Inside The Phillies

Who Can Philadelphia Phillies Blame For 2023 Mediocrity?

As the halfway mark looms, who is to blame for the mediocrity the Philadelphia Phillies have experienced.

Regina Ham

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After coming just two wins shy of a World Series title, the Philadelphia Phillies have gotten off to a mediocre start in the 2023 MLB season. 

They're 26-32 in the National League East, seven and a half games back of first place and 4-6 in their last ten games. They entered Saturday having lost five straight, starting a three-game series at Washington with an 8-7 loss. 

On Saturday, they were able to pull out a 4-2 victory. 

Outfielder Bryce Harper missed substantial time recovering from Tommy John surgery. Phillies starting pitchers are struggling to make it through five innings. The team is in similar straits as last year at this time when manager Rob Thomson assumed the role.

In 2023, who can take the blame for the same situation?

With the consistent pitching issues, pitching coach Caleb Cotham should be under scrutiny. 

The staff is supposed to be led by right-handers Zack Wheeler (4-4, 4.33 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) and Aaron Nola (4-4, 4.70 ERA, 1.13 WHIP), both of whom have had down years. 

Nola especially has been dreadful and could be on the trade block if Philadelphia falls further out of contention by the MLB trade deadline. 

The Phillies have never been above average in team ERA under Cotham. But the starting rotation and bullpen are more talented this season than it has been in the other two years of his tenure, yet the team ERA at 4.66 is the highest it's been in recent seasons.

President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski could also be held accountable for the offseason moves that the Phillies made that haven't yet lived up to expectations.

Right-hander Taijuan Walker, signed to a four-year, $72 million contract in December, has a 5.65 ERA in 12 starts.

Shortstop Trea Turner was brought on to bolster the lineup on an 11-year, $300 million contract. In year one, he’s a career .298 batter that’s currently hitting .235.

Thomson is not without blame. Thomson took over last season when the team was in a similar position, but turned things around and led his club to a World Series appearance. It's his job to get his guys to perform, this hasn't happened yet.

It's not easy to pinpoint a single point of blame but starting with the front office and staff may be the place to start. 

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Regina Ham
REGINA HAM

Regina Ham is an editor and writer for Inside the Phillies. As an alumna of the University of Maryland-College Park, she studied both broadcast and multimedia journalism. A six-year veteran of the sports industry, she's worked in radio, television, and online media. You can follow her on Twitter @regina_ham or Instagram @reginamariesports.  Upon her undergraduate education, Regina went to work in 2016 for Sirius XM-Satellite Radio on College Sports Nation/ESPNU for two years.  During her time in school, Regina interned at a variety of Washington, D.C.-area media organizations, including NBC Sports Washington and WTOP. There she assisted in coverage of local MLB and NHL teams. She also interned down at WAAY 31 in Huntsville, AL and worked on stories regarding the local Minor League Baseball affiliate and SEC football.  Regina worked in international sports television for almost four years, covering sports from MLS to the KHL and the KBO. She joined Philly Sports Network in 2022 and covers both the Phillies and Philadelphia Flyers before joining the Sports Illustrated network in 2023.  You can follow her on Twitter @Regina_ham or on Instagram @reginamariesports. If you have any questions or comments, she can be reached at regina.ham28@gmail.com.

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