3 Phillies to blame for another embarrassment at hands of D-backs

In a much-anticipated rematch of the NLCS a season ago, the Philadelphia Phillies took on the Arizona Diamondbacks. After taking the first game of the series, the Phillies felt flat, dropping the next three and taking another series loss at the hands of Arizona in the process.

Not all performances were bad from Philly, but three players stood out. These are the three most to blame for the series loss against Arizona.

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3. Kyle Schwarber didn't deliver for the Phillies

In the first game of the four-game set, Kyle Schwarber went 2-4 with a walk in what turned out to be his only production in four games. He went 0-10 over the next three, with three walks and one RBI. Schwarber has always been an unconventional leadoff hitter, although this year, he is hitting .257 and getting on base at an elite .388 clip. Still, his production in this series was sorely missed as the Phillies went on a three-game skid after taking the Opener this past Thursday.

Schwarber is enjoying another powerful season, with 27 HRs, 74 RBIs, and a slugging percentage of .494. He is a crucial ingredient to the Phillies' offense, so when he is not on his game like we saw for the past three against Arizona, it can lead to a lack of production from the whole team. It's unlikely he will continue to be ineffective down the stretch, but the team needed him to play well over this last series to help create further separation from the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets.

2. Yunior Marte

The Phillies have just the 12th-best bullpen in the National League, which is alarming given how important it is to depend on relievers in today's game. Yunior Marte inflated that number over the weekend when he allowed seven earned runs and recorded two outs. With the game still within reach, Marte came in and threw gas on the fire.

Marte now owns the worst ERA on the team after it jumped 2.50 from his previous mark of 4.63 to 7.13. Considering he still has an option left on his contract, it's likely that he won't be on the main roster if he struggles much longer. The Phillies are still 7.5 games up in the NL East, but their bullpen is a question mark moving forward. They since acquired Carlos Estevez to help shut the door late in games, but appearances like this from Marte must not continue.

1. Cristopher Sanchez

Cristopher Sanchez took the mound in Sunday's tilt to at least come away with a series tie. Unfortunately, he allowed seven earned runs over 12 hits, getting shelled instead. Death by 1,000 cuts, nine of Sanchez's hits allowed were singles. His splits between home and road are becoming an issue, as he's been tremendous at Citizens Bank Park with a 2.32 ERA but often falls on the road with a mark of 5.53.

Sanchez's first half of the season was spectacular, as he recorded a 2.96 ERA, but he has been ineffective so far in the second half. This game against the D-backs was the second time he allowed at least six runs in his last three starts. Regression was likely coming, but the Phillies can't afford to go into the postseason with a strong rotation. They will at least have Zach Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and hopefully a healthy Ranger Suarez, but being able to depend on Sanchez down the stretch is critical for a deep playoff run.