Phillies Midseason Review: Grades, Awards, & Predictions | Catchin' Phils (Episode 27)

At the halfway point of the 2026 season, Josh and Austin are taking a complete look at the Philadelphia Phillies roster, grading every position group, handing out midseason awards, and identifying the club's biggest strengths and weaknesses. What will it take for the Phillies to win the division and be a true title contender in October? This episode of Catchin’ Phils covers the most important topics. Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin' Phils ⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠. Timestamps: 00:00 - Season overview and the importance of midseason evaluation 02:22 - Phillies' recent series recap and current standing 07:47 - Revisiting midseason team grades from Memorial Day 08:40 - Offense grade update: strengths and areas for growth 10:12 - Defensive metrics and standout defenders 14:20 - Starting rotation's performance, key arms, and concerns 18:37 - Bullpen deep dive: strengths, weaknesses, and trade possibilities 36:07 - Bench evaluation: concerns and potential improvements 42:50 - Manager Don Mattingley's leadership and coach of the year considerations 46:51 - Midseason awards: rookies, MVP, and most disappointing player 66:10 - Season over/under predictions for home runs and wins 69:28 - division outlook and race prediction: Phillies vs. Braves 73:06 - Looking ahead: trade deadline and upcoming series against Royals