The Phillies’ turnaround exposes exactly what’s wrong with the Blue Jays

The Philadelphia Phillies held a dismal 9-19 record when they fired former manager Rob Thomson on April 28th, 2026. They’ve been arguably the best team in baseball since replacing him with former Toronto Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly, going 39-19 to re-insert themselves into a NL East division race with the Atlanta Braves that looked over in early May.

While Mattingly deserves credit for steering the ship back on track, the Phillies’ stars have been largely responsible for their turnaround—an important reminder for the Blue Jays amid their ongoing struggles. 

What have the Phillies’ stars done that the Blue Jays’ haven’t?

The Phillies’ marquee names have been on an absolute tear since Mattingly took over as interim manager at the end of April. 

Kyle Schwarber leads MLB with 30 home runs. Bryce Harper has a near-.900 OPS since May 1st. Brandon Marsh is hitting well above .300 with unexpected power. This trio has carried a lineup that still isn’t getting anywhere near the production it expects from All-Star shortstop Trea Turner. 

On the pitching side, the return of Zack Wheeler and the continued dominance of Cristopher Sánchez have given Philadelphia a dynamic 1-2 punch atop its rotation. Jesús Luzardo has shaken off a slow start to give them a reliable third arm. 

Overall, it’s not hard to understand why the Phillies have been playing so well considering how these names have performed. It’s also easy to understand why the Blue Jays have continued to scuffle when comparing the production of their stars in 2026. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, and Alejandro Kirk have all massively underperformed this season. Guerrero, in particular, still hasn’t hit a home run in Toronto and has seen his OPS dip below .700. 

The Blue Jays have been abysmal as a team with runners in scoring position, with these three chief among those failing to execute in these important spots. They have been the opposite of clutch in 2026—hardly what stars are supposed to be. 

This is why the idea of firing manager John Schneider doesn’t make sense. It’s not his fault that Guerrero and the gang aren’t hitting well. It’s not his fault that his team can’t buy a hit with runners in scoring position. He’s doing his job by putting them in the lineup; they aren’t doing what they are paid to do. 

Schneider has earned his fair share of criticism over the years. He’s never been perfect, but firing him wouldn’t give this Blue Jays’ team the spark it needs. Rob Thomson wasn’t the reason the Phillies got off to such a rough start, and Mattingly isn’t the reason why they have turned things around. Why would it be any different for Toronto? 

The Blue Jays need their best players to be their best players. Schwarber and Harper have effectively put their teammates on their backs over the last two months, willing them back into contention. Toronto isn’t going anywhere unless its stars do the same. 

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