If there’s any team that probably should be winning the way that the Orioles are winning this season, it’s got to be the Phillies. They were the team that represented the National League in the World Series last year and they’ve only added from there, including the $300 million signing of shortstop Trea Turner last offseason, and a less pricey but still notable $72 million contract given to starting pitcher Taijuan Walker. The pieces were there for this team to leap from where they were up to the next level.
For a variety of reasons, that’s not the way that their season has worked out.