Phillies 'World Series or Bust' Season Mentality Ends in 'Failure' – NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK – The next baseball game at Citizens Bank Park, originally scheduled for late Friday afternoon, has been postponed.

Postponed to March 31, 2025. With a home opener of the new season against the Rockies that will feature the usual pomp and circumstance.

But not raising another pennant or championship banner.

The Phillies flew streamers up and down Clearwater Beach during spring training and put up billboards along I-95 to remind everyone that they were eager to return to the World Series. Two years after competing in the Fall Classic and a season after being one home win away from returning, anything less would be unacceptable.

So what do you call it when you don't go to the World Series, you don't go to the NLCS, and you only managed one win against the Wild Card Mets in the NLDS?

“Failure,” said shortstop Trea Turner. “I feel like we failed.”

A crucial Game 5 of the National League Division Series that would have been played in front of a sold-out stadium with star player Zack Wheeler on the mound was rendered unnecessary as the Mets completed the dissolution of the team that had finished the regular season in second place. best record in baseball.

Red October officially ended with a 4-1 loss Wednesday night at Citi Field. Once again the offense was ineffective. Once again, the trip to the bullpen was a baseball version of Russian Roulette, but with bullets in every chamber. In the four games, the Phillies were outscored 23-12.

“Very disappointing,” said manager Rob Thomson. “We were beaten in a short series.”

It's true that anything can happen in the best-of-five format. But the fact is that this result shouldn't come as a shock to anyone who's been paying attention. The Mets were one of the best teams in baseball in the second half of the season. The Phillies were 33-34 after mid-July.

“I don’t feel like we’ve been playing like we have the last few weeks,” Turner said. “I don’t have an answer as to why. If I had done that, we probably would have fixed it. Sometimes it doesn't work. You can look in the mirror. You can ask a million questions. I know we'll all do some version of this. Try to find out. But it’s hard to find an answer.”

Now there will be organizational meetings. General Manager meetings will take place next month. The winter meetings the following month. Decisions – difficult decisions – must be made.

The person ultimately responsible for finding the answers is Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations. He didn't speak to the media in the dim clubhouse after the game, but an informal poll in the room suggested it was a great idea to play it again with the same group.

“I would hope they keep the core group together,” Turner said. “I think we have the right people here. The teams I've played on in the past that have won regularly have seen the majority of the team return. I think that's what we've seen here in the last two or three years. Some people will come and go or whatever, but I think we have what it takes here and we have to find a way to do it next year.”

Although the Phillies have been eliminated from the playoffs a little earlier in each of the last two years, Thomson emphasized that he doesn't think that's a trend. “I don’t think we’re going backwards, no,” he said, adding that he believes the talent is there to make a breakthrough in 2025.

“Absolutely,” he said. “Absolutely. There were times during the ups and downs of the season when you falter. That happens in the postseason too. But that doesn't mean nothing will change next year.”

But the reality is that the Phillies made unusually few changes earlier this year and took another step backwards. That's a baseball problem, but there's also a perception problem. You know the old, overused saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Nevertheless, the players keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best.

“It's hard to lose a game like that,” said reliever Carlos Estevez, who gave up the grand slam to Francisco Lindor that blanked the Phillies after Jeff Hoffman had loaded the bases. “But at the same time, I know this is a really good group. It’s not the last time they’ll be in the playoffs.”

However, there is no guarantee that Estevez will come back. He will be a free agent this winter.

Third baseman Alec Bohm said, “Winning a championship is the hardest thing in sports. It will never be easy. This time we didn't do so well. But we now have a bit more time in the off-season to clear our heads and then come back and try again.

“I definitely think we’re all strong enough to get back on the horse and get back to where we want to be.”

Now the ball is in Dombrowski’s court.