Jun 8, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa (7) tags Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Otto Kemp (left) out at second base on a steal attempt during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
PITTSBURGH - Change is coming for the Phillies.
How that change will manifest itself, is uncertain. Maybe it's with the roster. Maybe it's a lineup change. Maybe it's giving up the "we're a veteran team" mantra and having an honest conversation with themselves.
But dropping nine-of-10, including being swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates after losing 2-1 on Sunday, has to be considered rock bottom for this team at this point. A team meeting could be in order.
"Yeah, we'll see," manager Rob Thomson said when asked about that possibility.
As for changes to the lineup?
"We'll see," he said again. "I've been thinking about some different things. We'll see what happens."
Rob Thomson on potentially shaking up the lineup: “I’ve been thinking about some different things, so we’ll see what happens.”
(Via @AntSanPhilly) pic.twitter.com/OTQM2oy8Ky
Really, he has no other choice at this point. Thomson is good at giving the players runway to handle adversity themselves, but when it gets this rough - and it's really rough offensively - change is needed.
The question is, even with some changes to how his lineup is constructed, is it akin to rearranging deck chairs on the Lusitania?
Maybe. That's because it's all on the players at this point - specifically the position players.
Just in this sweep against Pittsburgh alone, the Phillies got a decent outing in a bullpen game on Friday and then two excellent starts from both Ranger Suarez on Saturday and Cristopher Sanchez on Sunday.
And yet, they couldn't help them.
On Sunday they faced Paul Skenes, and, well, everyone struggles against him. If it weren't for the fact that the Phillies offense has been anemic for the last 11 days, you could chalk it up as it being a bad outing against maybe the best pitcher in the sport.
But Sunday was just more of the same of what's been happening for the better part of two weeks.
"It's frustrating, for sure," said Bryson Stott, who after another 0-for-4 is now 4-for-36 (.111) in his last 10 games. "With the outings we're getting from the pitchers, you feel like you are letting them down. We've had some chances and haven't gotten it done."
Stott is one guy who almost certainly has to be on the move in the lineup, and not just because of this 10-game stretch. In 38 games as a leadoff hitter this season he's slashing .228/.278/.327 for an OPS of .605.
"I think I'm just a little in between pitches," Stott said. "I've been hitting the fastball good again... and maybe sometimes I'm going up there second guessing instead of just reacting like I was earlier (this season). I felt a lot better the last couple of days even though I don't have the results to show for it, but I'm finally getting the bat moving again toward right field and kind of not being so late all the time."
Even so, the Phillies can't afford to have him continue to wait for results at the top of the lineup.
Not that there are good at bats anywhere in the lineup right now.
Alec Bohm went 2-for-11 in the series including hitting into a game-ending double play with the tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first base in the ninth inning Sunday. He swung at the first pitch he saw.
Nick Castellanos was 2-for-10. Kyle Schwarber hit a homer, but it was his only hit of the series, as he went 1-for-11. Max Kepler is 3-for-33 (.091) in his last 12 games.
These are the guys the Phillies are relying on to make up the difference while Bryce Harper is out of action with right wrist inflammation.
SOMETHING has to change. Figure it out.
"We've played together long enough that we kind of know each other and if our veterans think it's time for a huge, team blowout meeting, it'll happen," Stott said.
Frankly, it should.
