PHILADELPHIA -- Before the Phillies 8-3 loss to the Texas Rangers on Sunday, Rob Thomson was asked about his team facing Rangers lefty MacKenzie Gore, a guy who stymied them on Opening Day in 2025.
"Well, I think this year, we'll be able to see," Thomson said, referencing the wicked shadows that limited both teams in that opener at Nationals Park a year ago.
Well, the temperature was cool, but sky was high and it was sunny and there were no shadows in sight, and the Phillies didn't get a hit against Gore until the sixth inning - and the first one was an infield single by Justin Crawford, who basically legged out a swinging bunt.
The Phillies finished the game with just four hits, although if you want a silver lining, they did work eight walks.
But the team is scuffling offensively, and after a 10-hit effort on Opening Day, they have struggled mightily.
The Phillies, as a team, hit just .182 (18 for 99) in the three games against Texas. The Rangers pitchers attacked the zone, and the Phillies struggled with that approach.
They have just five extra base hits, and none of them came on Sunday.
So, without the shadows as an excuse this time, Thomson was asked what is affecting his hitters, and this time he chalked it up to being collectively "anxious."
"We've got to get something going early in games," Thomson said. "I think everybody in the lineup is trying to get off to a good start and are maybe a little but anxious. They'll settle in."
Harper doesn't agree with his manager on the "anxious" assessment.
𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝟐 𝐨𝐟 𝟑 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐚
Were the Phillies feeling anxiety or trying too hard in their opening series loss?
“I don’t think we’re that type of team.” -Bryce Harper pic.twitter.com/6u3kpX77mo
"I don't think we're that type of team," he said.
There's a colloquial difference between anxiety and anxious, when used as Thomson used it. We he says "anxious" he means that they're overdoing it. That they're jumpy. That they are going outside themselves.
Take Adolis Garcia, for example. He struck out five times the entirety of Spring Training. He's struck out five times this weekend.
It's certain they all will improve. They're not going to hit .182 as a team for long, and should get a little healthier offensively in the coming week as they host Washington and then travel to Colorado and San Francisco - two teams who were swept this weekend.
So, Thomson probably isn't wrong, that the offense is coming, but it's fair to look at the Phillies and notice that unless the top three guys in the lineup are going -- and that's Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper -- then the offense is really going to be subpar.
The big three were 5 for 37 (.135) against Washington, and the one game where they had an impact -- Turner had two singles and Schwarber homered -- the Phillies won.
"Obviously it's not the start that we want to have, but we'll get there," Harper said.
And Turner, who grounded into two double plays on Sunday, echoed the sentiment.
"Everybody wants to get off to a good start, but sometimes it doesn't happen," Turner said. "I don't think the at bats have been that bad, it just feels like we get it going a little late ... I just feel like we're getting back into the rhythm of things (by) playing every day. It'll come."
Specifically, Turner had an ugly spring training as well, going 6 for 45 (.133) with an OPS of a paltry .486.
On the surface, one would think this would be a cause for concern.
Not to Turner.
"I'm happy about it," Turner said. "The best spring I ever had is the worst I ever played (in the regular season). My three best years, I was looking it up, my three best years I probably hit .150 in the spring. So to me, spring doesn't really matter one way or another...
"When you get five at bats every day, you get in the rhythm of things."
But when the offense gets like this, it puts even more pressure on the starting pitchers, and they need to be near-flawless.
So in a game like Sunday where Jesus Luzardo missed two pitches that accounted for two Texas homers and five runs, it makes it so much harder.
8-3 over the Phillies and it wasn't close. Seager and Burger combined for 110+ mph max exit velo and 40% barrel rates. Nitro did the job. Here are the 8 plays that decided this one. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/KY3Z3znq1n
Still, it's just the third game of the season. There's no reason to panic.
"How often do you see (Turner) hitting two double plays in the same game," Thomson asked. "The discipline has been pretty good, but I just think at times we're just trying to do a little too much,"
