The Philadelphia Phillies are hopeful that Bryce Harper and Jean Segura will return at some point in the second half. Ditto for Zach Eflin. It goes without saying that after signing Nick Castellanos to a five-year/$100 million deal, they need much more than the .673 OPS he posted prior to the All-Star Break.
But as the Phillies welcome the Chicago Cubs to Citizens Bank Park to begin the second half of the 2022 slate Friday, they are tied for the third Wild Card spot in the National League. A portion of their first-half rebound can be attributed to José Alvarado’s emergence as an elite late-inning reliever, and the 27-year-old will have quite a bit to say about whether the Phillies do indeed return to the postseason for the first time since 2011.