Kyle Schwarber talks about the Phillies’ 2nd-half expectations at the MLB All-Star Game
Phillies OF Kyle Schwarber was the only Phillies player at the MLB All-Star Game festivities, with star DH Bryce Harper still recovering his broken thumb.
Schwarber sat down with the media earlier in the week and talked about the upcoming road for the Phils, who currently hold the last NL Wild Card spot. The Phillies are looking to end a decade-long playoff drought, and Kyle Schwarber has all the confidence in the world that they’ll get back to a Red October.
Kyle Schwarber’s Full Comment
“We’ve gone through a lot early. We’ve fought through a lot of injuries, ya know with Bryce and Seggy (Segura) being down. We’ve had a lot of young guys step up, and you see the way they haven’t been affected by the moment. I think you could see a really good version of the Philadelphia Phillies come out in the 2nd half.”
It’s no secret that the Phillies have been plagued with injuries, with Jean Segura and Bryce Harper taking the top spots. Along with those two, Nick Maton, Zach Eflin, Ranger Suarez, Johan Camargo, Jose Alvarado, Connor Brogdon, and more have all had their fair share of time on the injured list as well.
The younger players have really helped the Phillies in times of need this year with Bryson Stott and Matt Vierling getting increased playing time over the first half of the season. Although Bryson Stott’s total numbers at the plate aren’t great, he’s hitting .250/.250/.667 over the last 7 days, with 2 HR and 5 RBIs and provides consistent defense up the middle of the infield, whether he’s at shortstop or second base. Matt Vierling has turned into the everyday centerfielder for the Phillies, hitting .280/.345/.420 against lefties this year.
The Phillies were in a tough spot on June 2nd, and the firing of Joe Girardi just the next day really shaped the rest of the 1st half. Since Girardi’s departure, the Phillies are 27-14 and hold a 49-43 record on the year, compared to a 22-29 record on June 3rd. They hold a +62 run differential and are Top 10 throughout the league in runs scored, OPS, RBIs, and slugging percentage.
Kyle Schwarber has been the biggest reason for the Phillies’ success this season. Schwarber is second in the MLB in HRs with 29, trailing just Aaron Judge with 33. He’s hitting .208/.317/.503 on the year, with 58 RBIs, 12 doubles, 70 hits, 62 runs scored, and an OPS of .820.
The Phillies’ quest to end their playoff drought starts back up on Friday when they welcome the Chicago Cubs to town for a 3-game series.
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