​The Home Run Derby is tonight, headlined by Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. My guess is that neither makes it to the second round on the evening. If I had a thought on who might win, I’d pick Junior Caminero, whom I consider the most underrated hitter in the game today.
Three up:
Zack Wheeler – What more can you say? Thirteen innings over two starts, 24 strikeouts, only two walks. That’s ace-level pitching from Wheeler. Given that he underwent surgery this year and many believed he wouldn’t be able to fully recover, it’s remarkable what the Phillies have in him. Teams would love to have two pitchers as consistently excellent as Cristopher Sánchez and Wheeler, and the Phillies should consider not wasting this.
J.T. Realmuto – The Phillies are pretty desperate for any offensive production beyond Harper, Schwarber, and Brandon Marsh this year. When players click even for a week, it becomes noteworthy, especially with Realmuto, who has struggled at the plate for much of the season. A home run and six RBIs over the week helps prop up an offense that had sagged in the middle of the road trip.
Derek Hill – Another incredible catch and a week where he was effectively the lone source of offense and positive energy. Hill has been heating up lately, posting a .368/.400/.579 line across 20 plate appearances. That kind of production shows he can be a meaningful contributor for the 2026 Phillies. It will be interesting to see how his playing time looks if the team adds another outfield bat to supplement the current roster, but he has certainly earned more opportunities.
Three down:
Left-handed relief – Tanner Banks, José Alvarado, and Tim Mayza all struggled this week, with Banks even getting sent out as a consequence. The club clearly needs to explore upgrades in relief if they want to make a postseason impact.
Brandon Marsh – Marsh looks like he’s running on fumes lately and may benefit from a breather. The situation is complicated by his role as the National League’s All-Star Game starter, which means he’ll be active all week for baseball-related duties. With Derek Hill and Justin Crawford swinging it well, it might be wise for Don Mattingly to give Marsh a few more regular rest days as the season wears on to help him regain his stamina.
Alec Bohm – Bohm could use some downtime as well. His week (.111/.226/.148 with 31 plate appearances) underscored the need for a break. He’s hit the ball hard often, but right now it looks like he could benefit from a short reset.
For the Phillies, the balance between rest and rotation could determine how the remainder of the season unfolds. Wheeler’s dominance and Realmuto’s recent production offer bright spots, while the relief corps and some lineup pieces need adjustments if Philadelphia hopes to contend deep into October. Junior Caminero’s name as a potential breakout pick adds a layer of intrigue to the broader conversation about who might emerge as the real surprise in the league this season.