Ya Gotta Believe.

If you’re a Mets fan, you recognize the phrase.

Former Mets and Phillies reliever — the late Tug McGraw — coined it during New York’s 1973 run to the World Series.

Do you believe in the 2026 Phillies? An impressive sweep in Pittsburgh should reinforce the idea.

While the Phillies are soaring, the Yankees are floundering. The Mets had won nine of their last 13 with their growing youth movement.

Going into Monday’s game against Cincinnati, the Phils had won their sixth straight series after they had dropped six straight. They were baseball’s hottest team, 16-4 under Don Mattingly.

Under Mattingly, the gang’s all here.

Brandon Marsh is in contention for the batting title, and Cristopher Sanchez recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts Saturday, pushing himself to the front of the class for the Cy Young Award. Zack Wheeler followed with an award-like performance, looking already like a strong candidate along with Sanchez for the league’s top pitcher.

Kyle Schwarber is having a Ruthian-like season with 20 homers in 47 games.

Bryce Harper has begun looking “elite,” hitting .327 with six homers and 11 RBIs, and Alec Bohm has gone from .159 to .217 with his .345 average in May. Bryson Stott has all five of his homers in May.

Yet, it’s not perfect as Aaron Nola will probably have to work through his issues at least until the All-Star break, and reliever Jose Alvarado is either on or off. Adolis Garcia and JT Realmuto are both scuffling at the plate.

Yes, it’s still early, but those postseason wheels are slowly beginning to turn again. For now, think Wild Card.

While the Phillies are baseball’s hottest team, the Yankees cooled off with their recent 3-7 road trip in which they were rattled by the crosstown Mets.

Test Time ... Through their first 43 games, the Phillies played Colorado (18-28) — two series — San Francisco (18-27), Arizona (22-23), Boston (19-27), Miami (21-24), and Texas (21-24) with losing records. They also tangled with the first-place Athletics (23-23) — you read that correctly — and Washington (23-24).

Against the Cubs (29-13), they were 1-6, and against the Braves (32-15), they were 1-5.

In the big picture outside of the Cubs and Braves, they didn’t have a difficult slate.

Under Mattingly, they didn’t play a team with a winning record until Pittsburgh. But they certainly needed a change, as Thomson was beginning to sound like the manager/coach who was on his way to be fired, as his response began to be repetitive, mundane, and lifeless.

The Phils got their first test of the season to see if this is a postseason team when they returned home this week to host Terry Francona’s upstart Reds, who are in the thick of the NL Central race where all five teams are over .500, and the AL Central Division-leading Cleveland Guardians.

Mattingly has made it interesting by juggling the lineup. He had Alex Bohm sitting out for two games due to his horrific start, and Bohm responded.

After this homestand, they swing out west for a series with both the Dodgers and Padres, who have been battling for the top NL West spot the past two weeks. After that, it’s back home against the Padres.

That would put them at the 63-game mark, and they may be able to gain some ground on the Braves, who began Monday with an eight-game lead.

Move Over Barry ... With his 20 homers in his first 46 games, Schwarber is on pace for a 70-homer season. He could easily surpass Barry Bonds, who holds the all-time season mark with 73 in 2001.

Bonds hit his 20th homer on May 12 in 2001, and finished May with 28 homers, having his largest total of 17 of all the months. Bonds hit 11 in June, fizzled in July with six, but rebounded with 12 each in August and September before he hit four in October.

In May, Bonds had 30 RBIs, and 52 total, while Schwarber has 16 RBIs this month and 36 overall so far. Bonds had 31 walks in May and 54 headed into June, while Schwarber has seven walks in the month 31 overall.

Schwarber’s season certainly will get interesting. He will be under the microscope at the All-Star Game’s Home Run Derby, with the game at Citizens Bank Park.

New York Minutes ... The Yankees (28-19) began a key homestand against surging Toronto (21-25) and first-place Tampa (30-15).

It’s also becoming more apparent that the Yanks need a better solution at third than Ryan McMahon (.183), and at catcher than Austin Wells (.173). David Bednar (1-3, 4.95, 10 saves) may be out as the closer. Add Trent Grisham with his .166 average. Earlier in the season, the team was beginning to look like a replica of the 1998 team.

Since Giancarlo Stanton has been sidelined, the Yanks are 11-11.

Somehow, the Mets entered Monday winning five of their last six and nine of their last 13, missing four opening-day starters. However, rookies Carson Benge, Christian Scott, AJ Ewing and free agent RJ Melendez have infused a run to .500, and more youngsters are likely on their way.

Quick Quiz ... What former Phillie has the major league record for the most walk-off homers?

Keep The Faith ... In a recent Times News Facebook poll, 61 percent of the voters believed Marsh wouldn’t stay in the batting title race, while 39 percent will keep the faith.

Entering Monday’s game, Marsh was fourth overall, and third in the National League with his .329 average, four homers, 22 RBIs and .830 OPS.

Last season, Marsh hit .280 with 11 homers, 43 RBIs, with an OPS of .785

Readers Write

A Solid Piece of Marsh

Dear Jeff,

If you take away his April starts from last year, Marsh has been batting over .300. Turner won the batting title with a .304 average last year.

I believe if Marsh keeps putting the ball in play and he can stay consistent without any big slumps, he has a good shot.

Melissa Hager

Lehighton, PA

Too Marshy

Dear Jeff,

Unfortunately, no, Marsh won’t be in contention for the title. The cream always rises to the top. And no cream can grow in that beard. Just mold. He’s having a lucky start.

Tyler Scheuer

“Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act”

Newtown Grant, PA

Quick Quiz Answer ... Jim Thome has 13 walk-off homers, breaking a tie with Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial, Frank Robinson and Albert Pujols.

High Riser ... Gage Wood, the Phillies 2025 top overall draft pick and 25th overall, has been elevated from Low-A Clearwater to Double-A Reading.

In eight starts this season, Wood had an 0-2 record with a 3.42 ERA in 26.1 innings, 40 strikeouts and 12 walks.

The University of Arkansas standout had a 19-strikeout, no-hitter in the College World Series last year. At Arkansas overall, Wood was 9-3 with a 4.75 ERA in 55 games and 13 starts, with 167 strikeouts and 38 walks in 108 innings.

Wood has averaged 96 mph on his four-seam fastball. According to StatCast, opposing hitters didn’t make contact on 38 percent of swings facing the pitch.

Scrapbook ... In each column, I will look back at a former standout from the area.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt “Ted” Wieand, a 1951 Slatington graduate, had a stellar four-year career that propelled him into a professional career that spanned over parts of a season with the Cardinals and Reds. In his senior year at Slatington, Wieand went 9-1, averaged 17 strikeouts per game, and had four one-hitters.

After high school, Wieand signed a contract with a bonus to play for the Cardinals, and played 10 seasons in the minors. In December 1957, he was involved in a five-player deal to the Reds that involved Curt Flood.

Wieand made his debut with the Reds in 1958, and made his final appearance against the Phillies in April 1960.

In October 1960, Wieand was traded to the Yankees, but didn’t appear in a game for them. In addition, Wieand was the minor league Pitcher-of-the-Year for the Havana Cuba Sugar Kings of the International League.

Overall, Wieand was 0-1 with a 9.95 ERA in six major league games. Wieand passed away at the age of 88 in 2021.

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