By: Malachi Morton
Really, why are we just now clinching a playoff spot on game number 162? I’m sitting here thinking about how the Phillies were one of the hottest teams in baseball going into the All-Star break, and somehow, we needed all 162 games just to officially punch our ticket to October. Then, once they finally clinch, they celebrate like they just won Game 7 of the World Series, popping bottles of champagne and celebrating as if they had already carried out everything they needed to accomplish. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy the Phillies made the playoffs, but at the same time, I’m wondering, “What exactly are we celebrating?” We made the playoffs. That’s great. But there is still a lot of baseball left to play.
The Phillies went into the All-Star break sitting at 54-43, looking like a team that could make a serious run in October. At that point, I really thought this team had finally figured things out. The bats were alive, the pitching was doing its job, and everything seemed to be going in the right direction. I was looking at this team thinking they could be one of those teams that nobody wanted to see once October came around.
Then the All-Star break happened, and it almost felt like somebody hit a reset button on the Phillies. The team went through losing stretches that had me questioning whether they even looked like the same team from earlier in the season. One minute, I’m thinking about playoff matchups and how dangerous this team could be, and the next I’m checking the standings wondering if they are even going to make the playoffs.
That is what makes this playoff appearance so confusing to me. I’m happy that they made it, but I also can’t ignore everything that happened after the All-Star break. Getting into the playoffs is one thing, but playing like a playoff team is another. You can’t spend months struggling, barely make it into October, and then expect to flip a switch once the postseason starts. Baseball doesn’t work like that.
The Phillies can’t just walk into October and suddenly become the team we thought they were back in July. If they want to make a serious run, they must prove that they can play consistent baseball when the pressure is at its highest.
Now this is where I believe the big three must step up. Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber have been the faces of this team, and when the Phillies need somebody to make a big play, those are the guys I look toward.
I need Harper to be the leader we know he can be. I need Turner to make things happen at the top of the lineup, whether that means getting on base, creating pressure, or coming through with a big hit. And I need Schwarber to do what Schwarber does best and put the ball in the seats. When those three are playing at their best, this Phillies team looks completely different.
But those three cannot just be the faces of the team when everything is going well. They must be the leaders when things get difficult. Being a star is easy when the team is winning, and everything is going your way. Leadership is different when the team is struggling, the fans are frustrated, and every at-bat feels like it could decide a game. I don’t want to see Harper, Turner, and Schwarber lead this team into another disappointing October. I want to see them lead this team when the pressure is at its highest and give Philadelphia something to believe in when the games matter the most.
And that brings me to something that has frustrated me as a Phillies fan for years, which is the bats going cold in the postseason. It seems like every October, we spend the regular season watching this team hit home runs and put up runs, only to get to the postseason and suddenly forget how to hit.
I’ve watched too many playoff games where the Phillies struggle to put together consistent at-bats, leave runners on base, and make opposing pitchers look better than they really are. You can have all the talent in the world, but if your offense disappears when October arrives, none of it matters. I don’t need this team to hit five home runs every night. I need them to have good at-bats, bring runners home, and take advantage of the opportunities they get.
This postseason, the Phillies are going to need more than just big names. They are going to need consistency. They are going to need the little things to go right. They need the offense to show up when the pitching gives them an opportunity. They need to stop wasting chances with runners on base. They need to make opposing pitchers work. Most importantly, they need to stop making Phillies fans feel like every playoff game is going to turn into a stressful three-hour heart attack.
The pitching is another story. I believe the Phillies have the starting pitching to compete with anybody. When the starters are locked in, this team can be extremely difficult to beat. A dominant starting pitcher can completely change the energy of a playoff game, and the Phillies have guys who can give them that kind of performance.
But my biggest concern, like it seems to be every year, is the bullpen. Whenever the Phillies need their bullpen the most, there always seems to be a question of who is going to come into the game and close it out.
That scares me going into the postseason because playoff baseball is different. You can’t afford to give away a lead in the seventh, eighth, or ninth inning. One bad inning can completely change a series. The Phillies can have an excellent starting pitcher throw six or seven strong innings, but if the bullpen can’t finish the job, what was the point? I don’t want to sit there watching a playoff game with a five-run lead and still feel nervous because I don’t know what is going to happen once the starter leaves the game. If the Phillies have a lead late in October, I want to feel confident that they are going to finish the job.
But despite all my frustration, I can’t lie about what another Red October means to this city. Philadelphia loves its sports teams in a way that is hard to explain unless you live here. When the Phillies are playing meaningful baseball in October, the entire city feels different.
The streets feel different. The stadium feels different. Even people who might not watch baseball all season suddenly have their Phillies gear on and are watching every pitch. And that feeling does not stop at the city line. Phillies fans throughout South Jersey, from Glassboro to Camden and across the region, are just as connected to this team and this time of year. You can feel that Red October energy on both sides of the Delaware River, whether you are watching at Citizens Bank Park, at home with family, or surrounded by other Phillies fans at a local spot.
That is what makes October baseball in Philadelphia and South Jersey so special. Everybody seems to become a Phillies fan when the games matter the most. For a region that is so closely connected to Philadelphia, the Phillies give people another reason to come together, talk baseball, wear their gear, and believe that maybe this could finally be the year.
That is what I want from this team. I don’t just want another playoff appearance. I want a team that gives Philadelphia and South Jersey something to believe in. I want Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber to lead this team. I want the bats to stay hot when October comes around.
I want the starting pitching to give us a chance every night, and I want the bullpen to finally give Phillies fans some confidence when the game is on the line. I want this team to play with the same energy and confidence that made us believe in them in the first place.
Because another Red October is not just another postseason appearance to me. It means another chance for Philadelphia and South Jersey to come together, another chance for the Phillies to make history, and another chance for this region to experience that feeling that only October baseball can bring. We have watched this team give us unbelievable moments, frustrating moments, and everything in between. Now that they finally made it to October, I don’t want the story to end with us simply being happy that they got there.
I want more.
I want to see this team fight. I want to see the bats show up. I want the pitching to hold the line. I want the biggest players on this team to play like the biggest players on this team. Most importantly, I want the Phillies to give the city and the fans across South Jersey something that lasts longer than one night of champagne.
Because making the playoffs is not the finish line. It’s the beginning of something special.
And after needing all 162 games just to get here, I really hope this team gives us a reason to celebrate something a lot bigger than just clinching a playoff spot.
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This article was produced as part of Follow South Jersey’s student journalism program, which provides aspiring journalists with practical experience in professional news reporting and writing.
