Since it’s mid-April, we need to remember the caveat of “it’s early,” but there are some trends developing with the 2018 Phillies that could tell us a little about what the club is trying to do this year.
For one, enough has been said about the team’s early plate discipline. The club leads the major leagues at 4.23 pitches per plate appearance, quite a bit above the Diamondbacks at 4.1. It’s been said that P/PA doesn’t necessarily lead to better outcomes, but it’s good to see the team wearing down suspect pitching.
But the Phillies also lead the league in another category, which at least in recent years could lead to better offensive outcomes.