The Philadelphia Phillies’ struggles continued over the weekend as they were swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates, pushing their losing streak to five games. They’ve now dropped three straight series and lost nine of their last ten games, marking a troubling stretch for a team with high expectations.
June is typically when bats start heating up, but the Phillies’ offense has gone ice cold. Much of the blame falls on manager Rob Thomson and his coaching staff, as their current strategies—particularly with the lineup and bullpen decisions—are clearly falling short.
Here are three major culprits behind the Phillies’ rough start to June:
1. The Entire Offense
With Bryce Harper sidelined due to multiple injuries, the Phillies’ offense has completely stalled. Despite having stars like Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, and J.T. Realmuto, the lineup has struggled mightily.
Turner has been the lone bright spot, while others, such as Schwarber and Bryson Stott, have gone silent. Schwarber, known for his usual June power surge, is hitting just .143 with one home run and 13 strikeouts in 28 at-bats. Stott, after a strong April, is 2-for-24 so far in June and may soon be dropped from the leadoff spot.
2. Jesús Luzardo
After a strong start to his Phillies tenure, left-hander Jesús Luzardo has hit a wall. Once considered an early Cy Young candidate, Luzardo has been hit hard in his last two outings, allowing 20 earned runs over just 5 2/3 innings. His ERA has taken a significant hit, and he’s now picked up his first two losses of the season.
3. Jordan Romano
Reliever Jordan Romano, signed this offseason, has been wildly inconsistent. After a brief run of success, he’s regressed again, blowing two ninth-inning appearances in June—including against his former team, the Blue Jays, and most recently against the Pirates. Romano has a rough 11.57 ERA this month and a 7.71 ERA overall, making him an unreliable option in a bullpen that’s already missing key arms like José Alvarado.
With a tough NL East race ahead, the Phillies must turn things around quickly before the hole gets deeper.
