Phillies First-Half Review: Rob Thomson Is The Team MVP

Forbes

4 days ago

One of the best Phillies' moments this season was J.T. Realmuto and Nick Castellanos' double-slide. ... More (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Yo, Phillies fans, it's time for a little optimism as as your Fightin' Phils stand in first place in the NL East — a mere half game in front of the New York Mets, but first place nonetheless. It's also time to flash back to the Phils' first 96 games and replay some high and lows and wowie-zowie moments.
First-half MVP: Manager Rob Thomson
Without question, Thomson has been the Phillies' MVP, no disrespect to the indomitable Zack Wheeler who may be winning his first Cy Young in four months. Thomson lost his No. 2 starting pitcher (Aaron Nola) and his closer (José Alvarado) for multiple months while losing his biggest offensive threat (Bryce Harper) for about a month, and look where his team resides: first place. 'Topper" does it — not with fiery rants — but with a steadying persona and next-level preparedness. This season, he also showed an old-school edge when he benched Nick Castellanos for a game after the right fielder made an inappropriate remark to his manager after he got pulled for a defensive replacement.
In Philly, it's simply known as The Double Slide, and, if you were watching it live, you saw something that was crazy bananas and has become the indelible moment of the season thus far. Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto rounded third base practically side by side and pulled off a synchronized slide at home plate — both were safe — in a 10-2 rout of the Mets on June 20. 'It looks like, what is it, Rookie of the Year?" Castellanos said after the game. This is what a double slide looks like:
The Phillies were leading 3-1 with one out in the ninth inning when Phillies closer Jordan Romano imploded (again), giving up a three-run, inside-the-park home run to San Francisco Giant catcher Patrick Bailey. It was the first game-ending inside-the-parker since Tyler Naquin hit one for Cleveland on Aug. 19, 2016.
Luzardo, whom the Phils acquired in the offseason for prospect Starlyn Caba, has thrown a couple clunkers in the first half, but, overall, he's shown how dominant he can be, striking out 10 or more batters in four different starts. He employs a four-pitch mix fronted by high-riding 97-mph fastball, which may find its way to the bullpen for the postseason.
For about a month, Alvarado dazzled as the team's closer, rediscovering his fastball that dipped the past couple seasons. But then we learned how he reclaimed his heater when the announcement came down in mid-May: Alvarado would be suspended for 80 games (and banned from the 2025 playoffs) following a positive test for a performance-enhancing substance.
It's Harper's achy wrist, which sidelined the superstar for a month, that may be the linchpin to the second half of the Phillies' season. If the wrist is healthy, it almost guarantees a Red October for Philly. If it's not healthy, the team will struggle to produce runs and could fade by September. Harper looked feeble, going 1 for 14 in four games in his return from the IL, but then a ray of hope: He broke out on July 9 with a career-best four extra-base hits — one home run and three doubles.
Zack Wheeler (2.36 ERA), Cristopher Sanchez (2.50) and Ranger Suarez (2.15) have anchored the rotation, which is arguably the best in baseball. Throw in Luzardo and Philly's Four Aces 2.0 have combined for 32 wins. And when Nola returns from a ribcage injury next month — and if he's the Nola of old — it could be the Five Aces.
Yep, this is an easy. The Phils' bullpen has been abysmal with a 5.81 ERA, which is the second worst in baseball. For the most part, Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm have been reliable during late high-leverage innings but pretty much every other reliever has stumbled in their role. And that's why Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is on the hunt for not one — but two — back-end arms that will reinforce the wobbly 'pen before the trade deadline expires in a couple weeks.