Calling Citi Field a “house of horrors” for the Phillies might be a stretch, but there’s no denying the team has struggled there.
Last October, with the NLDS tied 1-1, the Phillies traveled to Queens and dropped consecutive games to the surging Mets, ending their season.
This season hasn’t been much better. After Monday’s 13-3 loss, Philadelphia is now 0-4 at Citi Field, having been outscored 27-11 in those contests.
Even though the Phillies still hold a six-game lead over New York—the second-largest lead of any division leader—it’s hard to ignore their difficulties against their primary rival.
Manager Rob Thomson acknowledged the challenge before Monday’s matchup, noting that the Mets have had the upper hand when hosting games.
“We just haven’t played well [here], and they have,” Thomson said, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. “That’s really what it comes down to. The last time we were here, we didn’t swing the bats very well… We have to turn it around.”
Overall, the Phillies are now on an eight-game losing streak at Citi Field, having dropped 22 of their last 28 games there. Monday also marked Cristopher Sánchez’s toughest outing of the season, allowing five earned runs and taking a hit to his Cy Young candidacy.
All of this is a reminder that no team should be underestimated in the playoffs. Last year, the Phillies outperformed the Mets for much of the season, but it didn’t matter once October arrived. To avoid a repeat, Philadelphia must find a way to win in Queens.
