It has been an up-and-down season for the Philadelphia Phillies, as they started 9-19 but turned things around after firing manager Rob Thomson. Many counted the Phillies out, but they are right there making a playoff push, and they are getting much better throughout the season. Today, they sit at 55-43 and in second place in the National League East and have a shot to win the division. However, there are reasons to believe the Phillies can not win the division, and there are more reasons not to believe than to believe. With that being said, here are the reasons the Phillies can and may not be able to win the division. Â
Phillies’ Race to Win the Division
Reasons the Phillies Could Win the Division
The first reason the Phillies have a shot to win the division is the starting pitching. Cristopher Sanchez is 10-4 with an Earned Run Average of 2.62, along with Zach Wheeler, who is 9-1 with an Earned Run Average of just 2.28. If Aaron Nola can keep pitching better, this team could be dangerous for opposing teams to see, and the Phillies could compete with the good teams.
Another reason the Phillies have a shot is that they are only two games behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the division, making it very possible for them to catch up.
The last big reason is the Philles is the experience from their players, and they tend to go on winning streaks, and if they can get on a winning streak, it is very possible to pick up ground on the Braves. Â
Reasons For the Philies Not To Win the Division
The scary thing for Phillies fans is that there are more reasons to be concerned than optimistic, and it starts with how bad they have been offensively. Each star, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber, is batting below an average of .260, and they have only had two games with five or more runs within the past week, which makes it hard to beat good teams. The next reason that suggests the Phillies won’t catch the Braves is their upcoming schedule.
The Phillies will face off in a series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are 61-35 and in first place in the National League West division, the 53-42 New York Yankees, and the 52-44 Miami Marlins, who are tied with the Phillies for second place in the division. That schedule makes it incredibly difficult to pick up any ground on the Braves if they do not score runs.
The last major reason is the Phillies’ bullpen. Most of the Phillies’ bullpen have an Earned Run Average of four or more and nine times out of ten, the bullpen will blow the lead or if the Phillies are behind, the bullpen gets them into a deeper hole nearly every single time. If the Phillies want any chance to compete, they will have to go after another relief pitcher and potentially another hot bat at the trade deadline.
Do you think the Phillies will win the division?
Main Image: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images
