Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Author: Scott Lauber

  • Don Mattingly, who also platooned as a young hitter, believes rookie Justin Crawford can improve against lefties

    Don Mattingly, who also platooned as a young hitter, believes rookie Justin Crawford can improve against lefties

    MILWAUKEE — Justin Crawford has started once against a non-opener lefty since Don Mattingly began managing the Phillies, so let’s not call it anything other than what it is.

    “We’re pretty much platooning him,” Mattingly said.

    That wasn’t the plan when the season opened, except that Crawford, a left-handed hitter, is 4-for-28 (.143) with three walks and no extra-base hits against lefties. And so, the Phillies changed their plan for the 22-year-old rookie center fielder.

    But in relegating Crawford from an everyday role, a familiar chicken-or-egg question has resurfaced. What comes first for a young left-handed hitter: Producing against left-handed pitchers or facing them?

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    The Phillies went through this with Brandon Marsh after trading for him at the deadline in 2022. Kyle Schwarber dealt with it early in his career with the Cubs. Mattingly even sat against lefties as a rookie with the Yankees in 1983 before becoming Donnie Baseball.

    For them, and other left-handed hitters who eventually solve lefties, it’s a rite of passage. For many others, it becomes a more permanent condition, especially if they don’t eventually get more at-bats against lefties.

    Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford bats the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    And Mattingly, as much as anyone, is aware of the two edges of that particular sword.

    “I kind of rely on my own history because when I first came up, I platooned, and it wasn’t a terrible thing for me,” he said. “I probably would’ve struggled with the lefties. [Crawford]’s a guy that I think is going to hit lefties. But the amount of lefties we see, we don’t see a ton. So, it’s days where he can step back and keep working on his swing.”

    Besides, it’s not like Crawford is exactly teeing off on righties. He went 15-for-44 (.341) with four doubles, one triple, and an .885 OPS in his first 14 games. The league adjusted to him, and Crawford hasn’t adjusted back, going 29-for-150 (.193) with a .528 OPS in his last 50 games.

    What if the Phillies’ most impactful addition was a resurgent Trea Turner? He’s working to make it happen.

    Crawford was a polarizing prospect due to his extreme tendency to hit ground balls. Sure enough, among 253 hitters with at least 150 plate appearances, he has the second-highest ground-ball rate (59.6%).

    “There’s been ups and there’s been downs, but we knew that was going to happen with him,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “He has somewhat of an unusual swing. We knew that all along. Kind of sprays the ball all over the place. He’s working through it.

    “He started off a little bit quickly, but lately it’s been a little bit more of a struggle. But he keeps working, and we think he’ll work his way through it.”

    Justin Crawford reacts after he’s called out following an ABS challenge last month.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Maybe. For now, though, it will have to happen against primarily right-handed starting pitchers.

    “When you’re on that side of the platoon, you’re getting between 450 and 500 at-bats, so you’re playing regular,” Mattingly said. “I don’t think it’s something that sets him back. It will set him back a little bit from my standpoint of dealing with lefties.

    “But this is more about him having success, giving him the best chance, and then let him grow into the lefties.”

    Not out of left field

    Edmundo Sosa remains a work-in-progress left fielder. But making only his seventh start of the season there Saturday night, he made a diving catch — and replaced a sizable divot — in the fifth inning.

    “I’d say like, in general, he’s an infielder who we’re kind of getting more and more time out there in left, and he hasn’t hurt us, right?” Mattingly said. “He’s caught everything he should have caught. He’s made some nice plays. He throws the ball where he’s supposed to throw it. So, he’s been solid for us.”

    Sosa started again in left field against another lefty, the Brewers’ Kyle Harrison, in Sunday’s series finale here. In the outfield alignment against lefties, the Phillies prefer moving Marsh to right field and using newly acquired Derek Hill in center.

    Is it finally time for Mike Trout to be traded? The all-in Phillies make too much sense.

    (Marsh plays left field, with Crawford in center against righties. Gabriel Rincones Jr., recalled from triple A on Friday, will take over in right field for injured Adolis García.)

    The Phillies are expected to explore trading for a righty-hitting outfielder before the Aug. 3 deadline, especially after losing García to a torn lat muscle near his right shoulder. The Phillies are lining up additional medical opinions before García elects season-ending surgery.

