A 9-19 start felt too heavy for the Philadelphia Phillies as they fired their manager, Rob Thomson. However, bringing in Don Mattingly as the interim manager hasn’t magically fixed the Phillies’ broken offense. Although the Phillies’ clubhouse managed to win four consecutive games since Mattingly took over, the veterans have yet to showcase their worth.

As the Phillies faced a 4-0 shutout loss in the second game against the Miami Marlins, their offensive struggles, especially Kyle Schwarber’s, were evident. The eagle-eyed Mattingly went brutally honest about his cornerstone.

“Maybe he’s not seeing the ball good here,” Mattingly remarked. “He comes out of that doubleheader in Philly kind of on fire, and they’ve just neutralized him here. But not a guy that you really worry about unless it gets extended.”

Schwarber seems to have lost his rhythm since he visited Miami.

In the second game, he scored nothing from three at-bats. The first game was worse as Schwarber went hitless in his five at-bats. In total, Schwarber has now struck out in eight consecutive at-bats. And it just paints a conclusive picture of how he is hitting in 2026.

Currently, Kyle Schwarber is hitting .210 and has recorded 11 homers. Last year, he hit 56 HRs at .240.

Mattingly seems right that the Marlins have successfully decoded how to neutralize a power-hitter like Kyle Schwarber.

On Saturday, the credit for dominating Schwarber goes to the Marlins’ starter Max Meyer.

He struck out Schwarber on a slider in the first inning and sweepers in the fourth and seventh. Surely, the other teams are noting it down.

Still, as Mattingly is keeping calm, the only silver lining was Schwarber’s stats in the previous series against the San Francisco Giants.

On Thursday’s doubleheader, he went 5-for-6 with three walks and homered in both games. And if we recall Schwarber’s last year stint, we might agree with Mattingly.

Since hitting his 49th homer on August 28, 2025, Schwarber entered a 10-game homerless streak to hit his 50th. He returned, and how?

He broke the drought on September 9 against the New York Mets with a three-run shot! So, despite staying low-key in Miami, it’s a little too early to give up on the Phillies’ cornerstone. And we probably saw a glimpse of that on the Phillies’ 7-2 win on Sunday.

In 4 at-bats, he recorded 2 hits with 1 run scored and 1 walk. His BA for this game was slightly better than their shutout loss day – from .210 to .220.

While Schwarber could rebound soon, the Phillies’ offense remains a sad story.

The team is currently ranked 29th in terms of average (.223) and 28th in terms of total runs scored (124). So, if the Phillies’ cornerstones like Schwarber can’t consistently produce, the front office might be forced to consider options, including trading away their biggest superstar.

The Phillies are likely eying a blockbuster trade

The Phillies have fired Rob Thomson, and Bryce Harper could be the next in line to leave the franchise.

According to Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, the Detroit Tigers are a potential landing spot for Phillies superstar Bryce Harper.

While it is not the first time that Harper’s trade discussion is gaining buzz, the Phillies’ current situation is what is making it a more practical. The Phillies’ clubhouse already witnessed exchanges between Harper and Dave Dombrowski. The team president was skeptical whether Harper is still “elite.” That issue surely got resolved, but Harper’s .256 batting is what is making things uneasy.

Enter the Tigers.

With Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, their pitching is already full-proof, but there’s still scope to make some elite hitters out of their average production. Harper is the obvious answer.

He can slide right into first base or DH, instantly giving Detroit the big bat they are missing.

However, the Phillies still owe Harper $150 million, which limits their trade options.

He is on track for another 30-homer season with an .800 OPS. If another team decides that production is worth the massive price tag, brace yourself to see Harper in a different jersey soon.