Phillies Plummet: NL East Race Heats Up

0:00It's April 23rd, I'm Cory with the story, and this is MLB News Today Baseball News powered by AI. The National League is owning the American League this season, but the real jaw dropper is the Philadelphia Phillies. Last year in 2025, they crushed it with 96 wins and 66 losses, snagging the second best record in the NL behind only the Milwaukee Brewers. They even topped the Dodgers by three wins. Fast forward to now in 2026, and the Phillies are at 8 and 16, tied with the Mets for the worst mark in the league after. Dropping their eighth straight game on Thursday, the longest skid in all of Baseball. Their roster looks pretty much the same, but things have gone south quick. They've got the worst run differential in Baseball at minus 50. 15 runs worse than anyone else. ESPN's Jeff Besson called it out, highlighting how they're sinking fast despite that powerhouse season just behind them. ESPN's and analysts are stunned. This is the biggest shock in the National League right now.

1:01The Phillies were the number two seed in the playoffs last year, when six NL teams made it. In the NL East, the Atlanta Braves lead despite rotation injuries, and the Miami Marlins sit second at 12 and 13, the only other team above. 500. It's still early, but this whole their digging could be tough to escape. Missing the playoffs would free up a spot for wild cards like the Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, or even the St. Louis Cardinals. Baseball's full of twists, and the Phillies show how fast fortunes flip keep watching this NLE's battle heat up.