    “It’s an important one for him and his career,” Mattingly said. “So, everybody wants to get it right and not have to rush into anything right now.”

    Phillies outfielder Adolis Garcia and teammate Edmundo Sosa celebrate in the dugout against the Washington Nationals earlier this season.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Extra bases

    Mattingly said the Phillies may consider using a day off Friday to separate Andrew Painter and Aaron Nola in the rotation to avoid taxing the bullpen on back-to-back days. … The Phillies return home Monday night to face the Marlins. Zack Wheeler (5-1, 2.22 ERA) is scheduled to start at 6:40 p.m. against right-hander Ryan Gusto (0-1, 6.00).

  • Phillies’ bats come alive with 17 hits, bullpen hangs on in 9-8 win over the Brewers

    MILWAUKEE — No offense to Shane Drohan, but after what they faced here Friday night, the Phillies were sure offense would be easier to come by Saturday.

    Call it “The Miz” effect.

    Because although Drohan has a respectable fastball, nobody throws more premium octane than his Brewers teammate, Jacob Misiorowski, whose 104-mph rocket fuel makes everything else looks like regular gasoline.

    And sure enough, after getting held to one hit and striking out 15 times against Misiorowski, the Phillies blasted off for a season-high 17 hits, then staved off a late charge in a series-tying 9-8 cuticle-chomper over a National League heavyweight.

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    “The first [pitch] I saw today, I think it was 94, and I was pretty far out in front of it,” said J.T. Realmuto, who interrupted a 2-for-33 slump with three hits, including a three-run homer. “It almost slows the game down for you a little bit after seeing 104 all night.”

    And now, the Phillies (38-32) will give the ball to their ace, Cristopher Sánchez, with a chance Sunday to win the series over the Brewers (42-26) and clinch a winning road trip. Sánchez will also be able to rebut Misiorowski in the still-early Cy Young Award debate.

    Before that, though, let’s get to the best part for the Phillies in their biggest offensive outburst of the season: The bottom of the order did the heaviest lifting.

    Bryson Stott lined two RBI doubles, one of which broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning; Realmuto collected four RBIs; Brandon Marsh and Edmundo Sosa had three hits apiece; the Nos. 5-9 spots in the order went 12-for-24 with eight RBIs.

    How’s that for shaking off a Misiorowski hangover?

    “Obviously we weren’t bothered by what happened [Friday] night,” interim manager Don Mattingly said after the Phillies won for the eighth time in 11 games. “I didn’t think we would be, honestly. Any time you face that and he’s throwing the ball like he did, it’s kind of easy to flush it when a guy’s doing that.

    “And then anybody you see after that is just not the same.”

    Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski made history on Friday. But the Phillies are ‘glad’ to have faced him.

    But it wasn’t stress-free for the Phillies either. Not after Brad Keller loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth inning. He wild-pitched in one run and gave up a sacrifice fly to Christian Yelich and an RBI single to Jackson Chourio to slice a four-run lead to one run.

    Interim manager Don Mattingly said he was “close” to taking Keller out. Realmuto wasn’t sure the Phillies would emerge with the lead intact.

    “Hopefully, I was thinking, best-case scenario, we get out with a tie with the at-bats they were putting up,” Realmuto said. “He made the pitches when he needed to, you know? I’m sure he’s not going to be happy with that outing, but the way he was able to finish it was big for us.”

    Indeed, with Jonathan Bowlan warming, Keller struck out Brice Turang on a low-and-away slider and got William Contreras to foul out to leave the tying run on second base.

    “Once he gets the sac fly, I’m like, ‘OK, he’s settled,’” Mattingly said. “It’s almost like the sac fly got us an out, settled him down, and he made some pitches. But yeah, a little hectic before that.”

    Said Realmuto: “If that 3-1 pitch [to Yelich] is a walk or something positive doesn’t happen on that pitch, it might have spiraled pretty quickly. I think that kind of gave him the confidence to get through it.“

    The Phillies staked Aaron Nola to a 3-0 lead. And after he fumbled it away on a pair of homers to straightaway center field — Garrett Mitchell crushed a two-run shot in the fourth inning; Chourio went deep in the fifth — the Phillies answered with five runs in the sixth inning.

    Here’s how it went: Marsh single, Sosa single, Stott RBI double, Realmuto three-run homer, Derek Hill single, Kyle Schwarber single, Trea Turner strikeout, Bryce Harper sacrifice fly.

