Philadelphia Phillies Veteran Reveals What's Behind Massive Slump

The sputtering Philadelphia Phillies haven't looked like themselves lately.

Jul 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Gregory Soto reacts after allowing a home run. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

What's going on with the Philadelphia Phillies?

For the first three and a half months of the season, they were an unstoppable juggernaut. They played with purpose, swagger and enthusiasm, like they knew they would win before the game even started. They had the best record and the most All-Stars in baseball to prove it, piling up wins at an impressive pace.

Over the past few weeks, however, the Phillies have looked like a completely different baseball team. They've appeared frustrated, sullen and less sure of themselves. They've been sloppy on the field and less fun off of it, resulting in their first significant slump of the season.

After getting shelled 14-4 by the New York Yankees at home on Monday, Philadelphia is now 4-9 over its last 13 games. After the game, veteran Nick Castellanos admitted that something isn't right with the Phillies.

Life has been different for the #Phillies since sweeping L.A. earlier this month. They're 4-9 since. It's been weird.

"We don’t like it. The fans don’t like it. Nobody likes it. ... We’ll figure it out." https://t.co/3ncqpX6kLt

— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) July 30, 2024

"I feel like the energy in the clubhouse has been different since the Dodgers series. I don’t know the rhyme or reason, but it has felt different," Castellanos told MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. "I remember sitting here listening to a few guys say after that first loss against the A’s, ‘What a weird game. It just felt weird.’ And I felt what they were talking about. It still kind of feels like that.”

In a nutshell, the vibes are off.

All baseball teams battle adversity at some point during a 162-game season, even the best ones. The key is to not get too down and be able to turn the page quickly, as there's always another game tomorrow.

Interestingly, Philadelphia's main struggles have come at the plate. The offense is averaging just 3.56 runs per game over its last nine -- well below its season average of 4.87. The poor production is even more surprising given that Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto recently returned from injuries, giving the Phillies their healthiest lineup in months.

Perhaps the trade deadline will inject some new life into Philadelphia with the arrivals of Carlos Estevez, Austin Hays and potentially others. On paper, the Phillies are a better team than they were a few days ago. Now they need to start playing like it.