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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 28: Don Mattingly, interim manager for the Philadelphia Phillies, looks on after a 7-0 win against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park on April 28, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

When it comes to early-season MLB disappointments, there were several candidates. When it comes to early-season teams that have been disappointments, the list is just as long.

One look at the standings entering the first full week of May, there are a lot of teams in a position that not many people saw coming in 2026 through April. Two managers were fired in April, something that rarely happens. The Boston Red Sox parted ways with Alex Cora, and then the Philadelphia Phillies parted ways with Ron Thomson.

Both teams have been disappointments, but you could also throw other teams in there. How about the New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, and Houston Astros? The list is long.

However, it’s still only early May, and things can change quickly over a 162-game season. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report dropped some bold predictions for May. He had one for the Phillies that was a surprise.

Philadelphia Phillies Get Bold May Prediction From MLB Writer

Entering Monday night’s series final in South Florida against the Miami Marlins, Philadelphia is 5-1 under interim manager Don Mattingly. They are 10.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves, who have run away from the rest of the division. However, they are just two games behind the Marlins for second place. Rymer predicted that the Phillies would close the month of May in second place in the National League East.

“Second place, on the other hand, is only 2.0 games away. And even setting aside how the Miami Marlins (16-18) fare in May, the Phillies should be able to make up that difference. They’re already coming around with six wins in their last eight games, a span in which their starting pitching is second in the league for fWAR. Jesús Luzardo looked especially good with seven scoreless innings his last time out, and that was just plain overdue,” wrote Rymer.

Is this sustainable for the Phillies, or is this the new life a team gets when there is a manager change? Boston won their first two games after Cora was fired. Since then, they have dropped four of their last five. Sometimes it’s not a manager issue, but a roster issue.

As far as Philadelphia goes, yes, there was some roster turnover, but there are still pieces there that should not have them near the bottom of the NL East standings.

Philadelphia Phillies Face Friendly May Schedule

Making two games up on Miami is not out of the question. After closing out the series against the Marlins, the Phillies return home to host the Athletics and Colorado Rockies. Then they travel for three games at Fenway Park against the Red Sox.

The month ends out West against the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Guardians after Boston is doable.

Making the move like Philadelphia did can either be the right move that gets things turned around, or things stay the same. So far, things are slowly turning around. Making up two games on Miami to finish the month in second place is more than attainable for the Phillies.