Desperation — noun.

1. Loss of hope and surrender to despair
2. A state of hopelessness leading to rashness

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The 2022 pennant-winning Phillies were a noble squad.

Led by interim manager Rob Thomson, the Wild Card didn’t do them justice: they had caught fire in the summer and maintained the flame alive and well, dominating the NL playoffs before giving the dynastic Astros a real fight in their final World Series win. It was the first playoff appearance for Philadelphia in over a decade, and it had come a mere two wins from baseball heaven. The team’s foundation was sturdy. They had only three core regulars over the age of 30: J.T. Realmuto, arguably the best and inarguably the most athletic catcher in the sport; Jean Segura, a consistent veteran second baseman; and ace starter Zack Wheeler. They had time. Most of their best players were in their prime, and their executive branch was known for making all-in moves and enabling contention. Ownership was willing to spend. The Phils were here to stay.

Most observers, fans and neutral viewers alike, would agree that the 2023 Phillies were the best positioned for a ring of any of this generation’s squads; they took out the historic offensively-powered Braves in the NLDS, then outscored the surprising Diamondbacks 15-3 in the first two games of the NLCS. Both were easy wins. Then things fell apart: the offense stopped hitting, the memory of Craig Kimbrel kept appearing in leverage spots, and the Diamondbacks won four of five to knock the Phillies out in a series that still feels surreal today. There was no Yankee or Astro menace to deal with in the World Series, only the Rangers—that was it, the true chance to win it all. It was a huge missed opportunity.

Still, only three regulars for the 2023 Phils were over the age of 30: Realmuto and Wheeler, both still great, now joined by Nick Castellanos. Castellanos will go down as one of Dave Dombrowski’s most notable misses as head honcho in Philadelphia, but even his replacement-level presence in right field couldn’t undo the fact that this was a potent team built to win now. They had time.

The 2024 season reinforced this by bringing Philadelphia’s first NL East title since the days of the Four Aces. And speaking of aces—Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and now add the emerging Cristopher Sánchez to the list, the Phillies were loaded in the rotation. The lineup was deep. The team was as solid as it ever had been. Just not solid enough to overcome magic, apparently, as the OMG Mets shut down Philly’s bats and trounced their bullpen in four games in a series that was not really close. And all of a sudden, Philadelphia had seven—eight if you count fifth starter Taijuan Walker, another Dombrowski miss—regulars over the age of 30: Wheeler, Realmuto and Castellanos, now joined by longtime stalwart Aaron Nola, franchise face Bryce Harper, and marquee free agent signings Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber. Whether they knew it or not, the clock was ticking. You can’t stop the sun from setting.

Nevertheless, 2025 brought about even bigger regular season glory. The Phillies won 96 games, their most since the Charlie Manuel days, and a second straight division title. But they missed the first seed by one win, and in a world where the reigning champion Dodgers were a three-seed getting healthy at the right time, that meant facing the demon in the NLDS. The Phillies tried—and my word, did they ever try, outscoring the Dodgers for the series and giving them a serious run for their money. But they still lost in four agonizing games. Again, empty-handed, and again, seven core players over the age of 30, the same ones as the year before but now a year older. Realmuto and Nola were beginning to really slip; Castellanos was on his last legs and on his way out. Just like that, the sun was on his way down. One wonders how much light it ever really shed.

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