Big Performances From Struggling Phillies Sluggers is Encouraging

Sep 22, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) and left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) celebrate win against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Big Performances From Struggling Phillies Sluggers is Encouraging

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Sep 23, 2026 8:00 PM ET

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With the regular season in its final week, the Philadelphia Phillies were seeking to get off to a good start in their series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Fortunately, in what ended up being a good game, the Phillies were able to emerge victorious.

While Philadelphia has faltered a bit in September, this is still a team that is right in the mix for the top seed in the National League Wild Card standings. The Phillies are in a tight race with the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres. Entering Wednesday night, all three teams have the same record, but it is the Cubs with the tie-breaker over the Phillies, and Philadelphia has the tie-breaker over San Diego.

Even though the Phillies should be able to clinch a playoff berth soon, getting home-field advantage for the Wild Card Round would be excellent. Not having to play potentially three games on the road would be ideal, especially in either Chicago or San Diego.

On Tuesday, the win signaled some encouraging signs for the Phillies. Their bullpen was able to perform well after Zack Wheeler just came short of making it through six innings. However, it was the performance of a couple of key batters that helped make the difference.

Big Game Hope Sign of Things to Come

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So far in September, it has been a major struggle for the Phillies on offense, and this has been an area of concern. There was a stretch in which they scored exactly three runs in five straight games, which isn’t getting the job done at the plate.

While the struggles have been a group effort, two players that have not performed well are Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh. As two players who have had strong overall seasons, the play of late has been shocking to see. Marsh was an All-Star this year, but has not performed well in the second half of the year.

Fortunately, in the win, it was Stott and Marsh who played a big part. Marsh got the Phillies started with a two-run home run in the second inning, which helped set the tone for the game.

Furthermore, with the game tied in the eighth inning, Stott broke the tie with an RBI single and was followed by an RBI double from Marsh to help break the game open a bit.

With the duo combining for three runs scored and four RBI, they played a major part in the win. Hopefully, this will be a sign of things to come for them in the next several games and into October.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Phillies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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