The Philadelphia Phillies invested big bucks in the offseason to secure the services of two high-profile sluggers in Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber.
They recently gave Bryce Harper a contract worth over $300 million, and have put together a strong rotation, on paper at least.
They brought in reliever Corey Knebel to help fix a horrible bullpen.
Yet here we are, in early May, and the team is already seven games out of first place in the NL East division.
The 11-15 Phillies are fourth in their division, and the only team they have bested in the standings are the Washington Nationals.
Clearly, there is something wrong in Philadelphia.
Since winning the NL East division in 2011, they haven’t made the playoffs.
They came somewhat close to ending the drought last year, but their bid was stopped by the Atlanta Braves in a crucial September series.
Is Girardi The Right Man To Lead The Phillies?
The Phillies are hungry for some playoff glory; and fans and even some media members are doubting Joe Girardi as the right man to lead them.
“I do not believe Joe Girardi makes it through May,” Philadelphia journalist Glen Macnow tweeted.
I do not believe Joe Girardi makes it through May.
— Glen Macnow (@RealGlenMacnow) May 6, 2022
It came after the Phillies’ horrific 8-7 loss against the New York Mets on Thursday night, a game they got to the ninth inning winning 7-1.
The bullpen crumbled as Girardi watched from the dugout.
He has a World Series title in 2009 with the New York Yankees, but after arriving in Philadelphia before the 2020 season, he has a losing record.
It’s possible that the Phillies turn things around soon, and it’s way too early to think about Girardi being fired.
But if Philadelphia isn’t able to revert the situation, Girardi could be one of the first skippers out of a job in 2022.
NEXT: Joe Girardi Had An All-Time Bad Night Thursday