The Philadelphia Phillies, sitting at 13-13 and riding a five-game losing streak, are facing early-season frustration. After being swept by the Mets, they’re now five games behind in the NL East, and fans are growing impatient. Though it’s still April, the problems plaguing this team are familiar — the same ones that derailed their World Series hopes last year.
The offense has been underwhelming, managing just four extra-base hits in 38 innings against the Mets and Marlins. The Phillies are 14th in MLB in runs scored as of Saturday’s matchup with the Cubs. But the bigger issue is the bullpen, which ranks near the bottom of the league with a 5.44 ERA. Newcomer Jordan Romano has struggled mightily, while Orion Kerkering has faltered in key moments. The front office has faced criticism for not adequately replacing the two All-Star relievers lost in free agency.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski appears ready to take action. In a recent interview with MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, Dombrowski made it clear the current bullpen won’t be allowed to continue underperforming unchecked. “You’re not just going to keep going out there, bullpen after bullpen appearance,” he said, indicating that changes could be coming soon.
In fact, the team recently moved pitching prospect Seth Johnson into a bullpen role in Triple-A, possibly preparing him for a major league call-up. With seven blown saves already this season, the Phillies can’t afford to wait much longer. If internal options don’t work out, Dombrowski may need to explore trades to strengthen the bullpen before the season slips away.