The Philadelphia Phillies endured another tough defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, dropping their second straight game and managing just one playoff win over the past two years. It’s a bitter outcome for a veteran-laden roster that has captured its division in both seasons but consistently failed to deliver when it matters most.
The team’s star hitters have gone cold in October, with Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber combining for only 2-for-21 in the series. After Schwarber faltered in a crucial moment on Monday, the Citizens Bank Park crowd made their frustrations clear — in what could be his final appearance in front of them.
“Phillies fans booing Kyle Schwarber might haunt their team for years to come,” wrote Chris Landers of FanSided. “Getting booed off the field is a heck of a final impression, as is flaming out of the postseason for the third straight year in shockingly similar fashion.”
While Harper and Turner remain under long-term deals, Schwarber is set to hit free agency this winter. Unless Philadelphia pulls off a stunning turnaround in Los Angeles, Monday’s loss could stand as his last home game in a Phillies uniform.
Asked about the team’s struggles, Schwarber didn’t shy away from the obvious. “Does it suck that we didn’t get a win here? Absolutely,” he told The Athletic’s Matt Gelb. “But we have to go out there (to LA) and we have to focus on one game at a time.”
As the Phillies shift their focus to survival on the West Coast, fans can’t help but wonder if Schwarber’s tenure in Philadelphia just ended beneath a chorus of boos.