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Before the start of the season, Phillies fans everywhere circled this week’s series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park on their calendars. But not because the Brewers themselves were coming to town. Instead, it was when Rhys Hoskins, whose tenure in the Phillies organization lasted nearly a decade, would return to the ballpark he called home for his entire big-league career prior to this year.
And while Hoskins’ return will certainly be a driving force behind the large crowds in South Philly this week, the matchup between Milwaukee and Philadelphia is an intriguing one that any fan should want to watch because it’s an early-season look at what could be a playoff series later this year in October.
There’s been a lot of talk about the Phillies in 2024. Their 41-19 record is second-best in Major League Baseball and tops in the National League. Their starting pitchers rank towards the top of many important categories like ERA, innings pitched and strikeouts as a group. The pitching staff as a whole has allowed the fourth-fewest runs in the majors (214).
Meanwhile, the Phillies’ offense has been just as good. They rank first in the majors in runs (313) and are towards the top of other key offensive leaderboards such as home runs and OPS.
When it comes to the Brewers, there hasn’t been a ton of chatter about them. But there certainly should be.
Milwaukee seemed like a team that would take a step back in 2024 after winning the NL Central last season. They lost their manager, Craig Counsell, to the division rival Chicago Cubs during the offseason. In February, the front office traded away their ace, Corbin Burnes, to the Baltimore Orioles. And, in the middle of spring training, their All-Star closer, Devin Williams, was diagnosed with fractures in his back, meaning he’d miss at least the first three months of the season.
Despite those significant subtractions, the Brewers have been one of baseball’s best teams this season. They currently lead the NL Central with the third-best record (36-23) in the NL.
Without Burnes, the Brewers’ starting rotation has taken a few steps back this year. Their starting staff doesn’t pitch deep into games, as evidenced by their big-league-worst 282 2/3 innings pitched. Milwaukee starters have a 4.14 ERA this year, ranking ninth in the NL and 17th in the majors. That puts pressure on their bullpen, which has stepped up without Williams.
Milwaukee’s bullpen, led by guys like left-handers Bryan Hudson and Holby Milner and right-handers Jared Koening and Elvis Peguero, has tossed the most innings in baseball with 241 2/3. In those innings, they’ve pitched to tune of a 3.46 ERA — third-best in the NL and sixth-best in the majors.
As for Milwaukee’s offense, which fell into the bottom half of numerous categories in 2023, it’s been one of the best in the majors this year. The Brewers rank second in runs scored (304), right behind the Phillies. Their .752 OPS is third-best in the majors, while their 67 home runs is one less than the 68 the Phillies have hit.
One player leading the way for Milwaukee at the plate has been catcher William Contreras. He’s currently hitting .316 with an .877 OPS and eight home runs. Willy Adames, Joey Ortiz, Brice Turang and Christian Yelich have also been a big part of Milwaukee’s offensive success.
As for Hoskins, he returned from the injured list over the weekend after dealing with a hamstring injury. He went 3-for-9 with three singles and is hitting .239/.339/.465 on the season with nine home runs.
Coming off back-to-back deep playoff runs with a star-studded roster, the Phillies were expected to be one of baseball’s better teams this year. They’ve met, and even exceeded, expectations so far. The Brewers weren’t expected to be this good. They look like a playoff team again.
A three-game series in early June doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, but playing the Brewers will be a good test for the Phillies. Milwaukee is a strong opponent who is playing good baseball right now. The Brew Crew have won five straight and have an 8-2 record in their last 10 games.
There’s plenty of baseball left to play, but this series might not be the last time these two teams meet at Citizens Bank Park in 2024.
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