The 1938 Philadelphia Phillies season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in eighth place – last in an eight-team National League – with a record of 45–105, 43 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs and 24.5 games behind the seventh-place Brooklyn Dodgers. It was the first of five straight seasons in which the Phillies finished in last place. The Phillies wore blue and yellow on their uniforms in honor of the Tercentenary of New Sweden.
Offseason December 8, 1937: Earl Grace was traded by the Phillies to the St. Louis Browns for Cap Clark.Earl Grace page at Baseball Reference
Regular season The Phillies moved from their old home park, National League Park, to Shibe Park midway through the season. Phillies president Gerald Nugent was eager to cut expenses and he cited the move as an opportunity for the Phillies to cut expenses by sharing stadium upkeep with the Philadelphia Athletics.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log Legend Phillies win Phillies loss Phillies tie PostponementBoldPhillies team member
|- style="background:#fbb" | 1 || April 19 || Dodgers || 5–12 || Luke Hamlin (1–0) || Wayne LaMaster (0–1) || None || 10,000 || 0–1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 2 || April 20 || Dodgers || 6–5 || Bucky Walters (1–0) || Max Butcher (0–1) || None || 2,000 || 1–1 |- style="background:#fbb" | 3 || April 21 || Dodgers || 0–9 || Tot Pressnell (1–0) || Hugh Mulcahy (0–1) || None || 2,000 || 1–2 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || April 22 || @ Bees || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 1 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 4 || April 23 || @ Bees || 1–3 || Lou Fette (1–0) || Bill Hallahan (0–1) || None || 10,180 || 1–3 |- style="background:#fbb" | 5 || April 24 || @ Bees || 0–2 || Danny MacFayden (1–1) || Bucky Walters (1–1) || None || 11,216 || 1–4 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || April 25 || @ Giants || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain and inclement weather); Makeup: April 27 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 6 || April 26 || @ Giants || 8–12 || Dick Coffman (1–0) || Wayne LaMaster (0–2) || None || 5,871 || 1–5 |- style="background:#fbb" | 7 || April 27 || @ Giants || 3–7 || Harry Gumbert (2–0) || Hugh Mulcahy (0–2) || None || || 1–6 |- style="background:#fbb" | 8 || April 27 || @ Giants || 6–11 || Cliff Melton (3–0) || Syl Johnson (0–1) || None || 21,829 || 1–7 |- style="background:#fbb" | 9 || April 28 || @ Dodgers || 3–6 || Luke Hamlin (2–1) || Bucky Walters (1–2) || Max Butcher (1) || 6,745 || 1–8 |- style="background:#fbb" | 10 || April 29 || @ Dodgers || 4–5 || Tot Pressnell (2–1) || Bill Hallahan (0–2) || None || 5,123 || 1–9 |- style="background:#fbb" | 11 || April 30 || Bees || 11–16 || Johnny Niggeling (1–0) || Tommy Reis (0–1) || Ira Hutchinson (1) || 2,500 || 1–10
|- style="background:#bfb" | 12 || May 1 || Bees || 5–1 || Hugh Mulcahy (1–2) || Jim Turner (2–1) || None || 5,000 || 2–10 |- style="background:#fbb" | 13 || May 3 || @ Cubs || 2–5 || Dizzy Dean (3–0) || Bucky Walters (1–3) || Charlie Root (2) || 8,327 || 2–11 |- style="background:#bfb" | 14 || May 4 || @ Cubs || 6–4 || Claude Passeau (1–0) || Larry French (1–2) || Al Smith (1) || 5,048 || 3–11 |- style="background:#fbb" | 15 || May 5 || @ Cubs || 2–21 || Al Epperly (1–0) || Wayne LaMaster (0–3) || None || 1,314 || 3–12 |- style="background:#fbb" | 16 || May 6 || @ Cardinals || 3–4 || Curt Davis (1–1) || Hugh Mulcahy (1–3) || None || 1,858 || 3–13 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 7 || @ Cardinals || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 17 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bfb" | 17 || May 8 || @ Reds || 2–0 || Bucky Walters (2–3) || || None || 11,116 || 4–13 |- style="background:#fbb" | 18 || May 9 || @ Reds || 4–9 || Peaches Davis (2–3) || Claude Passeau (1–1) || None || 540 || 4–14 |- style="background:#fbb" | 19 || May 10 || @ Reds || 3–7 || Joe Cascarella (2–0) || Hugh Mulcahy (1–4) || None || 947 || 4–15 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 11 || @ Pirates || colspan=6 | Postponed (cold and rain); Makeup: June 12 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 12 || @ Pirates || colspan=6 | Postponed (cold and rain); Makeup: July 20 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 14 || Giants || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 29 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 15 || Giants || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 13 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bfb" | 20 || May 16 || Giants || 12–3 || Bucky Walters (3–3) || Hal Schumacher (2–2) || None || 1,500 || 5–15 |- style="background:#fbb" | 21 || May 17 || Reds || 1–13 || Paul Derringer (5–2) || Claude Passeau (1–2) || None || 1,500 || 5–16 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 18 || Reds || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 26 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bfb" | 22 || May 19 || Reds || 5–4 || Hugh Mulcahy (2–4) || Joe Cascarella (2–1) || None || 1,000 || 6–16 |- style="background:#fbb" | 23 || May 20 || Cubs || 7–16 || Tex Carleton (4–2) || Bucky Walters (3–4) || Jack Russell (2) || 2,964 || 6–17 |- style="background:#fbb" | 24 || May 21 || Cubs || 1–10 || Larry French (2–4) || Claude Passeau (1–3) || None || 5,000 || 6–18 |- style="background:#bfb" | 25 || May 22 || Cardinals || 2–1 || Pete Sivess (1–0) || Bill McGee (2–1) || None || 5,000 || 7–18 |- style="background:#bfb" | 26 || May 23 || Cardinals || 7–6 || Hugh Mulcahy (3–4) || Mike Ryba (0–1) || None || 1,000 || 8–18 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 24 || Pirates || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain and wet grounds); Makeup: June 19 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bfb" | 27 || May 25 || Pirates || 2–1 || Bucky Walters (4–4) || Jim Tobin (3–3) || None || 1,000 || 9–18 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 26 || Pirates || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 18 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 27 || @ Giants || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain and wet grounds); Makeup: May 28 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 28 || May 28 || @ Giants || 4–5 || Cliff Melton (7–1) || Hugh Mulcahy (3–5) || Dick Coffman (5) || || 9–19 |- style="background:#fbb" | 29 || May 28 || @ Giants || 0–11 || Carl Hubbell (6–1) || Pete Sivess (1–1) || None || 26,476 || 9–20 |- style="background:#fbb" | 30 || May 29 || @ Giants || 6–7 || Harry Gumbert (4–3) || Bucky Walters (4–5) || Jumbo Brown (1) || 14,889 || 9–21 |- style="background:#bfb" | 31 || May 30 || @ Dodgers || 9–5 || Claude Passeau (2–3) || Vito Tamulis (0–4) || None || || 10–21 |- style="background:#bfb" | 32 || May 30 || @ Dodgers || 7–4 || Wayne LaMaster (1–3) || Van Mungo (2–5) || Pete Sivess (1) || 18,500 || 11–21
|- style="background:#fbb" | 33 || June 1 || @ Cardinals || 4–9 || Ray Harrell (2–1) || Hugh Mulcahy (3–6) || None || 1,471 || 11–22 |- style="background:#fbb" | 34 || June 2 || @ Cardinals || 5–12 || Roy Henshaw (1–0) || Bucky Walters (4–6) || None || 1,635 || 11–23 |- style="background:#fbb" | 35 || June 3 || @ Cardinals || 7–8 || Max Macon (1–4) || Al Smith (0–1) || None || 1,456 || 11–24 |- style="background:#fbb" | 36 || June 4 || @ Cubs || 1–5 || Larry French (4–5) || Claude Passeau (2–4) || None || 8,505 || 11–25 |- style="background:#fbb" | 37 || June 5 || @ Cubs || 1–7 || Tex Carleton (6–3) || Hugh Mulcahy (3–7) || None || 17,311 || 11–26 |- style="background:#fbb" | 38 || June 6 || @ Cubs || 8–10 || Charlie Root (3–1) || Bucky Walters (4–7) || Bob Logan (2) || 2,906 || 11–27 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || June 7 || @ Reds || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 22 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 39 || June 8 || @ Reds || 5–7 || Paul Derringer (8–4) || Claude Passeau (2–5) || None || 14,898 || 11–28 |- style="background:#bfb" | 40 || June 10 || @ Pirates || 3–2 || Hugh Mulcahy (4–7) || Russ Bauers (1–4) || None || 1,034 || 12–28 |- style="background:#fbb" | 41 || June 11 || @ Pirates || 3–4 || Bill Swift (3–2) || Bucky Walters (4–8) || None || 3,811 || 12–29 |- style="background:#fbb" | 42 || June 12 || @ Pirates || 5–11 || Mace Brown (8–2) || Claude Passeau (2–6) || None || 4,826 || 12–30 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || June 12 || @ Pirates || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain and Sunday curfew); Makeup: August 25 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 43 || June 14 || Cardinals || 3–4 || Curt Davis (6–2) || Hugh Mulcahy (4–8) || None || 1,000 || 12–31 |- style="background:#fbb" | 44 || June 15 || Cardinals || 7–9 || Mike Ryba (1–1) || Syl Johnson (0–2) || Clyde Shoun (1) || 1,500 || 12–32 |- style="background:#bfb" | 45 || June 16 || Cardinals || 3–2 || Claude Passeau (3–6) || Bill McGee (2–5) || None || 975 || 13–32 |- style="background:#fbb" | 46 || June 17 || Pirates || 3–4 || Mace Brown (9–2) || Al Hollingsworth (2–3) || None || 4,000 || 13–33 |- style="background:#bfb" | 47 || June 18 || Pirates || 5–3 || Hugh Mulcahy (5–8) || Russ Bauers (1–6) || Claude Passeau (1) || 3,000 || 14–33 |- style="background:#fbb" | 48 || June 19 || Pirates || 4–14 || Jim Tobin (5–3) || Pete Sivess (1–2) || None || || 14–34 |- style="background:#fbb" | 49 || June 19 || Pirates || 3–16 || Cy Blanton (2–1) || Wayne LaMaster (1–4) || None || 10,000 || 14–35 |- style="background:#fbb" | 50 || June 21 || Cubs || 3–4 || Al Epperly (2–0) || Claude Passeau (3–7) || Charlie Root (4) || 1,200 || 14–36 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || June 22 || Cubs || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 31 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bbb" | – || June 23 || Cubs || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 20 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 51 || June 24 || Reds || 4–6 || Peaches Davis (4–3) || Al Hollingsworth (2–4) || Joe Cascarella (3) || 5,000 || 14–37 |- style="background:#bfb" | 52 || June 25 || Reds || 7–6 || Al Hollingsworth (3–4) || Joe Cascarella (3–4) || None || 2,500 || 15–37 |- style="background:#bfb" | 53 || June 26 || Reds || 10–3 || Claude Passeau (4–7) || Jim Weaver (4–3) || None || || 16–37 |- style="background:#fbb" | 54 || June 26 || Reds || 5–8 || Paul Derringer (10–5) || Wayne LaMaster (1–5) || None || 8,520 || 16–38 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || June 28 || Giants || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 14 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 55 || June 29 || Giants || 1–9 || Hal Schumacher (7–5) || Al Hollingsworth (3–5) || None || || 16–39 |- style="background:#fbb" | 56 || June 29 || Giants || 2–6 || Cliff Melton (8–5) || Hugh Mulcahy (5–9) || None || 8,000 || 16–40 |- style="background:#fbb" | 57 || June 30 || Giants || 1–14 || Slick Castleman (3–2) || Claude Passeau (4–8) || None || 1,500 || 16–41
|- style="background:#bfb" | 58 || July 1 || @ Bees || 4–1 || Claude Passeau (5–8) || Bobby Reis (0–1) || None || || 17–41 |- style="background:#bfb" | 59 || July 1 || @ Bees || 5–0 || Wayne LaMaster (2–5) || Dick Errickson (0–4) || None || 2,313 || 18–41 |- style="background:#fbb" | 60 || July 2 || @ Bees || 1–2 || Ira Hutchinson (4–4) || Syl Johnson (0–3) || None || 7,252 || 18–42 |- style="background:#fbb" | 61 || July 3 || @ Dodgers || 1–3 || Vito Tamulis (2–6) || Al Hollingsworth (3–6) || None || || 18–43 |- style="background:#fbb" | 62 || July 3 || @ Dodgers || 0–2 || Bill Posedel (4–4) || Bill Hallahan (0–3) || None || 10,157 || 18–44 |- style="background:#fbb" | 63 || July 4 || Bees || 5–10 || Bobby Reis (1–1) || Hugh Mulcahy (5–10) || None || || 18–45 |- style="background:#bfb" | 64 || July 4 || Bees || 10–2 || Claude Passeau (6–8) || Dick Errickson (0–5) || None || 12,000 || 19–45 |- style="background:#bbcaff;" | – || July 6 ||colspan="7" | 1938 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Crosley Field in Cincinnati |- style="background:#fbb"