When the clubhouse opened after the Phillies 7-2 loss in Game 3 Tuesday, Nick Castellanos was sitting at his locker.
He was waiting for the media. He wanted to talk. He wanted to be heard. He had a take on the mounting pressure that is on the Phillies and now has their 2024 season on the precipice of extinction.
He did his philosophical routine, saying some things that were obviously thought out in advance and weren't raw, emotional responses. But his words had more truth in them than even he may have realized.
"As a group, this is the closest to death we're ever going to get. So in a way, we should feel the most alive." pic.twitter.com/RCYCRTNaTs
"As a group, this is the closest to death that we're ever going to get," Castellanos said. "So, in a way, we should feel the most alive. We're only promised tomorrow and this is what we've been working for since spring training - to have this opportunity.
"It's one more time to show out and leave everything on the field, and however the dice is going to land, it's going to land."
Castellanos was, of course, referring to the do-or-die scenario this season's Phillies face. But his words could be just as prescient for this group's legacy.
Because if the Phillies do lose this series to the Mets, they will have washed away all of the cache they had with the city.
It was just two Octobers ago that the city of Philadelphia fell madly in love with these Phillies and their personality. An unexpected and magical run to the World Series had so many parts to it that they became part of the fabric of the city.
From the public release of the team's post-win Spotify playlist to the cute antics of the three youngest Phillies becoming known as the "Day Care." From embracing "Dancing on My Own" as a Philadelphia anthem to wearing FOCO overalls. From singing along to A-OK every time Bryson Stott stepped to the plate to giving manager Rob Thomson the nickname "Philly Rob" to embracing the daily pander from Bryce Harper when he waxed poetic about the people of the Philadelphia area, the city was all-in.
So, the @Phillies walk into Xfinity live….😀😀😀 #RedOctober #RingTheBell #Phillies pic.twitter.com/4lZSoBBqkf
The World Series ended in heartbreak, but the excitement was there heading into 2023, and when the Phillies repeated their practice of slaying the Atlanta dragon in the NLDS and everyone saw the Arizona Diamondbacks as the NLCS opponent, the belief was there. It was real. This team was going to win a championship and become the most beloved group of players Philadelphians had ever seen represent their city.
Yes, more than the Broad Street Bullies. More than the Nick Foles-led Eagles. More than Chase and Jimmy and Ryan and Cole and Chooch.
These guys had connected with the fans better than all of them. For them to win would set off the biggest party the city had ever seen.
But then, they gagged in two games at Citizens Bank Park and watched the Diamondbacks celebrate on their home field.
The players were devastated. They knew they let a golden opportunity - maybe the best one they'd ever have - slip through their fingers.
They wanted a second chance. LIke the 76ers of the late 1970s, they felt like they owed us one. They wanted to run it back with the same group. It would be different this time.
So, ownership and management obliged. The big free agent signing in the offseason was keeping Aaron Nola. There were a few new ancillary pieces, but for the most part, it was the same group coming back.
And they had a series of goals - Win the division. Earn a bye. Storm through the league to win a championship.
And with the way this season started, it seemed like they were well on their way.
However, with that early-season success also came an elevated expectation. And with elevated expectation comes harsher scrutiny. And with harsher scrutiny comes immense pressure.
These Phillies believed they could handle it all. Experience. Talent. Determination. All ingredients that when combined would allow them to overcome any and all obstacles.
It didn't matter that they sleepwalked through much of the second half of the season. It didn't matter that they had a concerning drop off in offensive production since Independence Day. It didn't matter that they lacked any semblance of starting pitching depth. They didn't need any upgrades at the trade deadline, just some complimentary additions to round out the roster would be great.
That's because these Phillies knew their goals. They have talked about them for a year. Finish the job they screwed up last October. It's all this season was about.
Rob Thomson addressed his team after the game three loss...
His message was very simple: pic.twitter.com/rGpCw8U1aC
So, to come up empty now and do so against an inferior roster and division rival would be completely unacceptable.
Any benefit of the doubt would be gone. All the vibes will have been extinguished. The group, no matter how close-knit, would have to be broken up. They know that can't run this back again in 2025 and expect a different outcome. The roster needs to evolve and change.
That doesn't mean a lot of these guys won't be back - they will. Most of them are under contract for next year and beyond.
But if they fail again, there is no more special connection. There is no more leash. There is no more Day Care, and soundtracks, and other off-field accoutrements for fans to latch onto.
Instead, Philadelphia will revert back to a "wake me up when you prove it" mentality.
So, yes, this team is as close to death as it's ever going to get.
Can it avoid the knell that usually comes when you are this close? Sure. The path, though incredibly narrow, still exists. And maybe come Saturday, everything will have changed and the city will be right back on the crazy train of positivity with the Phillies.
"I think right now it's really important to embrace what the situation is," Castellanos said.
They better, because if they lose, the city will let go of its half of the embracing, and it would have every right to do so.
