Philadelphia Phillies Receive Poor Early Season Grade

The team's struggles through the first 18 games have them earning a low mark from analysts.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 11:10am by

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game, with the team's red and blue colors broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes that convey a sense of disarray and underperformance.The Phillies' early season struggles are reflected in a fragmented, cubist-inspired illustration that captures the team's disjointed performance.San Francisco Today

The Philadelphia Phillies have gotten off to a disappointing start to the 2026 MLB season, losing three straight series against the San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Chicago Cubs. With a team ERA that is one of the worst in the league and several key hitters struggling, the Phillies have been given a 'D-' grade by analysts for their performance through the first 18 games.

Why it matters

The Phillies were expected to be a contender in the NL East this season, but their early struggles have put them in a hole. If they can't turn things around soon, they risk falling too far behind in the division race. The team's pitching and hitting issues will need to be addressed for them to get back on track.

The details

The Phillies' troubles started with a pair of shutout losses to the Giants, and they followed that up by dropping two out of three games each to the Diamondbacks and Cubs at home. Their team ERA is among the worst in MLB, and two starters have very high individual ERAs. While the return of Zack Wheeler from injury could help stabilize the rotation, there are concerns he may be rusty initially. On offense, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have been productive, but the rest of the lineup hasn't provided much support.

  • The Phillies' struggles began in their series against the San Francisco Giants.
  • They then lost two out of three games each to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs at home.

The players

Zack Wheeler

A starting pitcher for the Phillies who is expected to return from injury soon, but may be rusty initially.

Kyle Schwarber

A Phillies slugger who has been one of the team's most productive hitters so far this season.

Bryce Harper

A star outfielder for the Phillies who has also been performing well offensively in the early going.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Even though a grade of a D- is pretty bad, it is a fair one for the Phillies so far. This is a team that doesn't have much going right for them, and that is concerning.”

— Kerry Miller, Bleacher Report Analyst

What’s next

The Phillies will look to turn things around in a big weekend series against the division-rival Atlanta Braves.

The takeaway

The Phillies' poor start to the season has them in a concerning position, as their pitching and hitting struggles have led to a disappointing 'D-' grade from analysts. If they can't get things back on track soon, they risk falling too far behind in the NL East race.