After the Philadelphia Phillies got off to a scuffling 22-29 start, the organization decided to part ways with manager Joe Girardi on June 3.
Breaking: The Phillies have fired manager Joe Girardi, the team announced.
Rob Thomson, the bench coach, will be the interim manager. pic.twitter.com/aRTaarEgZ9
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 3, 2022
Following the firing, the Phillies have been hot.
They have won nine of their last 10 games, coming after a stretch where they lost five of six.
This has thrust them back into the playoff conversation, saving them from almost being wiped off the map entirely.
Now, it appears that the firing has changed the Phillies as they are attempting to make a push for the playoffs this season.
Underperforming With Girardi
This offseason, the Phillies made a flurry of moves to strengthen their lineup and become deeper.
The signings of Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos highlighted this, as the playoffs seemed within grasp.
However, they have both been struck by slow starts as fans have begun questioning whether the front office made the right choices.
Despite their struggles, reigning MVP Bryce Harper is playing at that level once again which is a good base for the offense to build upon.
Defensively, the team has looked subpar.
They have been plagued by errors around the field that have extended innings and led to more runs scoring.
Here come the errors from the Philliespic.twitter.com/atXVFdarVP
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) April 8, 2022
Pair this with a struggling bullpen, and the Phillies never seemed to be able to close games.
“There’s a number of reasons we didn’t win,” Girardi said after being fired. “We gave too many outs… our bullpen struggled… some guys got off to slow starts offensively.”
Together, all of this has pushed the franchise towards looking for a culture change.
That started with the manager.
A Big Difference
With Rob Thomson, the former bench coach, becoming the team’s interim manager, the Phillies have seemingly turned it around.
They have quickly become one of the hottest teams in MLB.
The team seems to have a new energy around them, with the firing giving the team a jumpstart.
This is most evident in their most recent win over the Miami Marlins.
.@rhyshoskins's first career walk-off sealed the Phillies comeback victory!
NTT #BallparkCam | @Phillies pic.twitter.com/fNUGD4jGFZ
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 14, 2022
After suffering a blowout loss on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Phillies didn’t let the losses pile up.
They won a slim 3-2 game to bounce back and get on the winning track again.
If it had been earlier in the season, there is a chance that the Phillies wouldn’t have closed the game out and a losing streak would have started.
Now, the Phillies with their new attitude and culture can instead look towards starting a new winning streak and building on their success after the Girardi firing.
Sustainable, Or Just Lucky Timing?
While the team’s recent successes do stand out, they have come against some weaker teams.
Here come the @Phillies. EIGHT in a row. pic.twitter.com/XTYzNpX1d8
— MLB (@MLB) June 11, 2022
Following the firing, the Phillies hosted the Los Angeles Angels in the midst of their 14-game losing streak.
They next swept the second-place Milwaukee Brewers, a great sign against a strong team.
Then they played the struggling Diamondbacks and now the Marlins.
However, regardless of this, it has given the Phillies a chance to put everything back together.
This stretch has offered them a reset that was sorely needed with their new manager.
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