Philadelphia Phillies: Fans shouldn’t panic after Cubs sweep

That’s not how you’re supposed to start a second-half run. The Philadelphia Phillies came out of the All-Star break with three games at home against the lowly Chicago Cubs. Rather than annihilate them, many Cubs took advantage of increasing their trade value while others looked to audition for roles in the future.

It was a bad series highlighted by Nick Castellanos getting asked if he heard the boos. He most certainly did. And Phillies fans aren’t about to stop either.

As dark as it may feel, there is no need to panic. The Phillies are only a game behind the St. Louis Cardinals, and they’ve got a lot of problems of their own.

Despite being swept by the lowly Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies fans don’t need to panic just yet.

The last wild card spot in the National League will come down to the Phillies, Cardinals, or San Francisco Giants. A quick look at all three teams, and we see flaws galore.

You already know the issues in Philly. This is a club that can swat home runs, outpitches anyone when Zack Wheeler or Aaron Nola is at their best, and can get really hot for a good stretch. It’s the same team that can go cold for equally as long.

Over in St. Louis, they’ve been having problems of their own. For a good part of the year, they’ve had only three reliable starting pitchers. They dropped two out of three to the Cincinnati Reds this weekend, and they might be even worse than the Cubs.

Gabe Kapler’s Giants aren’t much better. They’re a mystery team that has somehow managed to stay relevant despite lacking even a halfway decent starting lineup. Darin Ruf and Wilmer Flores are two of their better hitters. That should be explanation enough as to why it’s so mysterious that they are where they are in the standings.

The Phillies will get Bryce Harper and Jean Segura back in August. The front office should add at least one bat and a starting pitcher. Have a little faith. It was a bad weekend. Save the panic for later this year.

The Cardinals might have a lot of scrubs on their schedule, but in late September, they play the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers for eight straight games. It’s a long way into the future, yes. But those games count just as much.