNiWkdyvLknkeE=/760x507/smart/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/UCMICWBAYVC3PIBIAIJIAQAD34.jpg)
This is the 14th time in their history the Phillies have been in sole possession of first place at the All-Star break. Seven times they made the playoffs, like in 1993 and 2008. Six times they did not, such as 1964 and 2018 — the last time they were in first at the break.
Here are some random thoughts to pass the time until the season resumes on Friday in Pittsburgh.
Where’ve you been?
Where the Phillies were in the NL East standings at the All-Star break in the Bryce Harper era:
2019: Were 47-43 (.522), third place, 6½ games back. Finished 81-81 (.500), 16 games behind.
2020: No All-Star break because of shortened COVID-19 season. Were 15-15 (.500) halfway through, 3 GB. Finished 28-32 (.467), 7 GB.
2021: Were 44-44 (.500), second place, 4 GB. Finished 82-80 (.506), second place, 6½ GB.
2022: Were 49-43 (.533), third place, 8½ GB. Finished 87-75 (.537), third place, 14 GB. Went 65-46 (.586) after Rob Thomson replaced Joe Girardi as manager. Qualified for the wild-card, won the NL pennant, lost to Houston in the World Series.
2023: Were 48-41 (.539), third place, 12 GB. Finished 90-72 (.556), 14 GB. Got in again as a wild card, advanced to the NLCS, lost to Arizona in seven.
2024: Are 62-34 (.646), lead the division by 8½ games. It’s their second-largest lead ever at the break, eclipsed only by the 1976 club which led the division by 10 games. That team was swept by the Big Red Machine in the NLCS.
» READ MORE: Murphy: The argument against White Sox slugger Luis Robert Jr. is just as strong as the argument for him
Five things to look forward to after the break
The return of catcher J.T. Realmuto, who might be back for the trip to Minnesota, the second series after the break.
Seeing what Dave Dombrowski does ahead of the July 30 trade deadline. Bullpen? Outfielder? Pinch-hitter?
The Yankees series here July 29-31. Always fun when the Bombers visit.
Zack Wheeler’s push for the Cy Young. Wheeler (+165) was second to Atlanta’s Chris Sale (+125) on FanDuel’s odds board as of Tuesday morning. Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes (+500) was the only other pitcher with less than +2800 odds. The last Phillie to win the Cy Young was Roy Halladay in 2010.
Alec Bohm’s run at Chuck Klein’s 94-year-old team record for doubles. Bohm leads the majors with 33 doubles and is on pace for 56. Klein had 59 in 1930. Ed Delahanty had 56 in 1899. Most doubles by a Phillie since World War II: 50 by Bobby Abreu in 2002.
Five things to worry about after the break
Wheeler’s back spasms. Hopefully, rest is all he needs.
Ranger Suárez’s slump. He’s 0-2 with an 8.62 ERA in his last three starts.
The schedule from Monday-Aug. 11. The Phillies play six series in that span. Three are against first-place teams (Cleveland, Seattle, L.A. Dodgers). Three are against second-place teams (Minnesota, Yankees, Arizona).
Bryson Stott’s power outage. He has three extra-base hits in his last 20 games, though the home run he hit was a 432-foot blast on July 9 against the Dodgers.
This Brandon Marsh split: He’s hitting .294 off right-handers (55-for-187), but just .143 off lefties (7-for-49, 25 strikeouts). Yuck.
» READ MORE: Well-timed rest for All-Stars Zack Wheeler and Ranger Suárez a wise move for Phillies’ run to playoffs
Remaining schedule
There are 15 other teams in baseball besides the Phillies with a winning record at the All-Star break. The Phillies will play 11 of them in the second half of the season, including a series of land mines starting Monday. A look at their remaining schedule:
Friday-Sunday, at Pittsburgh (48-48 at the break): The Phillies figure to get their first look this weekend at rookie fireballer Skenes, who started the All-Star Game for the National League. Skenes is 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 11 starts. Since we’re on the subject, the most strikeouts ever by an opposing rookie pitcher against the Phillies is 16 by Dwight Gooden in 1984. Worth noting that Gooden pitched just eight innings that mesmerizing night at Veterans Stadium.
Monday-Wednesday, at Minnesota (54-42): Third baseman Jose Miranda, who recently tied the record with hits in 12 consecutive at-bats, was put on the 10-day injured list with back tightness retroactive to July 11, so he’ll be eligible to return for this series. Miranda is hitting .325. He hit .211 last year in 40 games. He’s never faced any of the Phillies’ starters.
July 26-28, vs. Cleveland (58-37): The Guardians are 7-11 since June 26, and 28-26 for the season on the road. Funkiest thing they’ve done — besides unexpectedly jump out to the lead in the AL Central — is when first baseman Josh Naylor and younger brother catcher Bo Naylor homered in the same inning on National Siblings Day on April 10. When asked if he knew it was Siblings Day, Bo replied, “Not a clue.” He’s not alone.
July 29-31, vs. New York Yankees (58-40): Aaron Judge, who leads the majors with 34 home runs, has just two bombs in 35 at-bats in his career against the Phillies. His last homer was off Austin Davis in an empty Citizens Bank Park in 2020. Wow. Austin Davis.
Aug. 2-4, at Seattle (52-46): Mariners starter Logan Gilbert leads the league in innings pitched (132⅓) and WHIP (0.869). Seattle led the AL West by 10 games on June 18. The Mariners are up one game at the All-Star break. Now that’s a serious collapse.
