The Philadelphia Phillies might have a solid record so far in 2025, but the same persistent issues from recent seasons continue to hamper their progress. While the starting rotation has largely performed well, the offense remains frustratingly inconsistent, and the bullpen has been a major liability.

These problems were evident in Sunday’s matchup against the Miami Marlins. The Phillies jumped out to a three-run lead in the first inning, and Jesús Luzardo turned in a strong seven-inning performance. However, the offense could only muster two more runs over the next nine innings, and both Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm faltered out of the bullpen. What seemed like a win slipped away in extra innings.

After the game, manager Rob Thomson was asked about the bullpen struggles, and his response wasn’t particularly encouraging.

“I don’t,” Thomson said when asked if there was a bullpen problem. “Because it’s still a small sample size. I know we have really good arms, really good stuff out there. We’ve just got to keep working at it, keep grinding through it.”

This kind of answer is typical of Thomson, who tends to stick with his plan and hope things turn around. While it’s still early in the season, the team has had nearly a month to show progress—and so far, staying the course doesn’t seem to be working.

Thomson bears some responsibility for the bullpen woes. Given the team’s ongoing issues in relief, it might be time to give someone like Tanner Banks, who has posted a 2.70 ERA in nine outings, a shot in higher-leverage situations. Meanwhile, Jordan Romano, with a rough 15.26 ERA, may need to be shifted out of those key moments—at least for now.

To be fair, Thomson wasn’t given the best tools to work with. The bullpen was a concern last season, and things got worse after replacing reliable arms like Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez with Jordan Romano and Joe Ross—decisions that fall on Dave Dombrowski. However, how those relievers are deployed is on Thomson, and he hasn’t made the most of the group.

The Phillies bullpen currently has a 5.80 ERA, second-worst in the league. While the front office deserves blame for the bullpen’s construction, this unit should be performing better than it is. Thomson hasn’t maximized their potential and hasn’t always made the smartest decisions on who to trust in key situations.

A change in approach is clearly needed, but that’s not really Thomson’s style. His reluctance to adjust could ultimately hinder a team that has its sights set on a World Series run.