Phillies return to Citizens Bank Park much like they left it, and look to ‘get going’ vs. Marlins

When the Phillies left Los Angeles for Arizona last week, it felt like they had turned a corner from the struggles that had plagued them since the All-Star break.

They were fresh off their first series win since early July — over the Dodgers, one of the top teams in the National League, no less. The good vibes continued with the Phillies’ series-opening win against the Diamondbacks on Thursday. The team seemed poised to go on a run.

But by the time the Phillies left the desert again after three straight losses to Arizona to finish 4-6 on the trip, that feeling had dissipated. Following the 12-5 drubbing on Sunday, the energy in the Phillies’ clubhouse was similar to what it had been like at Citizens Bank Park before they left for the road trip.

» READ MORE: As Taijuan Walker returns to the rotation on Tuesday, Phillies believe he has solved his splitter grip

The Phillies had hoped to use the West Coast trip — against the Mariners, Dodgers, and Diamondbacks — as an opportunity to reset after being swept at home by the Yankees on July 31. Now, the Phillies say they hope to reset from that same trip by returning home.

“Not our best, obviously. I think [we’re] not playing where we need to be playing right now,” Bryce Harper said. “But you know, [we’ve] just got to get home, flush this road trip, and take the good things we can, and just get going on Tuesday [against the Miami Marlins].”

Harper, who headed out West on a career-worst 1-for-30 slump, started to turn things around at the plate when the calendar flipped to August. He is hitting .325 and slugging .936 this month, and has made lots of solid contact to the opposite field.

But he felt out of sorts at first base. Harper committed one error during the Arizona series, dropping a throw from shortstop Trea Turner that allowed a run to score, and the Diamondbacks knocked several grounders down the line that got past him for hits.

“Just felt like all of them were kind of out of my reach,” Harper said. “I don’t know positioning-wise what happened this series, but I thought all their hits went through, and just sometimes that happens. ... Everything’s just got to be better, both sides of the ball.”

If the messaging is the same now as when the Phillies left, at least the task ahead of them at home is less daunting on paper compared to a 10-game trip against three quality teams. The Marlins and Washington Nationals are sub-.500 teams residing in the basement of the National League, so if the Phillies are to turn things around for good, this homestand presents a good opportunity.

» READ MORE: ‘Dude’s a dog’: Phillies pitcher Tyler Phillips had a role model in a fellow Bishop Eustace grad

“It’s still the big leagues, so still got to go in and play the game the right way,” Harper said. “Obviously, we’re not playing our best baseball right now, but [we’ve] just got to keep going and understand we got a long season to go, and just got to keep playing the game.”

Manager Rob Thomson pointed toward Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott both recording hits in the series finale against Arizona as positive signs. Thomson flipped the slumping Marsh and Stott in Sunday’s batting order, moving Stott up to fifth and Marsh down to eighth in an effort to shake things up. Stott doubled and Marsh recorded an RBI single. Both were their only hits of the series.

Turner, who is hitting .176 since the All-Star break, singled as well.

Offensive production isn’t the only problem, however. While the Phillies’ pitching staff still collectively ranks second in MLB with an ERA of 3.72, that figure skyrockets to 5.07 in the 22 games since the All-Star break. The bullpen melted down several times on this trip, which Thomson has repeatedly attributed to issues with “execution.”

Taijuan Walker is set to make his return to the starting rotation on Tuesday to open the series against Miami.

“We just have to get home. We’re all looking forward to it,” Thomson said. “It’s been a long trip. Get home in front of our fan base and start winning some games, and winning some series.”