Phillies Supporting Cast Regressing Horribly Down Stretch

Jul 28, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) strikes out in the third inning as Miami Marlins catcher Joe Mack (80) tags him at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Phillies Supporting Cast Regressing Horribly Down Stretch

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Sep 17, 2026 8:00 PM ET

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One of the biggest reasons that the Philadelphia Phillies were able to claw back into the National League East and Wild Card picture was the production of their offense.

A new approach was something the entire team was buying into. The Phillies were showing more patience at the plate, walking more than they had previously, leading to a jump in their on-base percentage.

Philadelphia’s wRC+ of 108 was tied for third-best in the MLB in August. They scored 147 runs and had a .353 on-base percentage, which ranked third and first, respectively. Their 11.2% walk rate was the best in baseball, and their 15.9% strikeout rate tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the best mark.

The addition of Luis Arraez was certainly helping, and the Phillies were rolling. With everyone doing their part, the production looked sustainable. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case, with the Philadelphia offense regressing in the worst way down the stretch.

Phillies offense has fallen off in September

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In September, the team’s lineup has gone ice cold. The Phillies have produced a wRC+ of 83, which is tied for last in the MLB with the Washington Nationals. They still have a strong walk rate of 8.5%, which is tied for 13th, and are doing a good job of limiting strikeouts, with a 20.2% rate.

Alas, there are just too many players who are struggling at once, leading to a .301 on-base percentage that is more in line with what the team had produced before Arraez was added to the mix. Philadelphia has spent a good portion of the season in last place in the MLB in on-base percentage.

Their Offense rating on FanGraphs is -10.3, which is by far the worst number in baseball in September. The next closest team is the Minnesota Twins with a -8.3. Their 0.5 fWAR is second-worst, with only the Nationals at a 0.4 fWAR being worse.

Phillies' supporting cast falling woefully short of expectations

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Bryson Stott has a wRC+ of 7 thus far in September, mired in an extended slump. Brandon Marsh has been the least productive batter in baseball going back to early July, with a -46 wRC+ and a .103/.103/.138 slash line. J.T. Realmuto has a .262 slugging percentage this month and a 37 wRC+.

Alec Bohm leads the way with a 177 wRC+. He is one of five players in triple digits, along with Derek Hill, Arraez, Bryce Harper and Justin Crawford . Bohm, Arraez and Harper are the only qualified hitters of that group, as interim manager Don Mattingly has stuck with the guys he thinks are his best, even when they are struggling.

These are concerning numbers, and the drop-off offensively is incredibly concerning. Something has to change down the stretch; there is too much pressure on the pitching staff to perform perfectly to get the team victories.

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

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