    Phillies put Adolis García on 60-day IL with shoulder tear, call up OF Gabriel Rincones Jr.

    Realmuto’s part in the rally, which came after his RBI single in the third inning, was particularly cathartic given the slump he has been dragging. It got so bad — or maybe Misiorowski is so good — that Mattingly considered it a “small victory” for Realmuto to line out on a fastball Friday night.

    “Obviously I haven’t been myself this year,” Realmuto said. “It’s something that I can continue to work on to to try to get better, and tonight felt good. I felt like I got good pitches to hit and was on time for them and put good swings on them.”

    Said Mattingly: “It was good to see.”

    Better still was not having to see Misiorowski again, at least until the Brewers come to Philadelphia at the end of September.

  • Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski made history on Friday. But the Phillies are ‘glad’ to have faced him.

    MILWAUKEE — Jacob Misiorowski struck out the Phillies’ first three batters — Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper — in the first inning here Friday night on 12 pitches.

    Nine registered at least 103 mph.

    “I feel like, when we face pitchers, they’re always a tick up or ready to face our lineup, or at least our top three guys,” Harper said. “I feel like they’re always hunting and wanting to throw harder or throw their A-plus stuff against us.”

    ‘I’m glad we faced him.’ Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski overpowers Phillies in series opener

    OK, sure. But this was absurd, even for Misiorowski.

    Nobody has ever thrown harder than the Brewers’ 24-year-old ace. In overpowering the Phillies in a 95-pitch, 15-strikeout, one-hit 6-0 shutout, he set a record with a 104.5 heater to Schwarber in the first inning. His first pitch was clocked at 103.4; his last came in at 103.1.

    Misiorowski might’ve had extra juice, too, considering the opponent.

    Remember last summer, when several Phillies players squawked over Misiorowski getting named to the National League All-Star team after a handful of major league starts? They believed Cristopher Sánchez was more deserving.

    Maybe it was a bad idea to poke “The Miz.”

    Now, like then, Misiorowski denied any resentment or additional motivation to subdue the Phillies.

    “It’s about the same as [facing] the Yankees, the Dodgers, any of those big-market teams,” he said. “You want to throw well against them. That adds adrenaline to it.”

    In any case, it’s scarcely hyperbole to suggest it was the best game pitched against the Phillies since … well, ever. And it makes you wonder what Sánchez could do to top it Sunday against the Brewers.

    Back to that momentarily.

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    Here’s the list of pitchers who struck out at least 15 batters and allowed one hit or fewer against the Phillies, who, keep in mind, have been around since 1883:

    • Warren Spahn (Sept. 16, 1960): 0 hits, 15 strikeouts, two walks
    • Nolan Ryan (April 18, 1970): 1 hit, 15 strikeouts, six walks
    • Tom Seaver (May 15, 1970): 1 hit, 15 strikeouts, three walks
    • Misiorowski (Friday night): 1 hit, 15 strikeouts, 0 walks

    “I’m glad we faced him,” Harper said. “I’m glad we were able to see that. Obviously we’ve got a chance to play those guys in the postseason, so happy that we were able to face him today.”

    After Misiorowski struck out Justin Crawford to end the game, Brandon Marsh asked Harper if he’d ever faced anyone with a fastball that resembled that. Harper cited former Mets ace Matt Harvey for a comparison.

    But with extension that the 6-foot-7 Misiorowski gets at the end of his delivery, it somehow looks even faster to the hitter.

    “It wasn’t like it was a blur coming at us,” Schwarber said. “It’s just hard to kind of compare because you don’t really see it consistently, right? When someone’s throwing 94-95, you can say, ‘Hey, that really plays up.’ You don’t really see that, so you can’t really explain it.”

    Misiorowski and Sánchez are developing a rivalry en route to what might be a photo finish in the race for the Cy Young Award.

    Phillies put Adolis García on 60-day IL with shoulder tear, call up OF Gabriel Rincones Jr.

    Sánchez one-upped Misiorowski in May by not allowing a run in five starts, part of a 50⅔-inning scoreless streak that was the longest ever by a left-handed pitcher and fifth-longest overall. Misiorowski gave up one run in six starts and was edged by Sánchez for NL pitcher of the month.

    After Misiorowski’s mastery Friday night, Sánchez gets to answer with a start in the series finale Sunday.

