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From the very early stages of the season, the Philadelphia Phillies dominated. Now, on the eve of the 2024 MLB postseason, manager Rob Thomson's club's 94-67 record places them second in MLB, poised to make a postseason push.
However, the team was not perfect during the regular season. Today, we will be outlining three areas that are ripe for opponents to exploit if the necessary adjustments are not made.
Three weaknesses for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2024 Playoffs
3. Hitting Right-Handed Pitching
Philadelphia has undoubtedly been a good hitting team this season. The club's .257 combined average ranks fifth in MLB. However, a closer look reveals a deeper truth.
"Those were terrible strikeouts by #Phillies Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner to end the eighth inning swinging at balls in the dirt #ATLvsPHI #RingTheBell" - David Malandra Jr
The Phillies have hit .251 off of right handers this season. This number ranks eighth in MLB, and the club has also struck out twice as much against right-handed pitching. In the postseason, these inconsistencies can be exploited much more easily. Key players like Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos have struggled against righties relative to left handed counterparts.
2. Pitching Inexperience
With the obvious exceptions of Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, the Phillies' rotation is very inexperienced when it comes to the postseason.
Taijuan Walker has not pitched in the playoffs since 2017. Cristopher Sanchez pitched 2.1 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks last postseason, and Ranger Suarez has been used in a very limited postseason capacity to date. For these younger aces like Sanchez and Suarez, managing emotions and adjusting to the postseason rhythm is crucial.
"Rob Thomson believes Ranger Suárez could benefit from a little time off after another rough start." - NBC Sports Philadelphia
1. Bullpen Viability
While Philadelphia ranks 12th in MLB in overall ERA, the team's bullpen figure of 3.97 ranks them 16th out of 30 bullpens in baseball. Several big names like Jose Alvarado and Greg Soto have struggled more than expected this season, leaving more responsibility on the shoulders of arms like Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm.
Overcoming this challenge will have high importance for the first round. Teams like the Padres and Milwaukee Brewers have the Phillies beat in this category. Ensuring that the right arms are used at the right time could make all of the difference in the upcoming postseason run.
