Phillies Therapy

Nothing left to do but wonder. The immediate aftermath of an elimination always leaves more questions than answers, and we don't attempt to answer too many of them; we're just kinda working through it. Sit in on our own therapy session as we lay the 2026 Phillies to rest and wonder what awaits them this offseason.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Andrew K., Joe M., and Mary R.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian L., Brian...

There is no easy, concise way to describe this Phillies team, in equal parts talent-laden and flawed, underachieving yet capable of heroics. That heroism, nearly up and down the roster, helped propel the Phillies to a wild Game 2 win and force a decisive Game 3.

Legacies are being written and rewritten, seemingly pitch by pitch.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Andrew K., Joe M., and Mary R.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian L...

Familiar foes in a best-of-three sprint. Will the Phillies survive the end of Red September and bring about another Red October?

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Andrew K., Joe M., and Mary R.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian L., Brian S., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Em B., Hunter R., Ian, Jack S., Jacob K., Jacob T., Jaedon M., Jami P., Jason G., Joe M., John S...

By golly, they did it. It was a close call! It was 500% more frustrating than it probably needed to be! But the Phillies are back in the playoffs, and heading to Atlanta once more to face the Braves. A best-of-three awaits, and there's a Chris Sale-sized mountain to climb. But count out this weird-ass group at your own peril.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Andrew K., Joe M., and Mary R. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J...

The Phillies are set to clinch a playoff spot at home this week. All that's really left to determine is where they'll go after that: Atlanta, Chicago, San Diego, or stay right where they are.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew...

The Phillies have clinched a winning record, and Paul has clinched some allergies. Apart from that, there's a lot up in the air (including ragweed).

So much of what the Phillies hope to accomplish in the playoffs hangs in the health and effectiveness of Jesús Luzardo, so we brace for what his final 2-3 appearances of the season might look like. Plus, the wide and unusual cratering of Luis Arraez and Brandon Marsh, and what to do about it.

We review pitching plans, overcoming the biggest weaknesses, and the need to really go for i...

Jesús Luzardo is the man these days, never more so than at this moment following his masterful complete game shutout to cap a split of the Phillies' four-game series with Atlanta over Labor Day weekend. With time running out on the division but a playoff berth firmly in control, the Phillies now have 18 regular season games left to get their affairs (and seeding) in order.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Andrew K...

The Phillies went 21-7 last month, a remarkable stretch as the season turns its final corner. One last month to go, and the Phillies are in a strong playoff position with more games against tough competition in front of them.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Andrew K., Joe M., and Mary R. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian L., Brian S., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Em B., Hunter R., Ian, Jack S., Jacob...

A ferocious nine-game winning streak — with all sorts of drama attached — will be put to the test on a West Coast trip. We review what's changed in the last week-and-a-half, following yet another about-face by this team that has steadied itself once again. Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm, a full-team plate discipline reinvention, easing the pitchers' burden, and more.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Andrew K., Joe M., and Mary R. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian L...

Matt is far away, so FanGraphs' Michael Baumann pinch hits once more to talk about Derek Hill as the most clutch player alive, top-heaviness with hero ball, and how this season doesn't necessarily mean another 2012 is brewing.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Andrew K., Joe M., and Mary R. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian L., Brian S., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Em B., Hunter R., Ian, Jack S., Jacob K., Jacob T...

This team is tired, and they look it. Heavy pitcher use, some extraordinarily humid weather to play through, injuries and short outings have compromised the Phillies' pitching staff. Ironically, that happens as the offense enjoys one of its most productive stretches in years. The Phils are still in playoff position, but it is very much a fight. Do they have the stamina to keep throwing punches in the final seven weeks of the regular season?

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., and Mary R. Thank you as well to...

The trades have happened! The Phillies added Luis Arraez, Caleb Kilian, and Brooks Raley in two separate deals, plus minor league outfielder outfielder Colby Thomas in a third. They sent back helium pitching prospect Ramon Marquez and reliever Marty Gair to the Giants, with defensive specialist outfielder John Spikerman and pitcher Luke Gabrysh going to the Mets.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this...

Mis-ner, that is. Yes, the Phillies kicked off their trade season already, and while Kameron Misner is unlikely to be a big factor in their plans, that doesn't mean every move the team makes over the next week won't be impactful. Far from it!

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., and Mary R.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy...

