Philadelphia Phillies Skipper Makes Bold Statement About Current State of Team

The Philadelphia Phillies manager shared his thoughts on where the team is going to go from here.

May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson looks on during the eighth inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Entering Wednesday's game against the Miami Marlins, it seems unthinkable to say this might be a "must win" for the Philadelphia Phillies.

They are spiraling and there seems to be no end in sight.

The thought process before the All-Star break when the Phillies lost their series against the Oakland Athletics was that they were just looking ahead to the Midsummer Classic. When they got off to a slow start in the second half of the year, it was viewed as just some regression hitting them that should turn around soon.

And after they were embarrassed on their road trip, the return home was seen as the point where they would start to get back on track.

But following a lackluster 5-0 loss where the offense would have been better off not coming to the stadium, this team is starting to run out of excuses before there is a total red alert.

Throughout this entire stretch of prolonged struggles, virtually everyone in the clubhouse has talked about this being a good team and they will eventually figure things out. They have yet to call a "players only" meeting that normally occurs during these stretches where things aired out.

For what it's worth, Philadelphia is confident they will break out of this slump.

"Well, just because we've been through this before. Maybe not this prolonged, but you look at the numbers on the back of the baseball card, I always bring that up. I believe in this team. They're resilient, they're tough, they care. I think we're — I know we're gonna turn it around," manager Rob Thomson said according to Tim Kelly of Phillies Nation.

The problem is that feels like lip service to the fans.

All the players and coaches have done during the second half is talk about how they need to turn things around, but there has been no evidence on the field that they are actually able to do so. And of course saying, "just win games," is easier said than done, but there is real concern that the Phillies have peaked.

However, it doesn't matter what people are saying outside the clubhouse.

All that matters is the players believe what Thomson is saying. That they will break out of this prolonged stretch of losing and showcase why they have been considered the best team in baseball throughout the year.

"Not worry, frustration. I think frustration just because we know what we can be and what kind of team we can be. I think worry is the wrong kind of word. If you're worried about where you're at, that's not a good thing to be. And frustration, you can have frustration. That's a natural thing to happen," star slugger Kyle Schwarber added.

Whether it's frustration or worry, Philadelphia has to respond on the field.

Winning on Wednesday so they can give themselves an opportunity to take the series against the Marlins is a start.