June 27, 2025
Sam Navarro/Imagn Images
The Phillies offense has been one of the best in baseball this season.
In what feels like a blink of an eye, the unofficial first half of the 2025 MLB season is in the books for the Phillies.
After their trio of losing efforts in Houston, the Phillies have played exactly 81 games, half of the 162 they'll play before the postseason begins in October.
The All-Star Game isn't for three more weeks. The trade deadline is in a month. Why the schedule-makers do it this way, I am unsure. But the Phillies trail in the NL East lead by a hair, a half-game behind the Mets as the second half of the year is set to begin this weekend, with the Phillies in Atlanta.
How does their first half compare to each of their last three campaigns, each ending in a playoff berth?
| Season | Record | Result |
| 2025 | 47-34 | ? |
| 2024 | 53-28 | NL East title |
| 2023 | 43-38 | Wild Card |
| 2022 | 43-38 | Wild Card |
Over the last three and a half seasons of contention, the Phillies have been a second-half team twice (in 2022 and 2023). Last season they were clearly a first-half team, boasting the best record in the sport through 81 games before falling back to Earth a bit in the latter half and falling well short of their 106-win pace with 95.
Which will they be in 2025, currently on pace to win 94 games?
Here's a look at some superlatives from the first 81 games of the season. It will be interesting to see if these fake award recipients remain the same come October.
Team MVP: The starting pitchers
The unequivocal biggest strength of the Phillies this season has been their starting pitching. And since these aren't official awards with rules, we're going to name them the MVP of the first half. It would be shocking if at least two — maybe three — members of the rotation were not named NL All-Stars. A look at their first half numbers:
| Category | Stat | MLB Rank |
| Wins | 31 | 3rd |
| Quality starts | 45 | 1st |
| ERA | 3.36 | 3rd |
| Innings pitched | 460.1 | 1st |
| Strikeouts | 494 | 1st |
| WAR | 8.6 | 1st |
How good has the starting rotation been? That 8.6 WAR (wins above replacement), via baseball reference, is almost better than the next two best rotation WARs combined (4.8, Royals, 4.3 Reds).
Cy Young award: Zack Wheeler
The most valuable of the most valuable starters is Wheeler, who showed everyone in his most recent start just why the Phillies are so darn frustrating. Wheeler tossed six one-run innings and struck out eight Wednesday in Houston. Not only did the Phillies' offense get shut out, but their bullpen gave up an insurance run, too.
Wheeler has a 3.8 WAR, second best in the NL, a 2.55 ERA, 4th best in the NL, a 0.929 WHIP, second best in the league, and has the second-most strikeouts with 126. Once again, I can feel a Cy Young runner up finish to his season.
Team LVP: The bullpen
You saw those SP stats before — now get ready for the exact opposite. In 11 situations this season a Phillies starter handed the ball to a reliever with a lead in a ballgame, and the reliever blew it. That's the third most in baseball behind the Athletics and Angels, two teams not destined for the postseason. Even an average bullpen would have the Phillies much further in front in the NL East. The Phillies bullpen has been awful and is going to be upgraded next month before the trade deadline. A look at their first half numbers (using most of the same categories as the starters):
| Category | Stat | MLB Rank |
| Blown saves* | 16 | 29th |
| Inherited score % | 41 | 30th |
| ERA | 4.63 | 25th |
| Innings pitched | 263.2 | 29th |
| Strikeouts | 252 | 23rd |
| WAR | -0.5 | 13th |
*They also have had the most save opportunities this season with 40.
Rookie of the Year: Otto Kemp
This one was tough, because Mick Abel has been light's out as the team's fifth starter, with a solid 3.47 ERA over five starts. But we've given enough love to the starters. Let's give some hardware to Kemp, who went undrafted but signed with the Phillies in 2022. He has made the most of his first big league opportunity at age 25. He's been a spark on offense and a plug-and-play on defense, learning to play left field on the fly after being an infielder in the minors. He's hit .241 in 16 games (after a lackluster showing against the Astros) but has not yet flashed any of the power stroke that saw him hit 15 homers in 58 games before his call up. Still, it's nice to have new blood and he's been a solid rookie addition so far.
Silver Slugger: Kyle Schwarber
Set to be a free agent at season's end, Schwarber is having an epic season at DH. He's on pace right now for his second-highest batting average in 11 MLB seasons, his highest home run total and best on base percentage, if he can keep it up. In a roster desperately missing Bryce Harper, Schwarber has been the centerpiece of the batting order with a top-10 OBP, slugging percentage and OPS in the NL. He also has the third-most homers.
Honorable mention to Trea Turner, who leads the NL in hits this season.
Gold Glove: J.T. Realmuto
It might not seem like it, but Realmuto's 65 games started this season behind the plate is the second-highest total in the NL — and he's 34. The backstop leads the National League in almost every category defensively, including putouts, turned double plays, and defensive range factor. His 15 runners caught stealing is the third best in the NL as well.
Most improved player: Alec Bohm
In Bohm's first 28 games, fresh off an offseason chock full of nagging trade rumors and hate all over social media, Bohm had no home runs and was hitting just .221 — with many calling for his head. When the calendar turned to May, something clicked. In the 49 games since his early slump, Bohm has hit .321 with seven homers and 28 RBI. He's also been clutch with runners in scoring position, hitting .299 this season. His improved play could even slot him in as a reserve NL All-Star next month.
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