Struggling Phillies decide against a team meeting, will lean on experience to break out of slump

When a major league club holds a closed-door team meeting, it’s usually a sign that it has reached rock bottom.

The Phillies can’t get much lower than a sweep at the hands of the bottom-feeding Pittsburgh Pirates. But even so, the Phillies veterans haven’t seen a need to hold a meeting yet, as the team hosts the Chicago Cubs to open their homestand.

But even if there hasn’t been an official meeting, that doesn’t mean there isn’t dialogue throughout the clubhouse.

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“There’s not really a team meeting aspect-wise; I think everything comes around naturally in that everyone walks around the room, everyone talks to each other,” Kyle Schwarber said before Monday’s game. “Especially even when you’re going through it in Pittsburgh. Everyone has conversations. I think that’s the biggest message, is just making sure that [you’re] never riding the high, never riding the low.

“Just staying that same person on a daily basis. If you can control your emotions and you can control your attitude and the things you can control on a daily basis, good things are going to happen.”

The Phillies mustered six total runs in three games against the Pirates, a team that is comfortably in last place in the National League Central. The entire lineup has struggled in the absence of Bryce Harper, who was placed on the injured list Saturday with right wrist inflammation.

In their first seven games in June, the Phillies have a .181 batting average and a dismal .288 slugging percentage.

“I think it’s natural to try and do too much when you’re going through something like this,” said manager Rob Thomson. “But every team goes through something like this every year. My 40 years in the game, especially in the big leagues, every year there’s going to be a team or teams going through something like this. Just got to fight. These guys are doing the right things as far as preparation, and they’re playing hard. I think the energy level is up, but of course, the frustration level is up as well. And just got to ride the wave.”

Thomson expects his players to lean on their experience to figure out how to shake off the slump.

“We’re 1-9 right now in the last 10, but if you stretch it out to 15 games we’re 5-10,” he said. “Last year we went through a 3-12 stretch. Everybody forgets about that, but it just proves to me that we can get through this. We’ve just got to keep preparing, keep competing, and try not to do too much.”

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Aaron Nola still has not thrown since suffering a setback in his rehab from a sprained right ankle. Nola was initially shut down last week during the Phillies’ road trip in Toronto after experiencing stiffness in his right side, which led to the team canceling a planned session against live hitters. Phillies trainers believed the stiffness might be related to coughing. Nola had been sick.

Nola saw a doctor before the Phillies’ opener against the Cubs.

“I talked to [Nola]. He said he was feeling a little bit better today,” Thomson said.

Nola has been on the injured list since May 16.

To clear room for Zack Wheeler’s reinstatement on the 26-man roster to start Monday, reliever Daniel Robert was optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley. … Phillies outfield prospect Justin Crawford has missed three games in triple A after being removed from a game last week with a quadriceps strain. The IronPigs were off Monday. “They said it was mild, but they’re just being precautious right now,” Thomson said. “I don’t think it’s going to be long.” … Harper planned to see a doctor after Monday’s game. … Mick Abel (1-0, 0.79 ERA) is scheduled to start against Chicago right-hander Colin Rea (4-2, 3.59) on Tuesday.