The 2026 MLB season has hit the midway point, and the big question is simple: Who are the Philadelphia Phillies? Host Shawn Chabam sits down with returning guest Matt Miles of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to break down the wild first half. They dig into the firing of Rob Thomson, the rise of Don Mattingly, and when the Phillies might drop the interim tag. They talk Nick Castellanos, his surprising ovation in Philly, and the timing of his Padres release.They also touch on the inconsistent offense, standout bats, quiet contributors, and the biggest disappointments at the plate. Then they shift to the pitching staff — Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and the Andrew Painter situation. Who fills the fifth rotation spot? Can this team contend with only three reliable starters?They examine the Phillies’ identity, their comeback wins, and what defines the 2026 squad. With the trade deadline coming, will Dave Dombrowski make a major move? And does the playoff bye hurt more than it helps? Then there’s the Automated Ball-Strike system and how MLB’s expansion of ABS is changing the game.A full, honest, midseason breakdown of the Phillies — their highs, lows, identity, and future.Each main episode of Carved in Stone, host Shawn Chabam builds a Mount Rushmore of a specific topic — ranking the top four icons, moments, or underdogs in a way that’s fun, opinionated, and sometimes hilariously unexpected.Check out the full podcast at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwCP9q8sczd5eHcVcGUpenmz5ijHWfVmz.Subscribe to YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@ShawnChabam?sub_confirmation=1Photo attribution: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15qkYEBEhkjuXPjh9bn_qkSwoQ_T2k0FYF1z1Wbk6Xvo/edit?usp=sharing