    “It’s a different animal when he’s on the mound,” Harper said of Misiorowski. “Just like what Sánchez is for us.”

    Extra bases

    Derek Hill made his Phillies debut Saturday night, two days after being acquired from the White Sox for two minor leaguers. Hill, who plays all three outfield positions, started in center, where he has the most experience. With the Phillies running platoons at two outfield positions, interim manager Don Mattingly said it’s possible Hill will continue to play center — with Edmundo Sosa in left and Brandon Marsh moving to right — against left-handed pitchers. … Lefty reliever Kyle Backhus (elbow) has allowed one run on five hits in two innings so far on his injury rehab assignment with triple-A Lehigh Valley. … Sánchez (8-2, 1.54 ERA) will be opposed at 2:10 p.m. Sunday by Brewers lefty Kyle Harrison (7-1, 2.72).

  • Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski blanks Phillies in series opener

    MILWAUKEE — For five innings here Friday night, Andrew Painter and Jacob Misiorowski shared a mound.

    That was all they had in common.

    While Painter got roughed up again in an increasingly tough-to-watch rookie season, his Brewers counterpart unleashed 58 — 58! — 100-plus-mph pitches, collected 15 — 15! — strikeouts, faced the minimum 27 batters, and gave up one hit.

    And when “The Miz,” as he’s known around these parts, whiffed Justin Crawford on his 95th pitch to cap a 6-0 undressing of the Phillies — on the one-year anniversary of his major league debut, no less — he clapped his glove, looked skyward, and raised both arms to mark his first career complete game.

    Phillies put Adolis García on 60-day IL with shoulder tear, call up OF Gabriel Rincones Jr.

    One word: Wow.

    Four more: Your move, Cristopher Sánchez.

    Sánchez will have a chance Sunday in the series finale to submit his midseason case in what’s shaping up as an epic Cy Young race. But first, let’s talk about this Misiorowski fellow, who dominated from first pitch (103.4 mph) to last (103.1).

    “I’m glad we faced him,” said Bryce Harper, who struck out on a 104.1 mph fastball in the first inning. “I’m glad we were able to see that. Obviously, we’ve got a chance to play those guys in the postseason, so happy we were able to face him today.”

    Misiorowski’s opening statement: swinging strikeouts of Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Harper on 12 pitches, including a 104.5 scorcher that set a velocity record for a starter since tracking began in 2008. He fanned eight of the first nine batters on 34 pitches. The Phillies had one baserunner, Schwarber on a leadoff single in the fourth inning on a first-pitch slider.

    “Obviously, a unique fastball,” Schwarber said. “You try to adjust to different things, and it just kind of finds a way around you. You’ve got to tip your hat. Not much else to really say.”

    But even if Misiorowski’s dominance wasn’t so … what’s the word? … absurd, the contrast between him and Painter would have been impossible to miss.

    And yes, it’s perfectly fair to compare them. Painter is 6-foot-7 and right-handed, just like Misiorowski. Painter is 23, only 372 days younger than “The Miz.” They were high draft picks, one year apart, and hyped as prospects in the minors.

    Yet there’s Misiorowski, leading the majors in ERA (1.34) and strikeouts (131) and the planet in heat-seeking fastballs. And here’s Painter, with a 1-7 record, coming in behind an opener to lessen his exposure to the top of the Brewers’ lineup, and still giving up five runs in five innings to raise his ERA to 6.43.

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    Interim manager Don Mattingly thought it represented progress. He cited improvement in Painter’s offspeed pitches, said the first-pitch sweeper that Jake Bauers hit for a three-run homer “wasn’t a terrible pitch,” and observed “better aggression” in going after hitters.

    Still, the results weren’t good. So Painter sat facing his locker, dressed in full uniform and deep in thought as teammates moved around the quiet clubhouse after the game.

    “Hard to tell right now so fresh off it, but the emphasis has been being super-aggressive in the zone early and kind of pitching on offense, almost,” Painter said. “I thought [there were] a lot of first-pitch strikes, a lot of early contact.”

    And yet …

    “Just those walks,” he said, referring, in particular, to a free pass to William Contreras that preceded Bauers’ homer. “I think a lot of them are not competitive where it’s four- or five-pitch walks. I’ve got to limit that.

    “I’ve just got to take it and move on.”