After dropping two series to start a homestand, the Phillies welcome the Yankees for a weekend series. With the deadline less than two weeks away, there's a bit more clarity around who might be selling, and what the Phillies could reasonably target. A hint? Keep your eyes up north.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., and Mary R. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian L., Brian S., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Em B., Hunter...

At 54-43, the Phillies enter hosting duties at the All-Star Break in a good spot. They're in the thick of the division race, nearly all of their key players are healthy, and the promise of an additive trade deadline awaits. We look back on the first "half" that was for the Phils, and prepare to look ahead to #hugwatch season.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., and Mary R. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian...

It didn't lead to all 15 (!) runs the Phillies allowed on Monday, but another costly mistake in the field brought the question back to the fore: What can be done about the Phils' almost-historically bad defense? We also check in on All-Star Game news, think about the Derby, and find some eerie parallels between this Phillies team and another Dombrowski epoch.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., and Mary R. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian...

Winning one-run games isn't a skill, huh?! Try telling that to these guys!

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., and Mary R.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H., Brian J., Brian L...

The Phils are hot. The offense has come up big for the pitching staff multiple times over the last week, and the team is running on just about all its cylinders. A pesky test against the Nationals in D.C. kicks off the latest road trip. Paul and Matt appreciate Kyle Schwarber's moment, Bryce Harper's big-ass bat, and looking ahead to a summer of meaningful baseball.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., and Mary R. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche...

The Phillies are winning, but the performance of most their roster doesn't really reflect that. Their (lack of) depth required them to trade two players in June for outfield help. It all feels so tenuous, despite the record. Paul has a moment while continuing to try and come to grips with that, and Matt offers his theory. Plus: Gabriel Rincones, Jr., more Trea Turner, and a quick assessment of needs six weeks out from the deadline.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., and Mary R.
Thank...

The Phillies put together a successful homestand (5-1, to be precise), and embark on a road trip to Toronto and Milwaukee feeling about as good as they've felt all season. Or maybe that's just me projecting. We talk Jhoan Duran and the offense (finally) bailing out starters who scuffle.

A strange team in the midst of a strange league year finds itself coming home after a successful 4-2 road trip that, even as we reach June, still felt weird to watch. With expectations for the offense nearly shattered, we stumble through head-scratcher after head-scratcher and contemplate how long the pitching staff can carry the weight of a cumbersome offense.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian H...

No one in the sport can hit right-handed, and the Phillies are quite mortal at home. Thank fully, that soft, cushiony spot in the schedule we all know and love is here: A West Coast trip! We review the Ohio teams' series and, once again, recalibrate our expectations of what this team is.

The Phillies blasted their way through a 5-1 road trip, and arrive back home as the owners of a record above .500 just three weeks after hitting the bottom. How about that? Carried by their stars on both sides of the ball, the team has looked like the contender we expected, and they bring Big Momentum back to CBP for six games against Ohio's finest.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche...

Maybe it really was just the Cubs and the Braves? The Phillies wrapped up a 10-3 stretch with a series win over Colorado, their 4th straight. Up next: A 6-game road trip in the Eastern time zone, featuring possible matchups with an old friend and a clash of pitching titans.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian J., Brian L., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Em B...

The Phillies are stabilizing. Sure, their right-handed hitters are absentee, the defense is shaky, and bullpen injuries could become a problem, but they've won 6 of 7 leading into a homestand against a couple of West division foes. Maybe things are beginning to level off, after all?

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian J., Brian L., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Em B., Hunter R., Ian, Jack S...

The Phillies made it official on Tuesday, relieving Rob Thomson of his duties after their 9-19 start. Despite leading the team to four consecutive playoff berths and coming off of back-to-back 95-plus-win seasons, the Phillies deemed Thomson to be the latest problem in need of fixing as they search for ways to climb out of their deep-and-growing April hole.

Don Mattingly takes over on a firmly interim basis, with Dusty Wathan moving to fill the bench coach role and Triple-A manager Anthony Contreras moving up to take over as MLB third base coach. Chris Adamson will manage...

Is Judgement Day approaching for the 2026 Phillies before the calendar even flips to May? Patience is running thin, both inside and from outside the club, and it's fair to wonder what move(s) can be made to start turning things around. Paul and Matt process the bafflement in real-time, and take stock of the team at their latest disappointing checkpoint.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian J...

The Phillies have lost 9 straight and 13 of their last 15. I do not have a quippy title for this one!

