Philly Leader

The Phillies faced a challenging moment in their season on Tuesday night, followed by a team meeting Wednesday afternoon and a three-run deficit four batters into that evening's game. Despite the circumstances, the team turned things around.

Kyle Schwarber delivered a pivotal grand slam with bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, leading to a 9-5 victory over the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. This win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Phillies.

“It felt good to be in a situation where I could come through,” Schwarber said. “I feel like our guys are doing a really good job of weathering whatever has happened the last couple weeks when we haven’t been playing our best baseball. We have a really good group of guys in this clubhouse. We’ve got the right guys to get through this and come out better for it.”

In recent months, few teams have struggled as much as the Phillies. They entered Wednesday with an 8-18 record since July 11 and 24-32 since June 8, ranking among the worst records in baseball during these periods.

The team's recent performance prompted an internal meeting on Wednesday, though details were not publicly disclosed.

“Well, just so you know my policy, I don’t announce meetings,” manager Rob Thomson said. “What happens in the clubhouse stays in the clubhouse and that’s between us.”

Despite speculation about possible shakeups or changes within the roster, players like Bryce Harper emphasized focus and professionalism.

“No, I mean, everybody in here knows what to do and how to do their job,” Harper said when asked if there was a team meeting. “If you don’t walk through that door ready to do your job each day, then you probably shouldn’t be here.”

Internally, confidence remains high regarding their ability to improve moving forward. Players believe they possess sufficient talent and dedication.

Trea Turner did not start Wednesday but is expected to play Thursday against the Nationals after struggling both offensively and defensively post-All-Star break.

Edmundo Sosa replaced Turner at shortstop but was hitless; however, other struggling players like Bryson Stott, J.T. Realmuto, and Brandon Marsh showed improvement with multiple hits each.

After rookie Tyler Phillips allowed five runs over 4 1/3 innings and José Ruiz pitched two-thirds of scoreless relief innings, Thomson relied on his key relievers—Matt Strahm, Jeff Hoffman, José Alvarado, and Carlos Estévez—to secure four scoreless innings combined.

“It’s what it looks like when you draw it up,” Hoffman said.

Aaron Nola recently upgraded the team's fog machine used for celebrations—a device seldom utilized due to recent losses—but it saw action following Wednesday's home win.

“We’ve got it on high power now,” Hoffman noted. “We’re really celebrating our wins.”

The Phillies aim to maintain momentum from this victory moving forward.

“I believe in the guys in this clubhouse,” Nick Castellanos stated. “Everybody is a professional... Everybody cares."

###