🔔 The Right-Handed Bats Need to Wake Up

_{LAST GAME: Reds 4 - Phillies 1}

_{NEXT GAME: Phillies (Aaron Nola: 12.46 ERA ) vs. Nationals (Patrick Corbin, 8.31 ERA) | Today, 6:45 p.m. EDT | NBCSP+, 94 WIP}

Good morning. The Phillies play 26 games over the next 27 days, and the crazy early-season stretch starts tonight in Washington. Following a disappointing homestand in which the Phillies were outscored 39-25 by the Braves and Reds, they will look to turn things around in the opener of a three-game set against Patrick Corbin, a guy who allowed opponents to hit .293 with an .826 OPS en route to a 5.20 ERA last season.

In the email today:

• Kyle Schwarber racked up five singles in five games to start the season, recording his fifth single in his 21st plate appearance. Last season, he didn’t record his fifth single until his 61st plate appearance — which came in his 14th game.

• Wednesday was absolutely brutal for fans who had tickets to the game. First, it gets bumped from 1:05 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. before an additional delay of 235 minutes. The team will give fans who purchased tickets a special offer early next week.

• Aaron Nola saw his ERA drop from 14.54 to 12.46 this week without throwing a pitch. Ronald Acuna Jr.’s leadoff single last Saturday was changed to an Alec Bohm error, saving Nola an earned run. Things are looking up!

• The Phillies have struck out 54 times through six games (nine times per game), which puts them right around league average. They have remained aggressive in terms of swinging at pitches outside the strike zone. They have offered at 33.9% of pitches outside the zone, the seventh-most of any team.

• Keep in mind that the plate discipline metric doesn’t always equate to offensive production over the long run. Last season, the Rays swung at the fourth-most pitches outside the zone and scored the fourth most runs of any team. The Braves historically outrageous offense offered at the ninth-most.

• Zack Wheeler through two games in 2024: 12 IP, 0.75 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 15K/1BB. Zack Wheeler through two games in 2023: 9 2/3 IP, 5.59 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 12K/4BB. Hard to imagine a better version of Wheeler than what we’ve seen, but he’s off to a good start.

• It’s been a rough start for Johan Rojas, who is just 1-for-15 so far this season. His struggles haven’t been a product of poor luck. His 78.3 mph average exit velocity is the third-lowest of any player who has put at least seven balls in play. His 9.1% hard-hit percentage is also the third lowest, ahead of only Whit Merrified and Ernie Clement.

2) When You’re Right, You’re Wrong

🚨 Small sample size alert 🚨

Yes, it’s early, but it has been a slow start for a Phillies offense that scored four runs or fewer in four of its first six games. The primary issue has been a lack of production from the right side. Here’s a look at what the Phillies’ right-handed hitters have done so far:

• Alec Bohm: 5-for-21 (.238 BA, .559 OPS)

• Nick Castellanos: 3-for-20 (.150 BA, .442 OPS)

• J.T. Realmuto: 5-for-18 (.278 BA, .794 OPS)

• Trea Turner: 5-for-23 (.217 BA, .525 OPS)

• Whit Merrifield: 2-for-14 (.143 BA, .393 OPS)

• Christian Pache: 0-for-1 (.000 BA, .500 OPS)

• Johan Rojas: 1-for-15 (.067 BA, .243 OPS)

So, how do the Phillies right-handed hitters stack up against the rest of baseball to this point? Not great!

Their .193 batting average ranks 28th and their .228 slugging percentage ranks dead last. They’re tied for last in home runs (1) with the Guardians, and only three teams have knocked in fewer runs from the right side. The group has totaled a collective -0.7 WAR, ahead of only the Rockies’ -0.9 WAR.

Looking for some good news? They will get their most favorable matchup to date tonight when they face Patrick Corbin. The left-hander was lit up in 2023 to the tune of a .301 average and .851 OPS against right-handed hitters while surrendering a staggering 29 homers.

Our take: The Phillies need more from their right-handed bats as a whole, but the scrutiny will only build if Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos don’t get things turned around quickly. Judging players through six games is obviously ridiculous, but given the pair will earn a combined $47,272,727 this season and each have had notable struggles, there is added pressure for a fast start.

3) Tweet of the Day: Let’s Point and Laugh at the Mets

If you think your 2-4 baseball team that has played deep into October the last two years (and is in the mix to do it again) is depressing, well, maybe this will help keep things in perspective.

4) 📊 Poll Question: What Should the Phillies do in CF?

Have additional thoughts? Reply directly to this email to comment, and see if we include your response tomorrow.

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Results from our last poll [Did the opening series change your outlook of the 2024 Phillies?]:

Your replies…

“I have concern but not panic. All the worried about last year are still present. Anemic offense at times, shaky Nola, inconsistent bullpen but overall optimistic and still believe this team will be there come October.”

“Easy to overreact, I may have made a facebook post on Sunday stating "Is it too early to give a "I hate this team" yet? and that post worked like magic lol. Let the Braves have April (March?), We'll take October. Long season.”

“I can’t tell if the Braves looked like October ready and we were still in “it doesn’t matter” mode, but I would have liked to see more star power from the big bats on the roster. This series felt very similar to Arizona taking the NLCS. ”

“Running it back after an epic playoff collapse is never the answer. I believed the spring spin of they are together now but being buddy buddy and liking it here doesn't mean the chase is gone and it very much came back… When you get bounced out of the playoffs in the fashion you did and no show the first two games back…gtfo…I'm with ya, I don't like picking apart a manager as well, but favoring Rojas over a guy who was hitting lefties last season and had just about your only offense in the opener is goofy…Phils fans have all right to be frustrated and extremely pissed no what the game number . It’s gonna be a streaky, frustrating and questionable lineup all season . Get ready.”

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5) 🔗 Link Roundup:

• 🦅 Is Bryce Harper the new Jason Kelce? 🦅

• 🥶 Rob Thomson isn’t concerned about Whit Merrifield’s slow start.

• 🙏 The Phillies’ starting rotation is throwing strikes and offering hope.

• 🤷‍♂️ Players are saying the new City Connect jersey (which arrives Friday morning) is beautiful. We’ll see.

• 🏥 The Marlins are 0-8 and received some brutal injury news. It’s going to be a long season in Miami.

The newsletter today was written by: Bob Wankel (Follow on X)

Thanks for reading!