It looked like all the Philadelphia Phillies needed was to get rid of Joe Girardi.
We may never know if something was up between the manager and his players, and it may be unfair to direct all critics to him, but so far, the evidence speaks for itself: the Phillies are on a 7-0 run and, at 28-29, are nearing .500 after being several games below at one point.
Rob Thomson, the interim manager, still doesn’t know what losing feels like in 2022 as a skipper.
Part of the reason why they have won so much recently is because they have two sluggers who have produced a lot of runs, and a lot of homers: Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are doing the heavy lifting.
“.@bryceharper3 and @kschwarb12 have both homered in the same game 6 times this season,” according to MLB Stats.
.@bryceharper3 and @kschwarb12 have both homered in the same game 6 times this season. pic.twitter.com/vm2m526wmo
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) June 9, 2022
Good Things Happen When Harper And Schwarber Homer In The Same Game
When Harper and Schwarber go yard in the same game, there are very little chances the Phillies lose.
They are both having amazing seasons.
Harper is one of the National League’s best players, and is aiming for his second straight MVP award.
He is currently slashing .308/.364/.637 with 15 home runs and six stolen bases.
But Schwarber, signed as a free agent during the offseason, has been an excellent sidekick: his average may not be so high, but with 15 homers, there is more than enough thump in his bat.
He is slashing .209/.331/.478: his walks and homers make him a very valuable hitter.
If Nick Castellanos can somehow join those two; and the Phillies bring in bullpen reinforcements that can help them protect leads, they may actually contend this year.
It’s a big if, but not impossible.
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