PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Not many, other than perhaps the players and their manager Gabe Kapler, thought the Phillies would be a consideration for the postseason by July 4. Four more setbacks and they would have finished 2017 with 100 losses. This year, there was supposed to be an improvement—but this upward arc is moving far more exponentially than probably what the Phillies even imagined.
June was a touchstone month. It included the bulk of a 42-game span where the Phillies were playing teams with .500 of better records. The Phillies finished 21-21 and went 13-14 through June, which included going 5-2 against National League East rival Washington and right-hander Zack Eflin going 5-0 with a 1.