April 27, 2022
It's only two wins in the standings, but it feels like more.
After a dominating 10-3 win over the Rockies — a team that gave the Phillies a pretty good pounding in their series in Denver last week — and an 8-2 victory the day before, the Phillies finally feel like the team they were promised to be when the front office backed up the Brink's truck and surpassed the luxury tax for the first time in franchise history last month.
The floodgates could be opening, but it's not as if the Phillies haven't been a sneaky good hitting team throughout their first 18 games anyway.
Here's a brief look at some of their basic hitting numbers, in relation to MLB's other 29 teams so far in 2022:
| Category | Stat | MLB rank |
| Total hits | 152 | 2nd |
| Doubles | 37 | 2nd |
| Batting average | .255 | 3rd |
| RISP BA | .304 | 2nd |
| 2 out BA | .259 | 4th |
| Home runs | 17 | 10th |
It feels like the Phillies have had some real stinkers, and they have, but the law of averages seems to be working out in the Phils' favor. This team can hit, from top to bottom.
“When your nine-hole hitter is hitting doubles in the gap and hitting homers, it’s a good night,” Bryce Harper said “I thought we looked really good all the way through.”
It's worth mentioning the reigning NL MVP is second in doubles and seventh in RBI in the league so far, despite playing hurt.
In the aforementioned Tuesday night thumping of the Rockies, every hitter in the starting lineup reached base and six different hitters contributed RBI. Talk about a balanced attack.
The pitching is getting better too, which goes hand-in-hand with the wins finally starting to tackle in. That's because the offense has had to play from behind in 14 of their 18 games this season, which is no easy task.
“Being able to get out there and get ahead is huge, and I thought we were able to do that tonight," Harper told reporters Tuesday.
Playing from behind so much, some comebacks were eventually consummated. Others were just too far gone. However, no team has hit better in the late innings this season than the Phillies, which has to be a good sign of things to come:
| Innings | BA | MLB rank |
| 1-3 | .233 | 15th |
| 4-6 | .266 | 6th |
| 7-9 | .269 | 1st |
The weather in South Philly isn't supposed to make it above the mid 60s for the rest of their current homestand, but the bats are making it feel like summer, and "hittin' season." If they can keep this up, it's an identity that could carry them to their first playoff berth in a decade.
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