BALTIMORE — Two years ago, almost to the day, the Phillies had a 23-17 record and were considered one of the surprising teams in the National League at the season’s quarter pole.
But their general manager knew it was a mirage.
“I remember that well,” Matt Klentak said Tuesday, reflecting on a 2016 Phillies season that went south en route to a 71-91 finish. “We were winning often one-run games that we were wondering how we were doing it. But it was fun.”
When the Phillies showed up here for a rain-delayed interleague series against the Baltimore Orioles, they brought with them a 23-16 record that qualifies them once again as one of the league’s upstart teams.