It is officially May.
The temperatures are slowly heating up to their muggy summer levels, birds are chirping, May flowers are blooming, and the Philadelphia Phillies are 17-13 on the season. Having just secured a series victory over the Washington Nationals, the Phillies are on a four-game win streak as they enter the second statistical month (any March games traditionally count towards April) of their Major League season.
How the Phillies Stand Overall
Entering May, the Phillies find themselves in second place in the National League East as the red-hot New York Mets currently are running the table. The Mets, who recently swept the Phillies in a three-game set at Citi Field, own the best record in baseball at 21-10 and are (3.5) games up on the Phillies in the division.
Currently owning losing records against the Mets (0-3) and the Atlanta Braves (1-2), the Phillies are at a disadvantage in their battle to defend the National League East title. With a combined 20 games remaining against the two clubs, however, the Phillies have plenty of time to right that ship and secure tiebreaker advantages and regain a lead for the division proper.
As is the trend in recent years, the Nationals and Miami Marlins are continuing to appear as non-factors in the division in 2025, but with such young cores including players such as CJ Abrams, James Wood, and Connor Norby, both teams could potentially make the leap to competitive status with the right additions.
How is the Rotation?
On paper, Jesús Luzardo has been the best starting pitch for the Phillies so far. A 1.73 ERA over six starts, Luzardo has proven himself a worthy acquisition for the Phillies. Zack Wheeler continues to show his ace starting pitcher status while Taijuan Walker has filled in admirably for the injured Ranger Suárez. Suárez is scheduled to make his season debut on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In the Phillies’ rotation, the two trouble spots have been Cristopher Sánchez and Aaron Nola, albeit for different reasons. Sánchez was removed from April 22 start due to forearm soreness. Though he made his scheduled start Wednesday night without issue, the Phillies will need to keep an eye on Sánchez’ arm and workload for the rest of the season to ensure that no long-term injuries occur. Nola, meanwhile, has had a strong case of the April blues, losing his first five starts of the season. Sunday, Nola began to show signs of positive regression, throwing seven innings of one-run action on his way to a no-decision against the Chicago Cubs.
Bullpen Chaos
Unfortunately, the Phillies’ relative good fortune with their starting pitchers has yet to extend to the bullpen. Jose Alvarado has been a bright and energetic spot for the Phillies, leading the team with five saves and amassing 21 strikeouts in 14.2 innings. Alvarado is currently the only reliever with an ERA under 3.00.
Jordan Romano, Joe Ross, and Carlos Hernández, the Phillies’ trio of new acquisitions, have yet to prove they will be reliable members of the bullpen this season. Ross has gotten the most work thus far, pitching 14.1 innings for a 5.02 ERA. Romano, meanwhile, has not found a groove since joining the Phillies. His 12.19 ERA over 10.1 innings is the worst on the team. His three home runs at 10.1 innings is the highest pace on the team, even eclipsing the home run proclivities of Aaron Nola.
The Ebbs and Flows of a Streaky Lineup
The Phillies just might have a battle for center field once again. Johan Rojas has stepped into a more consistent approach at the plate, batting .304 so far. Meanwhile, Brandon Marsh’s 0-for-31 streak before his injury has been well-publicized. When Marsh returns, he just may have found himself “Wally Pipped” in favor of the hot-handed Rojas. The jury is still out on who is the more consistent defensive center field, as both have made defensive blunders this season.
Another player making headlines so far is Kyle Schwarber. Despite no longer being the every day lead off man, the slugger has been a consistent threat in the lineup. He is currently on a 36-game on-base streak dating back to 2024 and leads the team with nine home runs on the season.
Looking up and down the remaining lineup, while there have been some major questions, every player has contributed in a big way in some fashion. Max Kepler has shown signs of life. Bryson Stott is batting .297. J.T. Realmuto hit a home run yesterday. Even Alec Bohm has been working his way out of his debilitating slump.
How the Phillies Stack Up Moving Forward
My colleague Alec “Viceroy” Kostival will break down in full detail the Phillies’ schedule in the month of May. Many of the teams the Phillies stack up against in May are sitting around .500 on the year. If the Phillies can continue to heat up as they have in the past week, they have an opportunity to make up ground as May progresses.
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