Aug. 5-7, at L.A. Dodgers (56-41): The Dodgers’ rotation is a mess, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Clayton Kershaw could be back by this series. L.A. is wounded, but the Phillies would do well to remember last year’s visit to Dodger Stadium when they lost by scores of 10-6, 13-1, and 13-4.
Aug. 8-11, at Arizona (49-48): Speaking of 2023 nightmares, here’s a four-game set against last year’s NLCS opponent. Shame Christian Walker (Kennedy-Kenrick) wasn’t picked for the All-Star team. He’s third in the NL in homers (22), fifth in RBIs (66) and 10th in OPS (.837). And he’s probably the best defensive first baseman in the league.
Aug. 13-14, vs. Miami (33-63): Finally. A break in the schedule with two games against the hapless Marlins, who have a history of torturing the Phillies in August and September.
Aug. 15-18, vs. Washington (44-53): Free-agent first baseman Juan Yepez had his contract selected on July 5 and has hit safely in all 10 games he’s played, the longest streak for a player to start his stint for the Nationals (since 2005), according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Yepez is 14-for-37 (.378).
» READ MORE: Phillies 2024 MLB draft tracker: Meet every pick from Days 2 and 3
Aug. 20-22, at Atlanta (53-42): Matt Olson, who led the majors with 54 home runs last year and set a team record with 29 in the first half, has 13 home runs this year and is hitting .229. Two of his homers this year are against the Phillies: one off Aaron Nola, one off Michael Mercado.
Aug. 23-25, at Kansas City (52-45): Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is third in the league with a .323 average and first in hits with 125. It’s the most hits ever by a Royals player in the first half of the season (with an asterisk). George Brett had 123 hits in 1979, while playing in six fewer games because the All-Star break was earlier that season.
Aug. 26-28, vs. Houston (50-46): The Astros had been on a 17-4 run before dropping their last two before the break. Hate to pick on the local kid, but Chas McCormick is having the worst year of his career. He’s hitting .203 with just three with 22 homers last year. He will also be remembered (or cursed, depending on your point of view) for that spectacular catch in Game 5 of the 2022 World Series. In fact, that was the last time the Astros played a game in Philadelphia.
Aug. 29-Sept. 1, vs. Atlanta (53-42): Pitcher Reynaldo Lopez is one of the best stories of the first half. He was a middle reliever last year for three teams (White Sox, Angels, Guardians), but was given the chance to start by Atlanta and is 7-3 with a 1.88 ERA. The last time he started a game in Philadelphia was in 2019. Drew Smyly, Suárez, Mike Morin, and Blake Parker were the Phillies pitchers that day.
Sept. 3-4, at Toronto (44-52): It’s been a disappointing year for the Jays, who won 89 games last season to sneak into the playoffs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been one of the few bright spots. He entered the break with seven home runs and a .992 OPS in his last 21 games.
Sept. 5-8, at Miami (33-63): The Marlins’ only All-Star is reliever Tanner Scott, who is a free agent after the season. Look for him to be traded soon.
Sept. 9-11, vs. Tampa Bay (48-48): Randy Arozarena, who stunningly won the 2020 ALCS MVP even before he qualified as a rookie, is batting a career-low .202. Entering June, he was hitting .158.
Sept. 13-15, vs. N.Y. Mets (49-46): The earliest the Phillies have ever clinched a division was on Sept. 17 in 2011. Would be nice to beat that mark against the rival Mets.
Sept. 16-18, at Milwaukee (55-42): Devin Williams, who exploded onto the scene last year as a closer with career highs of 36 saves and a 1.53 ERA, has not pitched this season after stress fractures were found in his back in the spring. He’s getting close to a return, which should only help a Brewers bullpen that impressively is still third in the league with a 3.35 ERA. Trevor McGill has been pretty effective closing games for the first time in his career, converting 18 of 20 saves.
» READ MORE: Matt Strahm and Jeff Hoffman prove they don’t need designated reliever roles to make the All-Star Game
Sept. 19-22, at N.Y. Mets (49-46): But then again, clinching in New York wouldn’t be so bad, either.
Sept. 23-25, vs. Chicago Cubs (47-51): Cubs All-Star Shota Imanaga was so exhausted by baristas mispronouncing his name that whenever he goes to Starbucks he just puts the order under the name of “Mike.” Incidentally, his name is pronounced SHOW-tah.
Sept. 27-29, at Washington (44-53): Hopefully, the NL’s top seed will be all sewn up and we can sweat out the Eagles’ 1 p.m. game at Tampa Bay on that Sunday.
Measuring up
The Phillies are 62-34, the second-highest win total they’ve ever had after 96 games according to Baseball-Reference.com. Here’s a look at the five best marks in team history at this point in the season.
1976: 65-31. Finished 101-61, lost to Cincinnati in NLCS.
2024: 62-34 and on pace for 104 wins (104.6, actually), which would be a franchise record.
1993: 61-35. Finished 97-65 and made it to the World Series before Joe Carter did his thing. Magical year, though. Especially after finishing in last place the previous season.
2011: 60-36. Finished 102-60, most wins by a Phillies club. Lost in the NLDS to St. Louis. A 1-0 loss in Game 5, which clinched the series for the Cardinals, was like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
1913: 59-35. Finished 88-63, which included a 3-13 stretch to dash any hopes of a postseason. The Philadelphia A’s won the World Series that year, which only added to the misery.
Note: The major-league record for most wins after 96 games is 71, held by the 1998 Yankees, the 1907 Cubs, and the 1912 Giants. The Yankees and Cubs went on to win the World Series that year. The Giants lost in the World Series.