The Phillies’ postseason is slipping away fast, and the frustration in Philadelphia is starting to show with fan voice their frustration.
Phillies in Serious NL Hole
As Philadelphia dropped Game 2 of the NLDS to the Dodgers on Monday night, fans at Citizens Bank Park let their displeasure be known, booing as closer Jhoan Duran entered with the team trailing 4–1. The loss pushed the NL East champs into a 0–2 series hole, setting up a potential elimination game Wednesday in Los Angeles.
Harper Takes a Different Tone
But star outfielder Bryce Harper—long the face of the franchise—took a different tone when asked how the boos affected the clubhouse.
“I don’t feel that way. I love playing in the Bank,” Harper said. “I love our fans. I boo myself when I get out.… They spend their hard-earned dollar to come watch us play. They expect greatness out of us. I expect greatness out of myself and my teammates as well. … They make me play better. So I enjoy it.”
Harper’s remarks, via team media availability, stood in contrast to those of teammate Nick Castellanos, who admitted the environment can cut both ways.
“When the game is going good, it’s wind at our back. When the game is not going good, it’s wind at our face,” Castellanos told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “The environment can be with us, and the environment can be against us.”
Castellanos added that the Phillies can “play tighter” when sensing the crowd’s frustration.
A tale of two tones in Philly
The comments highlight the differing ways players handle the city’s famously intense baseball atmosphere—a fanbase that demands excellence and isn’t shy about letting its stars know when expectations aren’t met.
For Atlanta fans, it’s a familiar sight t. The Phillies—who dethroned the Braves in the past two postseasons—now face elimination after back-to-back home losses. If Los Angeles completes the sweep Wednesday, it would mark Philadelphia’s earliest playoff exit since 2021.
