Something has been missing. This isn’t the Philadelphia Phillies team that rattled rivals and gave the New York Mets a migraine earlier in the season. Lately, they’ve slipped into the conversation of MLB’s most troubled teams, and the decline has been swift. The win over the Chicago Cubs definitely offers hope, but it could very easily turn out to be a one-off. Usually, this is the point when a clubhouse huddles up, shuts the doors, and talks it out. But what if Phillies’ DH says they have got it all covered with another option?
The Phillies dropped to their absolute low this season after being swept in a series by one of the worst teams currently, for the first time in a decade. No one would have predicted this to happen to the Phillies at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but that just added to a long slide. Before their win against the Cubs, they were 1-9 in their last ten games. Closed-door meetings are a must when things start to hit rock bottom. Even after the embarrassing series loss to the Pirates, 32-year-old Phillies star Kyle Schwarber insists they can make the same impact without a formal meeting.
“There’s not really a team meeting aspect-wise; I think everything comes around naturally in that everyone walks around the room, everyone talks to each other,” Schwarber told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Lochlahn March before Monday’s game against the Cubs. “Especially even when you’re going through it in Pittsburgh. Everyone has conversations. I think that’s the biggest message — just making sure that [you’re] never riding the high, never riding the low,” he added. He reminds everyone that even without a meeting, the team builds its spirit on mutual support.
Schwarber has been a pillar of strength for the team, especially at times like this. Not only him, but manager Rob Thomson also weighed in on their decision to opt out of a closed-door meeting and remained hopeful: “Last year we went through a 3-12 stretch. Everybody forgets about that, but it just proves to me that we can get through this. We’ve just got to keep preparing, keep competing, and try not to do too much.” Sure, they have seen worse, but this time, raising injury concerns for players like Bryce Harper also unfortunately, falls within the same period.
It is reasonable to believe that Harper’s and José Alvarado’s absences have definitely been one of the reasons for their unexpected slump. They are trailing with a 38-28 record behind the leading Mets in the NL East. So, this is the best time to have all the strategies on the table and turn the playbook around. Just like Schwarber said, they didn’t get stuck in the lows, and they opened the series against the Cubs with a win. The twist? This time, it was an undrafted rookie who lit the spark.
Otto Kemp lifts Phillies to victory
The Phillies ended their five-game losing streak with a 4–3 win against the Cubs. Surprisingly, a rookie who had just been promoted from Triple-A Lehigh Valley was the one who made this possible. Otto Kemp had waited long for his debut since he got signed in 2022, and it happened in Saturday’s game against the Pirates. But even he couldn’t have imagined that, just two days later in his first game at Citizens Bank Park, his three hits would help seal a win for the team.
“Just trying to get on top of it and execute,” he said after the game to The Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes. For someone who has long endured the minors, the home stadium felt different. “It’s unbelievable, the energy that I felt today, support from all these fans,” Kemp said. “The buzz is crazy. That was another reason why I didn’t want to experience (Citizens Bank Park) before the first big-league game.” With him leading the turnaround, the cheers and the pressure are only getting bigger.
Credit: Cheryl Pursell/Phillies Nation
The 25-year-old was slashing .313/.416/.594 with a 1.010 OPS and 14 homers in the minors; that secured his spot on the Phillies roster. But he couldn’t produce any hits in his first two games in the majors. But Monday was different. Taking over at third base, he showed exactly why Thomson’s call was the right one. He not only hit three, but he also made a crucial bunt single, which helped Brandon Marsh win the game for the team. It has turned around the game for him, from an undrafted player to a crucial part of the team. But now, the only question: Can he repeat this and change the game for the Phillies?
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