It Keeps Getting Worse

The Phillies defense gave the Mets the lead, and then the bullpen gave them the win. It keeps happening and there's really no reason to think they'll be able to turn things around. The Phils are now 10.5 games out of first and have lost 10 of their last 14. At least they only play the Mets six more times. 

I've been thinking of ways to improve baseball's worst defense, and all I can come up with is trading Rhys Hoskins and moving Kyle Schwarber to first. The defense at first has to be a wash and maybe they can somehow get a decent outfielder in return for the streaky Hoskins. I like Hoskins a lot; he seems like a really good guy. But since the Phils owe Schwarber and Nick Castellanos $150 million for the next five years, Hoskins is expendable. They can't expect to win with defensive liabilities in the outfield.

Or, if they want to get really creative (which will never happen), they'll move JT Realmuto to left and promote Logan O'Hoppe, baseball's hottest hitting catching prospect to take his place behind the plate. Schwarber moves to first.

If they want to target big league outfielders in trades, I'd reach out to Kansas City and see what the Royals want for Andrew Benintendi, who's hitting .327 with an .821 OPS. Benintendi makes $8.5 million this year and is a free agent after the season. The Royals will probably ask for O'Hoppe or pitching prospects Andrew Painter or Mick Abel, but that price is way too high. Maybe prospect Francisco Morales and Odubel Herrera and one more minor leaguer gets it done. 

But something has to happen. They can't wait for Bryce Harper's elbow to improve enough for him to return to the outfield. It's Memorial Day and there are 114 games left. There's time to turn things around, but only by doing something instead of hoping that all the bats get hot at the same time.