Phillies second-half storylines to watch, starting with the trade deadline (2024)

The Phillies sent three-fifths of their rotation to the All-Star Game and the fourth guy has a 3.38 ERA in 119 2/3 innings this season. So, Aaron Nola will be on the mound Friday at PNC Park to commence the concluding 66-game stretch of the season. This is why they are as formidable as any team in baseball.

These Phillies are 60 percent through their schedule and on pace to win more games than any team in club history. It’s a decent perch. Here are some storylines to follow as they march toward another October.

Who becomes Brandon Marsh’s platoon partner?

It’s been two months since Brandon Marsh started a game against a traditional (non-opener) lefty starter. The Phillies are platooning him and, over the next two weeks, they are shopping for the right outfielder to pair with him.

There is a sweet spot to hit here; even while platooned, Marsh will play the majority of the time in left field. He is an elite defender in the corner. He mashes righties. They are not looking to replace Marsh; they are just supplementing him. The Phillies had envisioned Whit Merrifield as a potential platoon partner, but that plan failed. If they acquire a right-handed-hitting outfielder who is a rental, they would not be obligated to platoon Marsh again in 2025. Perhaps that is the route the Phillies take.

Mark Canha is a veteran on an expiring deal with postseason experience. He hits lefties. So do Taylor Ward and Lane Thomas, both of whom have additional years of club control and would fetch a better prospect package. The Phillies have cast a wide net. What if the Rays made Randy Arozarena available? An acquisition like that would cloud Marsh’s future, although he could shift over to center field more, putting Johan Rojas on the bench.

The Phillies remain committed to developing both Marsh and Rojas. The path of least resistance is acquiring a better fourth outfielder to protect them in October. Every transaction this month must be viewed with an October lens: The Phillies are addressing a specific scenario — a potential postseason series against the Atlanta Braves with lefties Max Fried and Chris Sale starting numerous games.

How will the Phillies keep their rotation healthy and effective?

There is no task more important over the next 74 days than this. Everything begins and ends with the rotation.

So, any speed bumps prompt worry. Zack Wheeler and Ranger Suárez both have what the club has deemed “mild” back ailments. Neither was placed on the injured list. Both will have extra rest between starts; the Phillies plan for Wheeler and Suárez to pitch next week in Minnesota. If that’s all it is — a short break to fix a nagging thing — being smart is worthwhile. But the Phillies won’t know until they see those two throw bullpen sessions this weekend.

The Phillies will adopt a conservative approach for the remainder of the season. They will, at numerous points in August and September, go to a six-man rotation. They could skip a starter here and there if they believe it will be beneficial in the long run.

“Concerned, I don’t know,” manager Rob Thomson said earlier this week. “I’m always concerned, you know? To me, pitching wins. But I think that there’s ways (to preserve them).”

It’s not an impossible equation the Phillies are attempting to solve. Their starters train for bigger workloads; it’s an organizational source of pride. Cristopher Sánchez, for example, threw 149 innings between the majors and minors in 2023. He’s at 103 1/3 innings through 18 starts this season. He could average six innings (a lofty number) for 12 more starts and hit 175 innings — roughly, a 25-inning season-to-season bump. That is well within the club’s comfort level.

But this is why the Phillies will look to pad when they can. Taijuan Walker could throw to hitters in a simulated session over the weekend, then pitch in a minor-league game. The Phillies could use him to eat innings this summer. Tyler Phillips will have another start in Pittsburgh; he could be a spot starter in August or September. Spencer Turnbull has just resumed his throwing program as he recovers from a strained muscle in his shoulder.

They’ll all be needed to help the Phillies navigate the months leading into October.

Can Bryson Stott find his swing?

Bryson Stott slogged to the break hitless in his final 11 at-bats with six strikeouts. His OPS is .676, the lowest it has been since May 3. The nadir came Saturday when Stott struck out four times in a game for the first time since April 16, 2022 — his seventh career game in the majors.

In that four-strikeout game against Oakland last weekend, Stott saw 22 pitches. Four were in the zone. He fouled two, whiffed at one and took another. He swung at eight pitches out of the zone. Two of them were 0-0 pitches, like this 91 mph fastball with the bases loaded:

He had another at-bat later in that game with the bases loaded and whiffed at the first pitch — also out of the zone.

Stott entered the season with a vow to be more aggressive. He slammed a first-pitch fastball for a grand slam last October to produce the seminal moment of his career to date. He believed he had surrendered too many hittable strikes early in counts. He was so good hitting with two strikes in 2023 — his 82 hits were tied for most in the majors — but it is a precarious way to live.

In 2024, he is swinging at a higher percentage of first pitches, but slugging only .464 when he puts them in play. (The league is slugging .561 on first pitches in 2024.) And his magic with two strikes has dissolved.

Stott is caught between approaches.

“Well, he needs to get back to that balance,” Thomson said. “He goes from really passive to this super-aggressive guy. I think he’s got to find that balance. Work counts, get good pitches to hit. He’s chasing a little bit right now. He’s just trying to do too much.”

Which version of Stott does Thomson prefer — the passive or aggressive hitter?

“I like the balanced style,” Thomson said.

It’s odd because, from season to season, Stott has cut down on his chasing. He’s walked more times in 2024 than he did in all of 2023. His strikeout rate is in the 80th percentile of the league; the sort of space a hitter with Stott’s traits should be occupying.

He has not hit the ball hard at a consistent rate. Some of that is because of swing decisions. Some of it might be strength. He has not handled fastballs like he did a year ago and, still, he’s seeing fewer heaters from pitchers this season.

The whole picture is confusing. The Phillies expect better from Stott. Maybe he won’t hit for both average and power, but improvement in one area would help.

(Top photo of Brandon Marsh: Matt Slocum / Associated Press)

Matt Gelb is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Philadelphia Phillies. He has covered the team since 2010 while at The Philadelphia Inquirer, including a yearlong pause from baseball as a reporter on the city desk. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and Central Bucks High School West.