Before the Philadelphia Phillies found themselves back in the postseason in 2022, they dealt with massive September collapses in 2018-2021. In 2021, they lost the National League East in a season where Bryce Harper won the National League MVP award.

Their division rivals, the Atlanta Braves, had a late-season push to surpass Philly and to win the NL East with an 88-74 record.

Atlanta had lost Ronald Acuna Jr. to a season-ending injury and was dead in the water. It was going to be tough for them to find a way back to the playoffs. Instead, key trades allowed the Braves to catch fire at the perfect time, riding the waves of momentum to take down a 95-win Houston Astros team in the World Series.

Five years later, the Philadelphia Phillies find themselves in a comparable circumstance to those Braves.

Feeling lost

While the Phillies have not lost a superstar like the Braves did that season with Acuna, they have suffered a psychological loss in faith.

Over the past several seasons, the Philly faithful have poured their heart and soul into this team. Red October has become an integral part of the fall season. October is no longer just about the Eagles; the Phillies have re-entered the picture.

There have been cracks in faith after the organization has regressed in recent playoff appearances. A lackluster offseason was another needle being poked in this sensation.

A 9-19 start to the season was the final straw for many.

With the change from Rob Thomson to Don Mattingly, some fans have bought back in. The club’s success since the move has also been a tremendous rebirth of faith. The All-Star Game festivities and passion experienced in Philadelphia helped put the buzz back in the city.

MORE: Should the Phillies trade for Zach Neto?

In just two weeks, however, that bubble has popped.

The Phillies have opened the second half of the season in peril, dropping four straight series to the Mets, Dodgers, Yankees and Marlins. They are 3-9 in those games.

The club that Dave Dombrowski often describes as “good” is average at best. Hidden behind three elite starters, a dominant closer and two dynamic hitters is a roster full of middle-of-the-pack talent.

Fans once again feel like their team is destined for heartbreak, not history, when the calendar reaches October.

That is why all attention is headed towards the trade deadline.

Phillies need to become Brave

Back in 2021, the Braves navigated the Trade Deadline by flying under the radar.

The team needed to rebuild their outfield due to Acuna’s injury.

President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos made four trades to add veteran talent. Atlanta traded for Joc Pederson from the Chicago Cubs, Jorge Soler from the Kansas City Royals, Adam Duvall from the Miami Marlins and Eddie Rosario from the then-Cleveland Indians.

In the blink of an eye, an area of weakness became a strength. These players performed at a very high level, motivated by the opportunity to become etched in baseball history.

Dombrowski needs to take a page from Anthopoulos.

The Phillies have a patched-together outfield, a defense that is incapable of putting together complete games and a stress-inducing bullpen.

Now what?

There is not a single bat available at this season’s trade deadline that can flip the script in one move for the Phillies.

Quantity over quality is the path they must take, regardless of cost.

Last year, the Phillies made an incredible trade for Harrison Bader. Bader, who has a career OPS of .708 finished his short tenure in Philly at an .824 clip. He hit five home runs and tallied 17 extra-base hits.

Which players can recreate this magic in 2026?

Jo Adell of the Los Angeles Angels is an option. Adell is hitting .241 with a .691 OPS and 16 home runs this season. Against left-handed pitching, Adell is hitting .313 with a .943 OPS against left-handed pitching specifically, an area where the Phillies are desperate to improve.

They are 25th in batting average against left-handed pitching. They are 24th in on-base percentage and 6th in strikeouts.

Lane Thomas of the Kansas City Royals is a name that is circulating as well. This was a player the Phillies could have signed this offseason for $5.25 million. Thomas is hitting .230 this season with a .724 OPS and 10 home runs. Against lefties, Thomas is slashing .261 with a .799 OPS.

Against lefties, the Phillies have been running out an outfield of Edmundo Sosa, Derek Hill, and Bryan De La Cruz. Brandon Marsh has returned to his career baseline against lefties, deflating his numbers that bloomed in the first half.

He is back to being a platoon player.

Now or never

At the end of the 2026 season, Dombrowski will be in the spotlight in Philadelphia.

Success at the deadline and the playoffs could waive the resentment that has been building in a sports market that has grown impatient due to playoff failures. Failure at the deadline and postseason heats up the court of public opinion, with anger being strictly directed towards the club’s President of Baseball Operations.

If the Phillies do not make the right moves at this season’s deadline, they are bound to flounder their way through the last two months of the regular season. They should make the playoffs, but that is no longer a guarantee.

A city is waiting for their baseball team to overcome all odds and win a championship. It starts with Dave Dombrowski’s actions over the next days.