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian J., Brian L., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Em B., Hunter R., Ian, Jack S., Jacob K., Jacob T.. Jaedon M., Jami P., Jason G., Joe M., John S., Kaitlin M., Kodi L., Lindsay, Lisa L., Matt H., Michael Wei...

Bleh. Yuck. Assorted mucus-y noises. The Phillies bombed a homestand, and now head on the road against two of the teams that have made their start to the season a little extra gross. The countdown - well, one we're setting, at least - has begun.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian J., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Em B., Hunter R., Ian, Jack S., Jacob...

It starts with a question: What do you want to hear? We review and rank some concerns, acknowledge the relative earliness of the hour (again), and (Paul in particular) feel the urgency of the need for someone outside the top of the lineup to step up.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S.
Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Amy Z., Birche F., Brian J., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Em B., Hunter R., Ian, Jack S...

It hasn't always been pretty, and it hasn't always been conventional, but the Phillies are off a to 6-4 start following Monday night's series opening comeback win over the Giants (in San Fran, of all places). Paul and Matt consider this team's sum of its parts, allow some room to believe in things going right, and recognize a pitching staff that's been far better than its ERA.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers...

The Phillies opened their 2026 NL East title defense by dropping two of three to the Texas Rangers, and looked pretty flat on offense in accomplishing that. Still, it's only three games, and there are still positives to take away ahead of a series with the Nationals.

It's that time once again! Paul and Matt run their 2026 season preview in the form of a sampling of over/under props, created by Matt with some help from the community. Does Bryce Harper have 30-plus homers in him again? Will Justin Crawford have enough opportunities to steal 25-plus bases? Will Taijuan Walker have more starts than Alec Bohm has home runs? That and more inside.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Brian...

A redone contract for Cristopher Sanchez, a new contract for Jesus Luzardo, and an accelerating return timeline for Zack Wheeler. A quick look back at the end of Spring Training before our season preview.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S. Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Brian J., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Hunter R., Ian, Jack S., Jacob, Jaedon M., Jami P., Jason G., Joe M., John S., Kaitlin M., Kodi L., Lindsay, Lisa L., Michael...

Inflation be damned, we're buying! For the most part, at least. Paul and Matt take stock of some late-spring storylines, and whether they're worth buying or selling. Bullpen additions, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and more.

Our Executive Producer supporters for this episode are: Adam D., Andrew C., Andrew G., Joe M., Mary R., and Owen S.

Thank you as well to this show's additional Producers: Brian J., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Hunter R., Ian, Jack S., Jacob, Jaedon M., Jami P., Jason G., Joe M., John S., Kaitlin M., Kodi L., Lindsay...

Monday evening, the Phillies and starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo agreed to a five-year, $135 million contract extension that begins in 2027, further solidifying their investment in the starting rotation. Paul and Matt break it all down.

Thank you as well to today's show's additional Producers: Brian J., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Hunter R., Ian, Jacob, Jaedon M., Joe M., John S., Kaitlin M., Kodi L., Lindsay, Michael Wei., Michael Wer., Robert R., Timothy G., Tom D., Tom H., and Zack.
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It's a weird time of spring, and not just because of the snow still on the ground as temperatures hit the 70s. The WBC has been fun, but has left Major League Spring Training rosters thin and incomplete. What does that mean for our impressions of Andrew Painter, Alex McFarlane, and others who are catching eyes?

Thank you as well to today's show's additional Producers: Brian J., Briana W., CallisonGhost, Christopher S., Daniel Y., Hunter R., Ian, Jacob, Jaedon M., Joe M., John S., Kaitlin M., Kodi L., Lindsay, Mary R., Michael Wei., Michael Wer., Robert R...

Johan Rojas gets suspended, early Spring Training thoughts and observations, and World Baseball Classic tune-ups.

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Bryce Harper gets introspective, and Paul and Matt talk through it as the Phillies star treads deeper into his mid-30s. Plus, a couple early camp standouts.

For more, visit patreon.com/PhilliesTherapy
Merch: https://phillies-therapy-shop.fourthwall.com

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Leaving dramatics aside, this camp is a pivotal one for Andrew Painter. As he told Matt in a story that ran today, the simpler the better. Painter is just one of a handful of Phillies players with some sort of baggage they're lugging into camp, and as things get ready to shift into the next gear, there's plenty of hope for how each can lighten their load.

For more, visit patreon.com/PhilliesTherapy Merch: https://phillies-therapy-shop.fourthwall.com

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