Philadelphia Phillies Surge Under Don Mattingly

The Philadelphia Phillies have surged under new manager Don Mattingly, now standing 5th in the National League with a 47-38 record, on a L1 streak after losing 7-11 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 29.

What sparked the turnaround?

The Phillies' resurgence began after a dismal start to the season, which cost Rob Thomson his job as manager.

Don Mattingly took over and the team has steadily climbed back into contention.

How has the division race changed?

The Atlanta Braves, who once had a commanding lead, now see their gap atop the standings nearly disappear, with the Phillies just three games behind.

Braves manager Walt Weiss attempted to downplay concerns, saying "I could care less" about the Phillies' surge.

What's next for the Philadelphia Phillies?

The Phillies will look to continue their momentum as they head into the All-Star break, with their next game against a team with a winning record not until July 20 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The team's recent performance has been one of the league's biggest storylines, with the NL East race becoming increasingly competitive.

The Phillies trailed by more than 10 games in the division in the past but have since shrunk the deficit significantly, with Matt Snyder noting "that 10 ½-game deficit for the Phillies? It has shrunk, rather significantly.