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It’s only June, but next stretch could define Phillies season | Extra Innings

Among the next 16 games, 13 are against the struggling Mets and Marlins.

Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki raises his glove after tagging out the Phillies' Bryce Harper at the plate during the fourth inning Thursday.
Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki raises his glove after tagging out the Phillies' Bryce Harper at the plate during the fourth inning Thursday.Read moreManuel Balce Ceneta / AP

What happened? The Phillies, after an exciting start to the season, have become tough to watch. They’ve lost four straight and looked rather listless in all four losses. The Phillies began the season with a three-game sweep of the Braves. But since then? They’ve gone 36-35, just one game over .500. It’s beginning to feel like last September, and the Phillies will have to act fast to stop their spiral.

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— Matt Breen (extrainnings@inquirer.com)

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Here comes a defining stretch

The Phillies had to wait through two days of rain this week in Washington to lose three games. They have lost 13 of their last 19 games and are hovering just above .500. The free-falling Phillies are closer to third place in the NL East than they are to first.

It’s been a rough month, and it will be the next 16 games — 13 of which come against the struggling Mets and Marlins — that could define the season. Clean up against the NL East’s two worst teams, and the Phillies will right themselves. Keep losing, and it could get ugly.

“I view every moment as pretty important,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “I think this one is important, too, in how we bounce back on this next homestand. It'll be huge for us.”

The Phillies play their next seven games at home. They will try to handle the Marlins this weekend with two fill-in starting pitchers. The Phillies still have just four starters in their rotation and nearly as many relievers on the injured list as they have in the bullpen. Even if the Phillies take care of business against the Marlins and Mets, they still have glaring concerns to address before the July 31 trade deadline.

The Phillies spent this winter building a lineup that they expected would outslug opponents. Instead, the Phillies are below the league average in nearly every offensive category. They have a .432 slugging percentage when you subtract what their pitchers have done at the plate. It is the sixth-lowest mark in the National League. Home runs are being hit at a record pace, yet the Phillies have hit the fourth fewest in the National League. Rhys Hoskins leads the Phillies with 15 homers but ranks 45th in baseball.

“The players in our lineup have a long track record of success,” Kapler said. “The guys who are coming back in the bullpen have a long track record of success. Our starting rotation has been successful in stretches. I think all the talent necessary is here.”

The rundown

“Pretty simply put, we stunk,” Hoskins said, summing up the 1-5 road trip to Atlanta and Washington. Scott Lauber was in D.C. this week for the three Phillies losses and posed these questions: When will the Phillies straighten up? And what will the National League East look like when they finally do?

Chase Utley was in Allentown on Thursday ahead of tonight’s retirement ceremony at Citizens Bank Park. Utley talked about the work he’s done this season as a TV analyst for the Dodgers and what he thinks of analytics.

Kapler defended his decision to not bench Jean Segura on Thursday night after Segura’s lack of hustle a night earlier cost the hitter an extra base. Segura homered in Thursday’s fifth inning to tie the game, 3-3. “We can’t win every night, but we can win the game of give-a-[hoot] and be undefeated in that category,” Kapler said.

Kapler also was creative with his batting order as he tries to find ways to wake up a slumbering offense. Bryce Harper batted leadoff and Hoskins batted second. The Phillies still lost. Kapler said the Phillies are a better team when they see pitches in the first inning, so that’s why he moved Harper and Hoskins to the top.

Important dates

Tonight: Chase Utley retires in a pregame ceremony, 6:40 p.m.

Later tonight: Aaron Nola starts series opener against Miami, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday: The Phillies have to find a starter to face right-hander Elieser Hernandez, 4:05 p.m.

Sunday: Another starter is needed for the series finale, 1:10 p.m.

Monday: Phillies welcome the Mets for a four-game series, 7:05 p.m.

Stat of the day

The Mets fired their pitching coach Thursday afternoon after their staff entered the day with the third-highest ERA in the National League. They replaced 52-year-old Dave Eiland with Phil Regan, an 82-year-old former pitcher who faced Mickey Mantle and relieved Sandy Koufax.

Regan, who debuted in 1960, was managing the Orioles in 1995 when Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive-games streak. Regan’s first big-league manager was Philly native Jimmy Dykes, who was born in 1896. Regan is older than the combined ages of Phillies manager Gabe Kapler (43) and pitching coach Chris Young (38).

From the mailbag

Send questions by email or on Twitter @matt_breen.

Question: I was wondering how Adam Haseley’s injury was healing and when he may be back in action? — David R. via email

Answer: Thanks, David. Haseley was with the team this week in Washington and ran sprints on the field in the afternoon under the watch of a team trainer. Kapler said Tuesday that Haseley was a week away from either beginning a rehab assignment or rejoining the team. Sounds as if he is moving in the right direction and could be back soon. The Phillies sure could use him.