For three innings during the Phillies’ series finale against the Nationals, it looked like they would use a familiar formula to complete their sixth series sweep of the season.

Get an early lead, let dominant starting pitching take it from there.

Things didn’t quite work out that way, but no problem. They instead tapped into another emerging successful formula: fall behind, let Kody Clemens handle it.

A day after Clemens saved the Phillies with a thrilling game-tying homer with two outs in the ninth, he was back in the middle of the action in the series finale.

The scorching-hot Clemens, who’s now hitting .321 with a 1.166 OPS in 28 at-bats this season, scored the first run after starting the second inning with a leadoff double. A few innings later, his two-run double broke a 3-3 tie and helped propel the Phillies to their 34th win in 48 games.


At 34-14, the Phillies have equaled their best start through 48 games in franchise history, one first set by the 1976 team (102 wins) and 1993 squad (97 wins).

If the Phillies win Tuesday night, they will tie the ’76 squad for the best record in franchise history through 49 games. If they win their next two games, they will own the franchise record for best start through 50 games.

You almost can’t talk about this team right now without mentioning how historically good they’ve been, and that’s not just in relation to the club’s own history.

Thanks to the Phillies communications department for the following notes:

  • Only 16 National League teams since 1954 had won 33 times through their first 47 games. Every single one of those teams went on to win the division while 10 won the National League pennant.
  • Since the turn of the century, only four teams in Major League Baseball have started 34-14 or better.
  • Since 1986, only four other National League teams have started 34-14 or better. The last team to do it was the 2016 Chicago Cubs.

There’s more. Consider the following:

  • The Phillies haven’t lost a series since they dropped the final game of a three-game set with the Reds back on April 3.
  • They’ve swept six series this season.
  • They still haven’t lost back-to-back games since April 23-24.
  • Over their last 23 games, the Phillies have won 19 times. In the other four games, they had the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning or later.

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Aaron Nola, Also Good

Lost in the Phillies’ latest offensive explosion was yet another outstanding start by Aaron Nola.

Given the amount of attention to the fantastic work of Ranger Suarez and Zack Wheeler thus far, Nola’s efforts have been somewhat overlooked.

Following seven strong innings in which he allowed only two hits and two earned runs, he holds a 3.05 ERA through 10 starts.

In Wheeler, Suarez and Nola, the Phillies have three of top-14 ERAs among National League starting pitchers:

  • Suarez (2nd)
  • Wheeler (7th)
  • Nola (14th)

In case you’re wondering, Cristopher Sanchez checks in at 19th with a 3.31 ERA.

Alec Bohm: Run Producing Machine

Alec Bohm began his day with a pair of sacrifice flies that represented his 38th and 39th runs batted in of the season. Had his day ended there, he would have finished it on-pace to drive in 132 runs over 162 games.

His day did not end there.

In the eighth inning, he launched a three-run blast into the left field seats, raising his season total to an MLB-best 42 RBI. He’s now on-pace to finish with 142 RBI, the most of any Phillies hitter since Ryan Howard drove in 146 runs in 2008.

Extra Help

You would figure with a 34-14 record, the Phillies are firing on all cylinders. Take a high-level view, and that appears to be true.

Excellent run production, elite starting pitching, a tough bullpen that can stifle opponents late.

Dig a bit deeper though and you quickly see they are in the midst of this historical start despite little offensive return from both their primary center and right fielders.

That’s why it was encouraging that Nick Castellanos and Johan Rojas both contributed in this one.

Following a six-game stretch in which Castellanos went 2-for-22 and saw his average drop to .194, he responded with a three-hit day. It was his first multi-hit game since May 8.

Rojas also added a single, swiped a bag and scored a run.

Here’s what the pair had done entering Sunday:

  • Castellanos: 34-for-175 (.194 BA), eight total extra-base hits, .556 OPS
  • Rojas: 29-for-127 (.228 BA), six extra-base hits, .584 OPS.

Combined, the two produced a .209 BA, .266 on-base percentage and .567 OPS.

Their struggles are largely responsible for the Phillies’ overall lack of offensive production from the outfield.

Here’s how the group stacked up entering Sunday:

  • .218 BA (23rd)
  • .329 SLG (25th)
  • .279 OBP (27th)
  • .609 OPS (28th)

In fairness, Rojas has mostly met his offensive expectations, albeit modest ones. It really comes down to Castellanos. If he gets it going, one of the game’s best lineups might become unstoppable.

Where’s Whit?

You may have noticed Whit Merrifield did not start any of the Phillies’ three games this weekend. It’s not all that hard to figure why.

Merrifield, who’s hitting just .188 in 26 games, is in the midst of his second prolonged slump this season.

After a promising stretch from April 19 through May 7 in which Merrifield hit safely in eight straight games while going 11-for-29 (.379 BA), he has just two hits in his last 28 at-bats.

Over his last eight games, he’s produced a .295 OPS.

While Merrifield’s recent slide could be chalked up to an especially tough run over a short sample of games, his overall struggles can’t be attributed to poor luck.

He’s simply not making consistent quality contact.

According to Statcast, Merrifield’s 13.0% HardHit% is the lowest of any player who has put at least 70 balls in play this season. His 82.3 mph average exit velocity is MLB’s second-lowest. Only Toronto’s Isiah Kiner-Falefa (82.1 mph) holds a lower average exit velo.

Merrifield has a multi-year track record of success. That shouldn’t be discounted simply because of an underwhelming start through 85 at-bats, but it’s fair to wonder about his already decreasing role with Trea Turner’s return looming.

Much like the Taijuan Walker/Spencer Turnbull rotation logjam, the Phillies might have another potential future roster dilemma that would make several teams envious.

Edmundo Sosa has seemingly moved ahead of Merrifield as the preferred infield replacement, while Clemens, who stole the show this weekend and owns a 1.166 OPS, has provided offensive punch from the left side in spot duty.

It still stands to reason that Merrifield holds a roster advantage because he can man left field. The $8 million guaranteed deal doesn’t hurt either.

But as my Crossed Up: A Phillies Podcast partner Anthony SanFilippo asked me Sunday morning, is there a world in which the Phillies opt to roll with Clemens and Cristian Pache, leaving Merrifield the odd man out?

That outcome still feels unlikely, but is it impossible?