Phillies Playoffs

The players didn’t perform, but how much of the Phillies’ collapse is on their decision-makers?

The two main reasons why the Phillies fell behind in the NLDS were the two main reasons why they lost the NLDS and are headed home earlier than any of them would have expected.

In a must-win situation, the Phillies are rolling with their guys in Game 4 of the NLDS.

The Phillies’ mantra after tough losses has always been to flush it and move on. Nick Castellanos sees the situation differently now.

The Phillies aren’t just a loss away from going home for the winter. They’re a loss away from having to make a series of difficult decisions to reformat their roster to better compete in 2025.

The Phillies are in danger of moving backward for the third straight postseason, needing two straight wins to avoid ending the year in bitter disappointment.

The Phillies unsurprisingly sat Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh in Game 3 against a tough lefty starter, but the decision with Stott wasn’t so straightforward for Rob Thomson.

The Phillies’ rotation decision for the NLDS was largely about their faith in Aaron Nola to be able to block out the noise in a hostile environment in Game 3. He’s had lots of success at Citi Field but this one is different.

Even in the soft afterglow of what could turn out to be a playoff-saving victory, Rob Thomson fielded 10 questions on Monday and most were, understandably, about the ill-timed problems in the Phillies’ bullpen.

Facing two lefty starters in New York, including a nasty one in Game 3, the Phillies’ lineup will have a different look as the series shifts to Citi Field.

Sunday’s Game 2 between the Phillies and Mets was a topsy-turvy game that might have changed the complexion of the NLDS. “This is shaping up to be a classic battle,” Rob Thomson said.

The Mets have spent all week coming back on teams in the eighth and ninth innings with their season on the line. Now they know how it feels.

Rob Thomson rarely makes a move that looks as reactionary as this one, but Alec Bohm was benched for Game 2 of the NLDS in favor of Edmundo Sosa.

Two of the best in baseball at putting a hitter away couldn’t find an out-pitch for nearly a half hour as the Mets flipped the script on the Phillies in Game 1. “It was stunning,” Rob Thomson said.

They led for seven innings, they had held the Mets one hit, and now these Phillies know what it’s like to lose Game 1. Saturday was a complete meltdown from a couple of the least-expected sources.

The expectation of shadows played a role in the Phillies’ lineup for Game 1, Rob Thomson will be aggressive with his bench usage and other NLDS notes.

Game 1 in a Best-of-5 series is always critical but especially this time for the Phillies, who are trying to end the season of a red-hot Mets team with striking similarities to the 2022 Phils.

The Phillies and Mets laid our their starting pitching plans for the NLDS and there were a few surprises.

The Phillies will face a division rival in the NLDS for the third straight postseason and there couldn’t be a more interesting series to kick off their month of October.

It’s rare for a wild-card series to extend to a decisive Game 3 but the Phillies’ potential NLDS opponents will battle it out for one more night Thursday to determine the matchup.