As April draws to a close, the Philadelphia Phillies remain mired in difficulty, and one specific area stands out as an obvious trade priority.
The Phillies endured another rough week, dropping six of seven games. After getting swept by the Chicago Cubs, they proceeded to lose two of three against the Atlanta Braves over the weekend, underscoring the team’s myriad issues. With a 9-19 record through 28 games, Philadelphia already trails the Braves by 10.5 games in the National League East. Though the season is still young, the Phillies have put themselves in a deep hole that won’t be easy to escape.
Philadelphia also holds the majors’ worst run differential by a significant margin: -54, while the next-worst team, the New York Mets, sits at -30. Run differential isn’t everything, but it strongly reflects the team’s early-season troubles. Given these struggles, one clear area of need should be addressed without delay.
The Clear Area of Need
Both the poor record and dismal run differential point to the offense as the primary concern. Aside from a few key contributors left-handed hitters like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Brandon Marsh the lineup has been largely ineffective. With the right-handed bats faltering, it’s no surprise the team has struggled against left-handed pitching this year.
The most logical remedy would be to add lineup help, particularly a right-handed hitter. Key players such as Trea Turner, Adolis GarcÃa, and Alec Bohm are all underperforming, leaving the lineup looking weak. Although it may be early in the season to consider trades, this need is clear if the team hopes to turn things around. However, while the need is obvious, the solution is less so: finding impact bats midseason is challenging, and with their poor start, time is not on the Phillies’ side.
