Phillies news and rumors 5/7: J.T. Realmuto says team is ‘built for the long haul’

J.T. Realmuto has anchored the Phillies’ league-best pitching staff this season.

The Phillies are playing some of the best baseball they’ve played in the last decade, or more. They’ve won 17 of 20, and 17 of 20 is 17 of 20, even if it’s not coming against the Braves, Dodgers and Orioles. At 25-11, they have the best record in baseball.

It’s markedly different, in a good way, from the formula the Phillies followed the previous two seasons: start off several games under .500, induce widespread panic, flip a switch in June, roll.

No, the Phillies are playing like a postseason team now — in early May, beginning in late April. It’s not reasonable to expect them to keep up this winning clip, as it would currently net them 113 victories. But even still, the Phillies aren’t concerned they’re wasting their best baseball at one of the lowest-leverage times of the season.

“No. No, no, no,” J.T. Realmuto told reporters after the Phillies’ 6-1 win over the Giants on Monday, when asked if he’s afraid the Phillies are peaking too early. “This team’s built for the long haul.”

The record alone, unsustainable as it may be, shouldn’t fool you into disbelieving Realmuto — or fearing that the Phillies are indeed peaking too early. Over the last two years, they’ve clearly figured out a formula designed to help them win in October. They’ve taken the pedal off the metal during the regular season, saving their proverbial bullets for the postseason and ramping it up then. Along with Atlanta’s seemingly less measured approach the last two seasons, it’s been what’s helped them skate by the Braves in the NLDS two consecutive years.

There’s no reason to think they’re doing anything different this year. Why would they? They’re just a better team. Trea Turner, until he got hurt, was better than he was at this point last year. Bryce Harper has been playing all season. Alec Bohm has been one of the sport’s best players. The pitching staff has been the sport’s best. That — plus the White Sox, Rockies and Angels — will win you a lot of games.

The Phillies spoke all throughout Spring Training about starting fast. They’ve done it. And that doesn’t need to subtract from anything they might do in August, September or, most importantly, October. Just enjoy the ride.

Must-Read Phillies Content

Taijuan Walker is well aware of the tricky situation in the Phillies’ rotation. He spoke on Sunday about whether he needed to discuss anything with Spencer Turnbull because of it, as Destiny Lugardo writes.
The Phillies have a new question in the two-hole of the lineup, as Tim Kelly explored Monday.
Amid those rotation and lineup questions, though, the Phillies just keep on winning — sealing a four-game sweep of the Giants on Monday. Destiny Lugardo recaps.
The win largely came because Zack Wheeler keeps looking like not just an ace, but a prime NL Cy Young candidate, as Tim Kelly wrote postgame.

Former Phillie Nation

It appears all is well between Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon (at least from the perspective of the latter, who is not the one who was choked):