Yup, it's the story of every season since 2018.
They tried to make a surprise playoff run that year (and were still in first place in September).
2019's injuries were so voluminous, and payroll already so high, that they only made marginal (if necessary) upgrades and never sniffed first place again after early June, IIRC.
Last year it was the bullpen and the pandemic but a little more aggression (an extra starting pitcher or better bench player) and they would have made it in the expanded playoff.
So here we are again, though unlike the 2018, 2019 and 2020 teams, this club sometimes feels like it is a little better (mostly thinks to the pitching) and yet it has also spent less time sniffing first in the NL East than any of those (I believe), and probably has no chance at a wild card. Meanwhile, the farm system is empty thanks to the collapse or at least heavy pause of the 2015-2018 high picks.
Maybe it's not a fire sale, and I don't think they can really have one at the deadline either, but some creativity and Rays-like trades are probably required just to even attempt to upgrade the overall talent level on next year's team. Simply spending the same $ to replace Cutch and Herrera (while still not really knowing what they have at 3B and SS and 1B) isnt gonna do it.
