The Philadelphia Phillies are growing frustrated amid a nine-game losing streak.
On Thursday, the Chicago Cubs defeated the Phillies 8-7 in front of a crowd of 31,027 at Wrigley Field. The Cubs swept the Phillies in a four-game series. The loss on Friday dropped Philadelphia to 8-17, now the worst record in the National League East.
The Phillies are 9.5 games back fro the Atlanta Braves for first place in the division. Philadelphia will begin a critical three-game series against the Braves on Saturday in Atlanta.
Per Jesse Rogers of ESPN, Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper is “miffed” amid the nine-game losing streak. He’s hoping the team can navigate the difficult month and turn things around.
“I think people should feel what it feels like,” Harper said. “Obviously, you don’t want to just sit here and just say, ‘Oh, hey, let’s turn the page immediately.’ You got to know what it feels like and get through it. You got to get through the mud sometimes and weather the storm a little bit.”
Harper earned three hits and one run scored in 15 at-bats against the Cubs. The eight-time All-Star is batting .261 with five him runs and and 13 RBIs in 25 games.
Harper suggested the recent woes are new territory for the Phillies.
“I can’t remember something like this in my career,” Harper said. “We got to get through it. Obviously, we don’t want to be where we are right now.
“I think you could probably tell me better if we have been through this, or other teams that I’ve played with have been through this, but I know teams that have been through this and been through the mud a little bit and still climbed out of it. Yeah, we got to do it.”
Nothing would jumpstart the Phillies more than to win (or sweep) the Braves this weekend. Philadelphia can’t jump to the top of the division in one series.
However, the Phillies need to start building momentum before May. Showing some mettle against the NL East leading Braves would be a start.