Things have gone from bad to worse for the Philadelphia Phillies, who were swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend, extending their losing streak to five games. They’ve now dropped three straight series and nine of their last ten games.
June is typically when the bats heat up, but the Phillies’ offense has gone ice cold. There’s plenty of blame to go around, and it starts at the top with manager Rob Thomson and his coaching staff.
Thomson needs to seriously rethink his lineup decisions and bullpen usage, as his recent choices haven’t yielded results.
If the Phillies want to stay in the race in the NL East, they’ll need to turn things around fast.
Who’s to blame for the Phillies’ horrible road trip to begin June?
The entire Phillies offense
The Phillies’ offense has been dreadful during their current skid. Although Bryce Harper has missed most of this stretch with multiple injuries, the lineup is simply too talented to be this ineffective without him.
As a veteran team with a hefty payroll, Philadelphia shouldn’t be so dependent on a single player. With stars like Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, and J.T. Realmuto, the offense should be capable of producing even in Harper’s absence.
Turner has been the most reliable bat in the lineup and one of the few delivering at the plate. Meanwhile, key pieces like Schwarber and Bryson Stott have been virtually invisible as June begins.
Schwarber, who’s built a reputation for strong performances in June, has struggled mightily. The 32-year-old is hitting just .143 this month with one home run, three RBIs, one walk, and 13 strikeouts in 28 at-bats.
Stott, who impressed in April, has cooled off significantly. He’s just 2-for-24 so far in June and may soon be dropped from the leadoff spot against right-handers.
Jesús Luzardo
Jesús Luzardo had a strong start to his Phillies tenure after being acquired from the Marlins in the offseason. The lefty posted a 5-0 record with a 2.15 ERA and 77 strikeouts over 67 innings through May 25, making him an early contender for the NL Cy Young Award.
However, his Cy Young hopes have taken a major hit following two rough outings. In his lone start this month—a 9-1 loss to the Blue Jays last Thursday—Luzardo lasted just 2 1/3 innings, giving up nine hits, two walks, and eight earned runs.
Dating back to his May 31 start against the Brewers, Luzardo has surrendered 21 hits, five walks, and 20 earned runs—including three home runs—over just 5 2/3 innings. He’s recorded only six strikeouts in that span and suffered his first two losses of the season.
Jordan Romano
Raise it! 🏴☠️
Nick Gonzales walks it off for the @Pirates! pic.twitter.com/XJ9NaWXItn
— MLB (@MLB) June 7, 2025
Jordan Romano hasn’t lived up to expectations since signing a one-year deal with the Phillies this offseason. The former two-time All-Star closer struggled badly out of the gate, but eventually settled in with a stretch of nine straight scoreless outings, picking up five saves along the way.
However, June has not started well for Romano—mirroring the broader struggles of the Phillies. He’s pitched in three games this month and has blown two ninth-inning leads in non-save situations, first against his old team, the Blue Jays, last Wednesday, and again on Friday versus the Pirates.
In just 2 1/3 innings this month, Romano has surrendered six hits, one walk, and three earned runs, resulting in an 11.57 ERA for June. Overall, his season ERA sits at 7.71 over 26 appearances.
With José Alvarado suspended, the Phillies need more stability from their bullpen, and Romano is one of the arms they’ll need to rely on if they hope to make a serious postseason push.
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