With the Phillies two games up in the National League with the best-record in baseball, it's been a dream start for the Delaware Valley. As I frequently write here at PhillyVoice, here are five Phillies thoughts that I want to get off my chest...
Citizens Bank Park Goes Wild
No one believed in the 2022 Phillies squad that had a magical ride to the World Series. They fell ass-backwards into the playoffs and September games with major postseason implications were met with sparse crowds. That was reasonable. The Phillies were coming off a string of late flameouts and were a thoroughly mediocre regular season team. Why waste time and money for the feeling that you were going to be smacked in the face with a loss on a given weeknight?
Well, Bedlam at the Bank came that October and Philadelphia showcased that when you give the people a reason to believe, the atmosphere here is unmatched. Even with a 2023 regular season that had its own hair-pulling moments, the Phillies leapt from 16th to sixth in attendance. Big playoff moments last fall only further showcased the passion of Phils fans.
With the 2024 Phillies rolling, the crowds are already approaching Red October levels. The Fightins are third in attendance and random afternoon weekday games in May channel the vibes of the team's most recent playoff heroics.
| Year | Rank | Average Attendance |
| 2022 | 16th | 28,459 |
| 2023 | 6th | 38,157 |
| 2024 | 3rd | 38,226 |
I was in attendance this past Monday, a 6-1 smackdown that capped off a four-game sweep of the Giants. Justice for 2010? Perhaps fans were buying into that because a three-run Bryce Harper homer had the crowd rocking the way most stadiums would for a postseason affair. An ensuing Kyle Schwarber home run off the foul pole only added to that permeating energy, as if tens of thousands of people were ready to burst down Broad Street.
Keep it up, Philadelphia. It's no secret that this Phillies core feeds off its crowd. To paraphrase the iconic line, if you build it, they will come. Dave Dombrowski's built it and Philly is reaping the rewards. It's not front-running. People are voting with the dollar for how they spend their free time in an increasingly expensive world. Why spend hundreds on a trip to the Phillies game with you and your partner or friend or family with tickets, food and drinks when you could just watch Netflix instead? That's the question that's confounding the entire entertainment world. The answer appears to simply be Harper homers and Zack Wheeler strikeouts.
The Embattled Aaron Nola
Of any Phillies pitcher who's made at least seven starts this year, Aaron Nola has the worst ERA. Before the season if you told that to a Phils fan, that may have spelled doom for the rotation, but they continue to pitch their hearts out while Nola remains a step behind for now.
Nola's sporting a 3.67 ERA. He was rewarded with a contract worth $172 million this offseason after a 2023 campaign where his ERA was 4.46. Nola's strikeouts per nine innings has dropped every season since 2019. His current rate of 8.4 Ks/9 is the worst it's been since his rookie year way back in 2015.
Nola's career ERA sits at 3.72 after surrendering four runs and nine hits in under six innings of work in Wednesday's loss to Toronto. This is who he is at this point. He brings equal parts brilliance and frustration with both facets having been on display in the past two playoff runs. He's no doubt a good No. 2 option behind the dominance of Wheeler, but if viewed in the light as the team's No. 3 starter behind Ranger Suárez, he's the best in the sport.
Bryce Harper Does It Again
Harper's numbers in March and April (27 games): a batting average of .230, an on-base percentage of .345 and a slugging percentage of .460 (.805 OPS).
Not bad, but not up to par for a superstar like Harper.
Harper's numbers in May so far (seven games): .364/.517/.773 (1.290 OPS).
The Phillies needed Harper to go on an MVP-caliber tear in light of Trea Turner missing a month-plus of baseball following his hamstring injury. The ever-beloved Harper has done just that.
Grand Salami
Is there anything cooler in sports to witness than a grand slam? I think not.
A Team of Destiny?
I've never been more enamored with an in-game interview, whether it be a player or coach, than Brandon Marsh on the most recent edition of Sunday Night Baseball. While playing out in left, Marsh field questions from ESPN broadcasters and even his pal Alec Bohm:
The 2024 Phillies just have an "it" factor. It comes through in moments like this. If Philadelphians are waiting for the bottom to come out, don't. Revel in a spring that's giving way to summer where the Fightins are once again the talk of baseball and the talk of the city. The last dozen years have taught us that moments like this can be fleeting. Why let them pass you by?
As Marsh himself would say, "Stay loose and sexy, baby."
MORE: Phillies split series with Blue Jays
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