    OK, some perspective: Even Misiorowski struggled as a rookie. Maybe not to Painter’s extent. But after a sensational start that got him named as an All-Star (much to the chagrin of several Phillies players, who thought Sánchez got snubbed), he had a 6.06 ERA over his last eight starts.

    Maybe it’s a lesson for Painter, even as the flashes of promise from his first few starts have begun to flicker and dim.

    “Everything’s there, you know?” Schwarber said. “It’s just, this is the big leagues. It’s the highest form of competition, and it’s hard to just always succeed.”

    Said Harper: “I said it in camp, right? We need him. And we still do. He’s still in the beginning of his career, and he’s going to have success and he’s going to get better. We believe in him.

    Phillies acquire outfielder Derek Hill in trade with White Sox as they await update on Adolis García

    “We need to him to establish his pitches a little more, have confidence out there, not look at his numbers. I think that’s a big thing, not looking at your numbers. I think he’s, what, 1-7? Just throw that out the door. He’s really good. We know he’s going to be good.”

    Misiorowski is already great. Maybe he took the mound with a chip on that lightning-bolt of a right shoulder from the Phillies’ complaints last July. Maybe not.

    Either way, the Phillies had no chance.

    Misiorowski doesn’t merely throw harder than anyone else. He gets more extension through his delivery, which somehow makes 104 mph look even faster than it is.

    Brandon Marsh asked Harper postgame if he has ever faced anyone like “The Miz.” Harper compared him to former Mets ace Matt Harvey.

    “He had the extension heater, and he was one of the first guys that really rode that heater at the top of the zone,” Harper said. “I mean, 104 is a little bit different. It’s going to be tough at any point. He might be throwing 106 with a big [postseason] crowd, you know?

    “But, yeah, it’s a different animal when he’s on the mound. Just like what Sánchez is for us. He’s their guy.”

    The Miz has spoken. Time for Sánchez to have his say.

  • Phillies put Adolis García on 60-day IL with shoulder tear, call up OF Gabriel Rincones Jr.

    Phillies put Adolis García on 60-day IL with shoulder tear, call up OF Gabriel Rincones Jr.

    MILWAUKEE — Adolis García clutched his right shoulder, and the Phillies’ plan in right field took an unexpected turn.

    García went on the 60-day injured list Friday with a torn latissimus dorsi muscle near his right shoulder, the Phillies announced Friday. Righty-hitting outfielder Derek Hill, acquired Thursday in a trade with the Chicago White Sox, will take García’s spot on the roster.

    But the Phillies also called up outfield prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. from triple-A Lehigh Valley. And with García sidelined for a minimum of two months, likely longer, they intend to use the 25-year-old in a right-field platoon with Hill.

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    “Kind of those two trying to fill one [position],” interim manager Don Mattingly told reporters before the Phillies opened a three-game series with the Brewers. “I mean, that’s our original thought.”

    Rincones has power from the left side but is batting only .215 and slugging .291 with one homer in 22 games after missing the season’s first six weeks with inflammation in his knees. Reserve outfielder Steward Berroa went on the paternity list, creating a spot on the active roster for Rincones, who was in the lineup against Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski.

    The Phillies were already seeking more offense from the outfield. Even accounting for a breakout season from Brandon Marsh, their outfielders combined to hit .240 with a .669 OPS, 24th at the position among 30 teams entering play Friday night.

    García, a superb defender in right field, was injured late in Wednesday night’s game when he uncorked a typically strong throw to home plate. He grabbed his right arm, motioned for the trainers, and left the game.

    Outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. entered Friday with just 55 plate appearances this season after missing the season’s first six weeks with knee inflammation.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    The Phillies initially diagnosed García with a “pulled muscle in the right shoulder area” and sent him Thursday for further testing, which revealed the tear.

    García is receiving another medical opinion before it’s determined whether he will have surgery. Regardless, it seems likely he won’t play again this season.

    “It sounds like a good possibility,” Mattingly said. “It obviously is not good. Put him on the 60[-day IL] right away. Yeah, it doesn’t look good.”

    García homered in three of his last seven games but has struggled at the plate overall. The Phillies took a one-year, $10 million flier that he could recapture the right-handed power stroke that made him an All-Star in 2023. But among 158 qualified hitters, he ranked 153rd in average (.195), tied for 151st in on-base percentage (.270), and 149th in OPS (.599).

