Rob Thomson Says Phillies' Defense Has 'Improved' Over Last Year

Rob Thomson Says Phillies’ Defense Has ‘Improved’ Over Last Year originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Philadelphia Phillies’ defense has been a major talking point for a few seasons now. While the defense went into the series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers tied for the fewest errors in baseball, it doesn’t tell the whole story.

In the series finale, Weston Wilson misplayed a ball in left field, and while it was ruled a double, it was essentially an error. The Phillies’ defense, despite not being credited for an error, had a defensive miscue that snowballed into a crushing loss.

In an article from Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Phillies manager Rob Thomson shared optimism for the defense despite the poor showing against the Brewers.

“I don’t know how to put a number on it,” said Thomson. “But I think we’ve played very well at times. We’ve improved over the last year. And I think Trea’s played a lot better this year than he did last year. So he’s improving. So I don’t know how to put a number on it. But it looks bad right now because of the last two days.”

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (59) celebrates a run scored in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

His comments come after a tough Brewers series rife with fielding mistakes. While the Phillies have been solid in the field in 2025, old habits die hard. Trea Turner, who had been one of the worst defenders over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, went back to his old self against the Brewers.

While Turner stands out for his large contract and history of poor defense with the Phillies, the entire team is partially to blame. But Thomson doesn’t view the Phillies’ defense as a major point of concern.

One of the most telling statistics about the Phillies’ defense is the opponent batting average on batted balls in play. When batters of the opposing team hit a ball into the field of play, they are hitting .318 against the Phillies.

Only the Colorado Rockies, off to the worst start in MLB history at 9 and 50, have a higher batting average on balls hit in play. The defense, while not always credited for errors, is allowing the opposing hitters to consistently get hits.

Thomson still believes in the Phillies’ defense, even with all of the mistakes that don’t result in errors. If the Phillies are to make a deep postseason run, the defense needs to perform better. While bleak, Thomson is optimistic that the defense will improve going forward.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.

Rob Thomson Says Phillies’ Defense Has ‘Improved’ Over Last Year

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