The Philadelphia Phillies lost Game 1 of the NLDS, and they needed to bounce back and win Game 2 in Philadelphia before the series headed out west. But the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled ahead, and despite a late surge from the Phillies, they dropped Game 2.
It was a brutal loss, one that all but cements their fate this season. Going down 0-2 to the Dodgers, with the series heading out west, strongly indicates that the Phillies' season is coming to a close.
After the loss, Nick Castellanos was asked about the recent struggles of the Phillies at home. And his answer, which David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer shared, was a ridiculous comment that pointed towards Phillies fans being partially to blame for the recent home struggles in the playoffs.
Nick Castellanos makes a ridiculous comment on Phillies fans after losing Game 2 of the NLDS
"I think the stadium is alive on both sides, right?" Castellanos said, "When the game is going good, it's wind at our back, but when the game is not going good, it's wind in our face. The environment can be with us, and the environment can be against us."
This comment, after the Phillies' lifeless offense dropped another game at home, is a frustrating one from Castellanos. He's essentially calling out Phillies fans for their lack of support at times, which was seen in Game 2 when Jhoan Duran came out with his electric closer's intro, cascaded by boo's from frustrated fans.
Philadelphia has notoriously passionate fans, and regardless of whether the team is playing well or not, there will always be something that they will demand better of. Even during the Philadelphia Eagles' dominant Super Bowl run, there were plenty of concerns about the passing game and other phases of the game as well.
For the Phillies, the equivalent is the lackluster offense, namely from the stars in Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber. If they were hitting better, there wouldn't be as much frustration from Phillies fans.
During Monday night's game, the Phillies had very little offense heading into the ninth inning. A Max Kepler triple and Turner single were the only run-producing hits on the entire night.
Phillies fans, who likely spent a lot of money to show up and support this team, were justifiably frustrated with the performance. Whether it's a game in the dead of summer or a postseason game, Phillies sports fans aren't afraid to share their opinion of the team.
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The cascading boo's from Phillies fans aren't unfamiliar, and while the Phillies' 2022 and 2023 postseason runs had incredible moments, the recent performances have left a lot to be desired.
Castellanos's comment about Phillies fans is a ridiculous one to make. Fans wouldn't boo or express their frustrations with the team if they didn't provide a good reason to be frustrated.
While the frustration from the fans can have an impact on the players on the field, the players need to shut out that noise and fight back. When they began to make a comeback, ironically aided by a Castellanos double, the fans had their back.
But, it was too little too late, and the Phillies dropped Game 2, going down 0-2 for the series, and are now on the ropes for the second straight year after a strong regular season.
While the Phillies fans' booing might negatively affect the players, attributing some of the blame for the Phillies' recent struggles at Citizens Bank Park to the fans is a ridiculous comment.
The offense has been poor, the middle relief hasn't been great, and some of the decisions from Rob Thomson have hurt the Phillies. Fans are justifiably frustrated with the team, especially with the Phillies' recent performances at home in the playoffs.
The Phillies will need to win out in the NLDS if they want to keep their postseason dreams alive. They take a trip out west to face the Dodgers in Los Angeles, with Aaron Nola set to face Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3 of the NLDS.
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