    Jhoan Duran wants to pitch every game. And that requires listening to his body and a short memory.

    “It’s tough,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “We felt good about the strides he was making. He worked very hard. Tough news for him.”

    García’s lack of production contributed to the Phillies’ struggles against left-handed pitching. Rincones, a left-handed hitter, isn’t likely to help in that area. He batted .107 with a .323 OPS in triple A last season against lefties, but he also had an .873 OPS against righties.

    Hill, 30, is expected to be the other half of a timeshare in right field. He batted .213 with a .659 OPS in 90 plate appearances for the White Sox but had a .789 OPS against lefties, including a homer off Jesús Luzardo last Friday night.

    “A guy that gives us all three outfield spots, gives us speed off the bench, he gives us a guy against left-handed pitching,” Mattingly said. “Kind of fits our club perfectly.”

    Even if García hadn’t injured his shoulder, the Phillies might have been inching closer to giving Rincones a look anyway in a right-field platoon, especially considering the difficulty in making a substantive trade before the Aug. 3 deadline.

    Now, the path is even clearer for Rincones to get an opportunity.

    “I’m just trying to keep everything even-keeled and tell myself it’s still the same game,” Rincones said. “But, yeah, I’ve had a smile on my face all day. It kind of hit me [Thursday] a little bit, but I don’t think it’s fully set in yet.”

    Extra bases

    To open a spot for Hill on the 40-man roster, the Phillies designated reliever Jackson Rutledge for assignment. Rutledge had a 7.20 ERA in five triple-A appearances after being claimed off waivers last month from the Washington Nationals. … Aaron Nola (3-4, 5.86 ERA) is scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. Saturday against Brewers lefty Shane Drohan (3-1, 3.11).

  • Is there a better duo in baseball than Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez? We asked the experts.

    Is there a better duo in baseball than Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez? We asked the experts.

    The subject came up in the Phillies’ clubhouse recently, after Zack Wheeler followed a Cristopher Sánchez gem with one of his own.

    Is there a better one-two pitching punch in baseball?

    Bryce Harper answered the question with a question.

    “Yeah, I mean, I’m going to ask you,” the Face of the Franchise said. “What do you think? Is it the best one-two? I mean, it’s got to be up there.”

    Up there? No doubt.

    The best?

    What if the Phillies’ most impactful addition was a resurgent Trea Turner? He’s working to make it happen.

    Anecdotally, it’s hard to believe there’s a better tandem. Sánchez and Wheeler have started back-to-back for seven turns through the rotation, five times against the same team. Here’s how it’s gone:

    • Sánchez, May 5 vs. A’s: 8 innings, 0 runs
    • Wheeler, May 6 vs. A’s: 6⅓ innings, 3 runs
    • Sánchez, May 10 vs. Rockies: 7 innings, 0 runs
    • Wheeler, May 12 at Red Sox: 7⅓ innings, 1 run
    • Sánchez, May 16 at Pirates: 9 innings, 0 runs
    • Wheeler, May 17 at Pirates: 7 innings, 0 runs
    • Sánchez, May 22 vs. Guardians: 8 innings, 0 runs
    • Wheeler, May 23 vs. Guardians: 6 innings, 0 runs
    • Sánchez, May 27 at Padres: 7 innings, 0 runs
    • Wheeler, May 29 at Dodgers: 6 innings, 4 runs
    • Sánchez, June 3 vs. Padres: 7 innings, 1 run
    • Wheeler, June 4 vs. Padres: 7 innings, 2 runs
    • Sánchez, June 8 at Blue Jays: 7 innings, 2 runs
    • Wheeler, June 9 at Blue Jays: 6 innings, 1 run

    That’s a 0.51 ERA in 53 innings for Sánchez, last year’s Cy Young Award runner-up in the National League. The 29-year-old recently went 50⅔ innings without giving up a run, the longest streak by a lefty and fifth-longest overall since at least 1893.

    Cristopher Sánchez recently went 50⅔ innings without allowing a run, the longest streak by any left-handed pitcher since at least 1893.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    And it’s a 2.17 mark in 45⅔ innings for Wheeler, a two-time Cy Young runner-up. You wouldn’t know that he turned 36 two weeks ago — or had a rib removed nine months ago to relieve a compressed vein.

    Philly hasn’t seen a better one-two punch since the trio of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels in 2011, maybe since Rocky’s left jab and right cross.

