Phillies' Offense Has Been Historically Bad Through First 23 Games

Apr 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford (2) looks on after receiving a walk against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Phillies' Offense Has Been Historically Bad Through First 23 Games

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Apr 22, 2026 11:00 AM ET

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The Philadelphia Phillies have now lost seven straight games, and things are not going well.

Despite having high expectations coming into the year, Philadelphia has fallen short of that so far this season. With the Phillies on an extended losing streak now, panic is starting to set in for the team.

After their loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night, Philadelphia has now lost five straight series, and the campaign has seemingly come off the rails a bit. With the extended losing streak, it has been the offense that has really failed the team.

While it was good to see both Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper hitting home runs on Tuesday, it wasn’t nearly enough to help the team get a win. This is a unit that has been really bad of late, and hitting left-handed pitching has been a major issue.

The right-handed hitters of Philadelphia have really struggled this season, with Alec Bohm leading the way, unfortunately, in that department. With the struggles of the offense continuing during this losing streak, they have now entered some historically bad numbers for the franchise.

Phillies Setting Historically Bad Marks

Over the last 128 years, only two Phillies teams have had a lower batting average through 23 games than the 2026 Phillies (.218). It's their lowest mark through 23 games since 1941.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) April 22, 2026

Philadelphia has a long and storied history in the majors, and this team being one of the worst offenses in the history of the franchise is a major concern. They have their lowest batting average in the first 23 games of a season since 1941. With only two teams in the history of the franchise having a lower batting average than the Phillies currently, things are not going well.

When looking at the roster, there are many culprits for their struggles with the team having such a poor batting average overall. Key players like Bohm, Adolis Garcia, Trea Turner, and Bryson Stott are all batting under .250.

In order for the Phillies to turn things around, it is pretty clear that their historically bad offense has to be better. Even though the unit has been really bad, there have been some bright spots with Harper, Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, and Justin Crawford off to decent starts.

Philadelphia’s lineup looks very short right now, and this is a unit that has really underachieved. With the team already bringing up Felix Reyes from the minors, they are clearly hoping to spark something. However, with this unit doing so poorly, it feels like they are in need of external help. While it might be early, pursuing a trade for an impact bat, especially from the right side, would be a major help.

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

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