Apparently, something happens to teams after the Phillies beat them in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. After the Phillies took them out in 2022, the Cardinals spent most of the 2023 season falling on their faces. Similarly, the 2023 Marlins were sent home by the Phillies in the Wild Card series and have spent much of this year playing horrendous baseball. The Marlins’ ten wins are third fewest in baseball, ahead of only the putrid White Sox and Rockies.
But as any Phillies fan could tell you, just because a Marlins team is bad, it doesn’t mean the Phillies will have an easy time of it.