July 04, 2023
The Phillies had, par for the course, an uneven week to close out June and begin July. First came a three-game sweep over the Cubs at Wrigley Field that brought out some great vibes. Then coming back home for an NL East set with the lowly Nationals, the Phils had a chance to continue to make ground in the Wild Card race.
They floundered.
After managing just a single run in a Friday night loss, they hung a crooked number on Washington on Saturday with a home run bonanza in a 19-4 win. After a victory like that, the Phillies obviously lost on Sunday to drop the series and kill off some of that goodwill that was built up.
In a new installment of our Phillies stock watch, here's a rundown of who's making an impact and who's slumping...
• Nick Catstellanos: On top of being selected to the All-Star Game, Castellanos homered twice over the weekend, tearing the cover off the ball with an OPS of 1.154 in six games across 26 plate appearances.
• Alec Bohm: Bohm Bomb! In that 19-4 rout, Bohm homered twice and drove in six runs. In five games last week, Bohm hit .400.
• Taijuan Walker: If not for an iffy start to his Phillies career, Walker might have been in consideration for an All-Star appearance of his own. In a series-ending win in Chicago on Thursday, Walker pitched six innings of one-hit, one-run ball with six strikeouts. In his last 11 starts, Walker has a 2.52 ERA. The Phillies are 9-2 in those games.
• Brandon Marsh: Wet hair, don't care! In five games last week, Marsh hit .294 with an OPS of 1.098 and four extra-base hits in addition to rock-solid defense in center field.
• Aaron Nola: The uneven play of Nola continues on. In his start last week against the Cubbies, Nola surrendered four runs in five innings, allowing seven hits. If not for an eight-run day from the Phillies' offense, that felt fated to be a loss for the Fightins. Nola's 4.51 ERA is 49th among qualified starting pitchers in 2023.
• Trea Turner: The beginning of Turner's time in Philly is reminiscent of Castellanos' rough start in 2022. The Phillies can't wait until next season to get the shortstop that Turner truly is though. They need it now. In his last six games, Turner had an OPS of .619. A .286 on-base percentage is just not remotely good enough for a player of his caliber and contract.
• Bryson Stott: I'm certainly bullish on Stott's future in red pinstripes, but it was an off week for the young second baseman, posting an OPS of only .646. Conversely, I'm not digging manager Rob Thomson's usage of both Stott and Marsh. They're both up-and-coming players who have shined when given the opportunity and should not be relegated to platoon roles. Let them play every game! Having consistent opportunities is huge for these guys.
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