What started in April as a passing fancy is turning more and more into legitimacy and reality. The Phillies are in first place in the NL East at the All-Star break, and are rumored to be a finalist to acquire Manny Machado from the Orioles in trade.
What’s so strange about this Phillies team is how wildly imperfect they are, despite being in a playoff position. Their defense is questionable, multiple players are playing regularly out of position, the pitching (in relief especially) is a ball of constant tension, and the offense often disappears for days at a time.