    Sánchez leads all pitchers in wins above replacement (5.1, as calculated by Baseball-Reference) and innings (93⅓), and ranks second in strikeouts (113), and third in ERA (1.54). Wheeler is tied for sixth in WAR (2.7) and has a 2.22 ERA in nine starts.

    “I love Wheeler, and I think Sánchez is above Wheeler now,” said a talent evaluator from a National League team. “That’s how good I think Sánchez is.”

    Sure, but are they the best?

    Is it finally time for Mike Trout to be traded? The all-in Phillies make too much sense.

    “It’s relentless,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said last month after Sánchez’s six-hit shutout preceded seven scoreless innings from Wheeler. “Whenever you get to that level and you’re facing those types of guys, those are the types of arms you’re going to see in October.”

    After Sánchez blanked the Guardians for eight innings on May 22, Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt called him “special.” A day later, the Guardians were muted for six innings by Wheeler, whom Vogt called “one of the best righties in the game.”

    Put them together, and well, it’s a two-headed monster that gives the Phillies an edge over almost any team in a short series.

    But there are others. An informal survey of scouts this week produced other dynamic-duo nominees. Among them:

    Zack Wheeler has a 2.22 ERA in nine starts after returning from thoracic outlet syndrome.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison, Brewers: When it comes to velocity, nobody beats The Miz. The 24-year-old righty’s fastball averages — repeat: averages — 100 mph. Harrison is a revelation, though one NL evaluator was skeptical of the 24-year-old lefty, who has been traded twice (Giants to Red Sox to Brewers) since last June 15. Misiorowski and Harrison will take 1.50 and 2.72 ERAs into starts Friday and Sunday, respectively, against the Phillies in Milwaukee.

    Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers: Imagine if the Phillies convinced Yamamoto to take their $300 million-plus offer in December 2023? After his iconic postseason last year, he has a 2.68 ERA through 12 starts. Ohtani seems determined to add a Cy Young Award to his MVP collection (four, and almost certainly counting). He allowed five runs through his first 10 starts and has a 1.06 ERA overall. One rival NL scout dinged the Dodgers’ duo, dominant as it is, due to the unique usage of Ohtani, who rarely starts on less than six days’ rest.

    Cam Schlittler and Gerrit Cole, Yankees: Every team wishes it could clone its Cy Young-winning ace. The Yankees seem to have done it. Schlittler (1.87 ERA through 14 starts) resembles Cole not only in terms of physical appearance but also stuff, notably a big fastball and hard cutter. Two scouts — one in each league — put the Yankees’ 25- and 35-year-old righties slightly ahead of Sánchez and Wheeler. But one NL scout cautioned that, like Wheeler, Cole is coming back from surgery. So far, though, four starts into his return from Tommy John elbow surgery, he has a 2.45 ERA that has him looking like vintage Cole.

    Why has Dave Dombrowski invested even more in the Phillies’ starting pitching? Check his record: ‘It’s worked’

    Another NL scout cited the emergence of righty Braxton Ashcraft (3.28 ERA through 13 starts) as a sidekick to Paul Skenes (2.84 in 14 starts) to give the Pirates a formidable tandem. The AL scout pointed to Blue Jays right-handers Dylan Cease (2.91 ERA in 12 starts) and Kevin Gausman (3.60 in 14 starts).

    Off the top of his head, Harper submitted Braves lefty Chris Sale and, when healthy, hard-throwing Spencer Schwellenbach. But the latter had surgery in February to remove bone spurs from his right elbow and isn’t expected to pitch until late in the season.

    In any case, the Phillies believe Sánchez and Wheeler don’t take a back seat to anyone. They’re 10-4 in Sánchez’s starts (including a 1-0 loss to the Guardians on May 22), 7-2 in Wheeler’s, and 20-25 in all other games.

    Unlike the Dodgers’ and Yankees’ co-aces, Sánchez and Wheeler give the Phillies a lefty-righty balance. They present stylistic contrasts, too, and come from vastly different backgrounds.

    Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, who will face the Phillies on Friday night, is half of Milwaukee’s formidable top-of-the-rotation tandem.Jeffrey Phelps

    Sánchez, acquired from the Rays in a minor trade after the 2019 season, represents a victory for the Phillies’ scouting, analytics, and mostly player-development departments. Specifically, pitching coach Caleb Cotham credits César Ramos, who worked with Sánchez in triple A before becoming the major league bullpen coach.

