What do Jason Bay, John Mayberry Jr., Cliff Lee, and Justin Turner all have in common?
They were all featured in the last game where the Phillies clinched a winning season. On August 22, 2011, The Phillies destroyed the Mets 10-0 to win the 82nd game. The game featured a great 7 innings by Cliff Lee and a John Mayberry Jr. home run. It was the last time the Phillies secured a winning season.
From 2012-2018, the Phillies only reached the 80 win mark twice with 81 in 2012 and 80 in 2018. The other seasons aren’t even worth mentioning.
The 2019 Phillies haven’t had a losing record all season. Although they’ve come close, they haven’t fallen under 1 game over .500. The 2019 Phillies are currently 76-72, coming off of being swept by the Red Sox at home.
What was once thought of as a season where the Phillies could finally make the playoffs for the first time since 2011 has quickly fallen off the rails. Now it’s a tossup on whether or not the Phillies will even get to win number 82.
The Phillies now head to death row with an 11-game road trip. All of their upcoming opponents are in playoff position. Atlanta already has 93 wins and is leading the National League East. The Cleveland Indians have 87 wins and are just a game and half behind in the AL wild card. The Nationals currently hold the top wild card in the NL.
The Phillies also must face the Marlins at home to finish the season. Their record against these teams doesn’t bode well for the Phillies. They’re 8-8 against the Braves, 5-9 against the Nationals, and 7-9 against Miami.
In order to get to 82 wins, the Phillies must win 6 more games. They cannot be swept and they must win at least 1 of the last 4 series.
The Only good sign is that the Nationals seem to be fading. They’re 4-7 in their last 11 games. If the Phillies catch them while there cold in a 5 game series, it might just be their saving grace.
Let’s just hope 2019 isn’t the 8th straight season without a winning record.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
