This is not how Phillies fans envisioned the start of their National League pennant defense. After the Rangers swept them in a season-opening series, the Phils dropped two of three to the Yankees in the Bronx. Six games of baseball is a small sample size and a 1-5 stretch in June would fly under the radar, but the Phillies have this city's attention right now and have faltered in their first two tests of 2023.
The series' final scores:
| Date | Yankees | Phillies |
| Mon. 4/3 | 8 | 1 |
| Tues. 4/4 | 1 | 4 |
| Wed. 4/5 | 4 | 2 |
Through six games, the Phillies have a run differential of -24. Rough. Very rough.
To recap a series of unfortunate events in the Big Apple, here are five awards from that three-game set...
The "Smell Ya Later" Award: Yunior Marte 👋
Yunior Marte's first Phillies stint lasted all of one total inning across two appearances. He allowed two runs in 0.2 innings of work during the Phillies' opening series down in Texas. He followed that up with four earned runs on Monday against the Yankees, recording only a single out in the process. He was correspondingly optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday after that putrid performance.
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His ERA across those two games? 54.00. Hot take: that's not good.
The "Caught Sleeping" Award: Trea Turner 😴
After I praised Trea Turner's base-running prowess in my five awards story after the Phillies' series against the Rangers, naturally, he was picked off at first base on Wednesday:
The "June Came Early" Award: Kyle Schwarber 💣
Kyle Schwarber, fresh off a 46-homer campaign, went yard twice at Yankee Stadium this week. He broke things open with a first-inning home run on Tuesday, leading the way for the Phils' first win of the season:
He followed that up with a solo shot on Wednesday afternoon:
The "Get Well Soon" Award: Brandon Marsh 🤒
Brandon Marsh was a late scratch from the Phillies' lineup on Wednesday. The team announced that he's day-to-day with an ankle sprain. That's a shame because he's been a bright spot so far during this short season. Marsh hit a home run on Tuesday night. His batting average through 15 at-bats is .333 with a 1.133 OPS. Marsh's bat has been better than advertised since he came to Philly after the Fightins acquired him from the Angels in the middle of the 2022 campaign. If he gets to the defensive level he showcased with the Halos, Marsh really might be a solid option in center for the next few years.
His hair will be even wetter than normal if he plays during what's expected to be a rainy home opener on Thursday.
The "Cavalry's Coming" Award: Bryce Harper 🏇
Bryce Harper took batting practice on Wednesday for the first time since his UCL surgery. He's expected to do so again before the Phillies' opener at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday. With the state of things currently, Harper can't come back soon enough.
On Deck... Homecoming 🔔
If the weather holds up, the Phillies will play their first game at CBP since last November on Thursday afternoon. Here are the projected pitchers for the Phils' three-game set against the Reds:
| Date | Phillies | Reds |
| 4/6, 3:05 p.m. | Zack Wheeler (R) | Hunter Greene (R) |
| 4/8, 4:05 p.m. | Bailey Falter (L) | Nick Lodolo (L) |
| 4/9, 1:05 p.m. | Taijuan Walker (R) | Graham Ashcraft (R) |
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