Breakout Star Returns to Philadelphia Phillies After Short Absence

The Philadelphia Phillies will have another option off the bench as they get back one of their breakout stars.

Aug 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Weston Wilson (37) reacts after hitting a double during the eighth inning to complete the cycle against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Coming into Wednesday's contest, the Philadelphia Phillies have the chance to sweep a team for the first time since prior to the All-Star break as they face the Houston Astros in Game 3 of their series.

All of a sudden, the Phillies look much closer to the team who dominated the early portion of the year, using timely hitting by their lineup to score runs and allow their pitching staff to shut down the opposing lineups.

If Philadelphia were to win, not only would that be a major statement heading into their huge matchup against the Atlanta Braves, but it would also be the first time they have won four games in a row since early-June.

Offensively, the Phillies look much better than they have in months.

Their high-profile stars are still not quite to the level that is expected of them, but Nick Castellanos has been a steady force, and Trea Turner and Bryce Harper seem to be coming out of their prolonged slumps.

Someone who has played his way into a role and could be a huge factor for Philadelphia down the stretch and into the playoffs is Weston Wilson.

The utilityman has often ridden the rollercoaster of promotions and demotions during his time in the organization, but when he got another shot on July 12, the 29-year-old did not miss his opportunity to prove his worth.

So far, he has slashed .353/.370/.647 with three homers and seven RBI across his 51 at-bats in 22 games that also saw him hit for the rare cycle.

However, Wilson had been away from the team since Aug. 26 after he was placed on the paternity list when his wife, Madison, was expecting to have the couple's first child.

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On Wednesday, the team announced that they had reinstated Wilson from the paternity list and optioned Buddy Kennedy back to their Triple-A affiliate.

After this exciting time for Wilson, he has to be happy he has returned to the team amid his hot performance at the plate.

The Phillies are certainly glad to have him back as well.

His ability to play multiple positions in the field and hit left-handed pitching at a high rate gives manager Rob Thomson more options when it comes to lineup decisions and situational matchups during the course of a game.