The Philadelphia Phillies have gotten off to a disappointing start in the 2026 season. Although they’re just two games out of second place in the NL East, their 14–20 record is far from ideal, and they trail the Atlanta Braves by 10.5 games.
In short, things aren’t going well. Multiple factors have contributed to the team’s struggles, including poor offensive output and shaky pitching. Manager Rob Thomson also became a scapegoat and was let go earlier in the season.
However, as ESPN’s David Schoenfield pointed out while giving the Phillies an F grade for their season so far, the real problem lies with the defense—not the hitting or pitching.
Phillies’ Biggest Issue Is Their Defense
“Key stat to watch: The Phillies allowed a .349 batting average on balls in play in April, a historically terrible month—and yet recorded the lowest percentage of hard-hit balls in the majors,” Schoenfield writes. “Cristopher Sánchez, in particular, has been hurt badly by soft contact. That points to serious defensive problems.”
Defensively, the Phillies have struggled at several key positions this season.
According to Baseball Savant, the defense has been most damaged by Justin Crawford and Bryce Harper. Add in difficulties from Otto Kemp, Trea Turner, Felix Reyes, and Brandon Marsh, and the result is a poor defensive unit.
While Bryson Stott and Adolis García have performed well, and Alec Bohm has been solid, the rest of the defense—especially Harper has been subpar.
The Phillies haven’t been strong offensively or on the mound either, but the defensive statistic Schoenfield highlighted is particularly worrying.
Not only do the hitters and pitchers need to improve, but the defense desperately requires a turnaround—otherwise, this season could remain a complete disaster.
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