The Phillies swept the Rays this week in a series that saw them look like true contenders for the first time in weeks.
Nearly all of the team's arms and bats stepped up in a big way, thoroughly dominating Tampa and creating some space in the (very early) Wild Card standings — while also keeping pace with the first-place Mets.
Here's a look at some of the biggest winners, and losers, from three memorable games on the west coast of Florida:
Winners
The offense as a whole
Against the Rays over three games, the Phillies scored 22 runs (7.3 per game) and slashed .297/.353/.478. Whether it was them feeling comfortable in a minor league stadium in Tampa where they play frequently in spring training, or just the bats grooving at the right time, they put on quite an impressive display.
People who like comebacks
After two wire-to-wire wins, and after scoring first for the third straight game at Steinbrenner Field, the Phillies decided to give themselves a real challenge, falling behind 5-1 in Thursday's finale. It sort of felt like the team was destined to close up shop and take the series win, with a careless loss on getaway day. But then Bryson Stott came to the plate with two men on and two out in the eighth.
Three-run homer from Bryson Stott makes it a one-run game in the 8th! pic.twitter.com/04sLilAKxm
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 9, 2025
Stott's bomb narrowed the gap to one run, which was closed completely in the 9th thanks to some small ball and an RBI groundout from Max Kepler. José Alvarado handled the top of the 9th, and the Phillies came through for two in the 10th (Brandon Marsh and Trea Turner RBI). Matt Strahm walked a tight rope but took advantage of the two-run lead, allowing the Rays to get one back in their half of the 10th but nothing else.
Seeing the Phillies stare down defeat and reverse their fortune is a very good sign for a team that is at its best when it's confident and finding different ways to win.
Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner
The Phillies got six hits apiece in the series from Schwarber and Turner, plus a homer from each as well. Hitting over .400 in a series is impressive but it's also a very small sample size. With the more talented Guardians waiting on the schedule we'll have to see if these hot bats stay scorching.
- MORE PHILLIES
- Phillies prospects: Otto Kemp is becoming undeniable, Andrew Painter is moving up
- 5 Phillies thoughts: The offense is better than you think
- Can beating up on bad teams get the Phillies to the playoffs?
Taijuan Walker
We would be remiss if we didn't touch on how good Walker looked in his bullpen debut. Moved to make room for Ranger Suárez, Walker dominated for three frames Wednesday, pairing with starter Cris Sánchez to shut out the Rays. Walker had seven strikeouts and allowed just one hit. If Walker finds a comfortable home doing this regularly in relief, the Phillies and their unreliable bullpen will surely take it.
Losers
Max Kepler
No matter what the Phillies do, they continue to have issues relying on bats in the outfield. Kepler played all three games in Tampa, facing right-handed starters each time, and struggled, going 1-for-11 (though he did have the aforementioned game-tying RBI — on a groundout).
J.T. Realmuto
The only other guy who really struggled in the series was Realmuto, who mustered a lone hit — though he did walk three times over his 14 plate appearances. He's down to a .237 average — better than only Bryce Harper among offensive regulars.
Tanner Banks
Banks was the only Phillies pitcher who struggled in the series, as the staff as a unit logged a solid 2.89 ERA, allowing just 10 runs over their three-game sweep. Banks was the offender Thursday night when he allowed three runs in the seventh inning to set the Phillies even further behind the Rays — preceding their eventual epic comeback.
The current five man rotation
This one is a stretch — because no one is really a loser if Andrew Painter gets promoted — but we ran out of space in the winner's column and needed another entry in our loser section. In Triple-A Lehigh Valley Thursday, the top Phillies prospect tossed three solid frames with five strikeouts in a debut at the highest level he's ever pitched.
If everything continues as planned, the Phillies might find themselves needing to make room for him somewhere in the rotation, which could expand the five-man staff to six. The downside of this, of course, is that the bullpen would be further stressed by reducing to just seven arms. It will be very interesting to see what the front office and manager Rob Thomson elect to do when the time draws near.
Follow Evan on Twitter:@evan_macy
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
