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Phillies Veteran All-Star Rightfully Selected As Team's Biggest X-Factor Down Stretch

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies suffered a major blow when their ace, Zack Wheeler, was lost for the season because of blood clots in his shoulder.

With him sidelined, the team is relying on other starting pitchers to step up their performance. Cristopher Sanchez is now the ace of the rotation, with Jesus Luzardo and Ranger Suarez also moving up a rung. Unfortunately, Wheeler’s loss isn’t the only one the team is now worrying about.

Over the weekend, shortstop Trea Turner suffered a hamstring injury. He has been on fire in recent weeks, thrusting himself into the National League MVP discussion with how well he has been performing. Should he have to miss any time, manager Rob Thomson is going to have to make some major changes to his team’s lineup.

Who is going to take over as the starting shortstop? Which player will be tabbed as the new leadoff hitter? It will take a complete team effort to replicate what Turner has been providing both offensively and defensively. His all-around impact will not be easy to replace.

Phillies need Bryce Harper to step up down stretch

One player the Phillies will be counting on to take his game to another level is first baseman Bryce Harper. He was named the team’s key x-factor heading down the stretch of the season by Matt Gelb of The Athletic (subscription required) and rightfully so. During his tenure with Philadelphia, September has been a time when he normally catches fire, and the team needs that to remain the case in 2025.

Harper does not shy away from the big moments, as Gelb referenced. More often than not, he comes through in the clutch, helping propel the team to new heights. Holding a seven-game lead with 19 games left to play, the team is in a great position. But things can change in an instant.

The Phillies are hosting the New York Mets for a four-game series starting on September 8. The opprtunity to bury their rivals and put a stranglehold on the division is there for the taking. With Turner sidelined, this would be the perfect time for Harper to step up his game, helping put away the team that is closest to them in the division.

With a .265/.386/.516 slash line in his Philadelphia career in September, the two-time MVP knows what it takes to perform in pressure-filled situations down the stretch. Those numbers would be even better had it not included a .196 batting average in 2022 when he returned from an injury and was trying to find his timing again. His 2025 campaign has been pedestrian, by his ridiculously high standards, but a strong final few weeks could change that.