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Currently six and a half games up in the NL East, the Philadelphia Phillies are firing on almost all cylinders. Coming off four wins in a row, including a sweep of the Seattle Mariners, the Phillies will once again square off against the Washington Nationals. This weekend's three-game set comes just a few days after the division rivals split a four-game series a few days ago. Ahead of their final head-to-head this weekend, team beat writer Matt Gelb spoke to second baseman Bryson Stott about the form that his teammate, Trea Turner, has been on as of late.
“It feels like he’s gotten three hits a game for the last three weeks,” Stott said to Gelb Thursday.
Turner has 21 hits over his last seven games, averaging three hits per matchup during the recent hot stretch. Because of this, his batting average has gone up 22 points, and he's certainly in position to capture the NL batting title. It's safe to say that this is the player that Phillies wanted when they signed him to his $300 million deal a few seasons ago. Now, Turner and Stott have helped Philadelphia maintain their spot at the top of the standings. Will their excellent form continue as September draws closer?
Can Phillies' middle infield push team deep into postseason?
Stott has also been in great form as of late. Following a rough July, the former first round pick has hit .354 in August. His recent upturn in form has come at a key time for the Phillies. Now that both Stott and Turner are heating up, it looks as if the rest of Philadelphia's offense has woken up as well. Over the last four wins, they've scored 40 runs. If this recent hot streak continues over the next few weeks, then the Phillies will be even more dangerous come October.
Manager Rob Thomson and his coaching staff have helped many of the Phillies' veteran stars get back into form. Despite how well the offense has done as of late, the pitching staff has taken its lumps. Luckily, due to the offense, Philadelphia still maintains their division lead. With Stott and Turner already in postseason form, will the pitching staff follow their example? If so, Thomson and his team should make another deep playoff run in just a few weeks' time.
