What a week it has been for the Philadelphia Phillies. The team is scorching hot and has improved their record to 60-48.
Philadelphia sits 12 games above .500 and currently hold a half-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the second wild card spot in the playoffs. The Phillies have today, Monday the 8th off, so let’s take a look back at the past week and review all the craziness that went down in South Philly.
Recapping the Phillies Trade Deadline
As the clock struck 12 on August 2nd, the Phightins had just made one minor move leading into the trade deadline. The Phillies had previously acquired Edmondo Sosa from the St. Louis Cardinals and traded away lefty JoJo Romero.
Heading into August 2nd, fans were starving for trades. The club had been rumored in some deals, but there was not nearly as much buzz as the previous year’s deadline. With roughly three hours to go, Dave Dombrowski started cooking.
Dealing with the Halos
The Phillies would make two trades with the Los Angeles Angels before the trade deadline expired. The first of these trades would see the team trading away top-hitting prospect Logan O’Hoppe to the Angels for outfielder Brandon Marsh.
Logan O’Hoppe was one of the top-catching prospects in baseball this season. O’Hoppe drove his stock up this past winter in the Arizona Fall League, and his hot hitting continued into his season with the Reading Fightin Phils. He would be the only player moved for Marsh, as it was a straight-up one-for-one trade.
Philadelphia may have dealt one of their better prospects, but the player they got in return was just what they needed. Brandon Marsh is a left-handed centerfielder who plays elite defense, something the Phillies have not had in a long time.
Marsh became the Phillies’ everyday starting centerfielder from the moment he was added and should be a staple for a long time coming. His offensive numbers might not be jaw-dropping, but Dave Dombrowski, Kevin Long, and even Charlie Manuel believe with just a few adjustments, he can fix his hitting woes.
Hello, Old Friend
What felt like seconds after the Brandon Marsh trade was announced, the red pinstripes would strike with another deal. They sent minor league starter Ben Brown to the Chicago Cubs for closer David Robertson this time.
This trade somewhat came out of nowhere since their bullpen has pitched very effectively over the last month and a half. The Phils added Roberston, who spent two seasons with the team from 2019-2020. David’s first tenure with Philadelphia was not memorable, as he only pitched in 7 innings due to injuries.
Buzzer Beater
With just minutes to go until the 6 pm time limit, it seemed like the Phillies could be done. The team had addressed the bullpen, defense, and centerfield needs. It appeared as though the need for a starting pitcher would go unaddressed.
With a few minutes to spare, they would strike another deal with the Angels. This time adding Noah Syndergaard, a longtime rival, to the team. Syndergaard and the fans in Philly know each other well from his time with the New York Mets.
In order to bring in Syndergaard, they also parted with two players. The Phillies parted with a minor league prospect and former number one overall pick Mickey Moniak. Moniak has had his fair share of ups and downs during his time with the Phillies. It never seemed like the kid could get the break he needed, and it was time to move on from the youngster.
Cutting off the excess
The final roster moves the Phillies would make would be to part ways with Odubel Herrera and Jeurys Familia. The organization designated both for assignment and would later release both players. Herrera and Familia both did not bring much value to the club, and it was addition by subtraction in regards to moving off these players.
Play Ball
Down in Georgia
Once the trade deadline was over, it was time to play ball. The Phillies would start their week with a quick two-game series in Atlanta.
The first of two games would be a wash. The Phils had to run out a bullpen game, and Nick Nelson would get the start. The Phillies would be smacked around by the Braves in this one, but on the bright side, it should be the last bullpen game they throw all year.
The following day would be the start of the postseason run for the Phillies. Zack Wheeler took the mound against the Braves and would not look back. A brilliant performance on the bump by Wheeler would keep the Phillies close.
In the bottom of the 8th, Nick Castellanos would put the Phils on top with a two-run home run, his first home run in over a month. David Robertson, just a day after being traded, would come in and get the save for the Phillies.
Washing out Washington
The Phillies would then welcome the Washington Nationals to town. The Nationals had just traded Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres. There was no excuse for the Phillies not to put Washington down in their four-game series.
Alumni Weekend begins
Thursday night would kick off the series and Alumni weekend at the ballpark. Fans 15 and older received a replica Mike Schmidt 1980 World Series ring and be treated to the debuts of Noah Syndergaard and Brandon Marsh.
Game one
The Phillies would jump out to an early lead thanks to long balls from Rhys Hoskins and Alec Bohm. The Phillies would take a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning, but they would not take the field again as the tarp came onto the field. After two hours, the game was called and the Phillies took game one of the series.
Game two
Friday night was Dan Baker appreciation night at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies honored their long-time field announcer before the game to celebrate 50 years with the team.
The Phils wouldn’t just honor Baker on the field before the game because, after one the first pitch was thrown, the offense didn’t look back. Another Rhys Hoskins first-inning homerun gave Philly the lead and six perfect innings from Kyle Gibson would shut down the Nationals. The Phillies took game two and look really good doing it.
Game three
Saturday night was the annual Wall of Fame celebration. Ron Reed and Bake McBride would be inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame, and an on-the-field ceremony would take place before this game as well. John Middleton would reveal the plaques outside of Ashburn Alley and then the fireworks began.
The Phillies’ red hot bats would keep things going in this one. Nationals’ starter Patrick Corbin wouldn’t make it out of the first inning as the Phillies scored 6 runs in the first. The Phils would score 11 on the night and take the series against Washington.
Game four: Phillies complete the sweep
Sunday was the final day of the alumni weekend for the Phillies. The 1980 World Series championship team was honored on the field before the game, and a day of celebration would take place. Former players would join the TV and radio broadcasts to tell stories and reflect on their time with the Phillies.
As that took place, the 2022 Phillies went to work. The offense would beat their 11-run game the previous night by scoring 13 with the world champs in attendance. The Phillies swept the Nationals 4 games to none and carry a five-game winning streak into their off day on Monday.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Matt Rourke
