The Philadelphia Phillies were on the edge of a historic meltdown this September, man. They barely scraped into the postseason after struggling hard against the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, right down to Game 162. Now they’re staring down the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card, and let’s be real, most folks are probably penciling in a Phillies loss. But hold up! ESPN’s Jeff Passan just threw a curveball into that thinking, dropping a take that says this Phillies squad has a real shot at a deep run, maybe even a World Series title.
The Core Talent That Still Makes Them Dangerous
Passan ain’t wrong when he says the Phillies have “frontline talent to do it.” We’re talking Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesus Luzardo, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper. Passan even put them up there with the Dodgers’ core, which, wow. These are the dudes who can turn a series on its head and flip the script on anyone.
But here’s the kicker: it ain’t all sunshine and homers right now. Luzardo’s got an injury, and Wheeler’s probably gonna miss Games 1 and 2 of the NL Wild Card. Plus, Sanchez, Schwarber, and Harper? They’ve been kinda inconsistent lately. You can’t win a World Series on “potential” alone. They gotta show up and show out.
Beyond The Stars: Who Else Needs To Step Up
This is where Passan gets really specific. He pointed directly at Alec Bohm and his “second half surge” as a massive reason for any October success. If Bohm stays red-hot, he could absolutely be the X-factor this team needs to go deep.
And it’s not just Bohm. You need the rest of the lineup to show up. Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh, J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner, Edmundo Sosa, Derek Hill, Justin Crawford, and Bryan De La Cruz? They cannot be “complete black holes” at the plate. The offense showed some serious patience in August, getting on base and creating chances. But lately? They haven’t been close to that kind of production. C’mon, fellas, let’s get those bats going again!
The biggest head-scratcher, though? The bullpen. Jhaon Duran and Alex McFarlane have been solid, no doubt. But outside of those two, there’s a “real concern” about the relief corps. Can Jonathan Bowlan, Chase Shugart, Brooks Raley, Jose Alvarado, and the rest suddenly put their struggles behind them in October? Passan says they don’t need *everyone* to figure it out; if only two more can join McFarlane and Duran as trusted arms, they “might be okay.” But right now, that bullpen is the “biggest liability” if they want to make any noise.
So, the Phillies clawed their way in. They’re facing the Braves, and the whole league is watching to see if they fold or if Passan’s vision actually plays out. If that frontline talent turns it on, if Bohm keeps mashing, and if the bullpen can just find two more reliable arms, this team could absolutely make some serious noise this October. Get ready for a wild ride, because the stakes are sky-high.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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