    In three years, Sánchez harnessed his command, honed his changeup, and went from a last-resort fifth starter in 2023 to the best lefty in the NL — and maybe in the entire sport.

    Since the beginning of the 2024 season, Sánchez has a 2.62 ERA and leads all pitchers with 16.9 WAR, as calculated by Baseball-Reference.

    The Phillies’ ‘longer-term bet’ on Cristopher Sanchez looked like a misstep. Then he found his pitch.

    “It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever been a part of, from where he started to where he is now,” Cotham said this week on The Inquirer’s Phillies Extra podcast. “The attention to detail and the small things, tightening the delivery, we can go on and on. They turned into huge things for him.

    “You watch a ’23 video, ’22, even some ’24 video, it still kind of smacks me in the face, where it’s like, wow. I know the delivery is tighter, it’s cleaner. But he’s a big dude. There was arms and hands and feet going everywhere. It’s still kind of jarring watching even ’24 video with how much better and consistent and compact his delivery is compared to then. It’s just gotten better and better each year.

    “That’s probably the biggest piece for me with Cris. The physicality got to a point to allow the delivery to get to where you’re no longer wondering where this ball’s going to go.”

    Cristopher Sánchez has a 2.62 ERA since the start of the 2024 season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Wheeler has evolved, too. He still leans on his fastball, although it’s a few ticks slower after his surgery. But he added a sweeper and splitter over the last few years, and in any given start, one or the other, or maybe his curveball, might be his best off-speed pitch.

    “The splitter’s arguably as good as it’s ever been, movement-wise,” Cotham said. “The sweeper’s been very good. He’s thrown the last couple of starts some of the better curveballs he’s thrown. The cutter was a pitch he didn’t quite have early in the year. It’s gotten better lately.”

    Oh, and for hitters, here’s the scary part.

    “I still think,” Cotham said, “there’s another level for him.”

    From April: What is Zack Wheeler facing in his return from surgery? We asked two pitchers who have done it.

    Said interim manager Don Mattingly: “It’s always good to have Wheels out there. We talk about Sánchy being an ace. But it’s hard to have a true ace if you’re not saying Wheeler is the guy. It’s good to have these guys back-to-back.”

    Regardless of where Sánchez and Wheeler stack up, few teams have anything like them.

    “It’s tough coming into a ballpark and knowing that you’re going to face those two guys in a series,” Harper said. “So, yeah, I really don’t know if there’s a better one-two punch in the game right now.”

  • Phillies acquire outfielder Derek Hill in trade with White Sox as they await update on Adolis García

    Phillies acquire outfielder Derek Hill in trade with White Sox as they await update on Adolis García

    As the Phillies await word on the severity of Adolis García’s right shoulder injury, they made a trade Thursday to add to their thin outfield depth.

    The Phillies acquired righty-hitting Derek Hill and international bonus pool money from the White Sox, a major league source confirmed, for double-A outfielder Dylan Campbell and single-A infielder Jose Colmenares. Primarily a center fielder, Hill is expected to see time in right field with the Phillies.

    Hill, 30, batted .213 with four homers in 80 at-bats in limited action in Chicago. He went deep against Jesús Luzardo last Friday night in an 8-6 Phillies victory over the White Sox in Citizens Bank Park.

    Jhoan Duran wants to pitch every game. And that requires listening to his body and a short memory.

    García grabbed his shoulder after making a throw to home plate Wednesday night in Toronto. He exited the game and was diagnosed with a pulled muscle in the right shoulder area, according to the Phillies. García was expected to undergo further testing Thursday. The Phillies remain uncertain how long he will be sidelined.

    If García needs to go on the injured list, Otto Kemp, Felix Reyes, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. are potential replacements on the 40-man roster. Neither Kemp nor Reyes has hit much lately in triple A, while Rincones struggles against left-handed pitching. Bryan De La Cruz, who isn’t on the 40-man roster, has considerable major league experience, mostly with the Marlins.

    Hill has a .789 OPS against left-handed pitching this season and could form a right-field platoon with Rincones.

    ESPN was first to report the trade.

  • ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Larry Bowa on Philly’s 1976 All-Star Game, a Trea Turner rebound, and more

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Larry Bowa on Philly’s 1976 All-Star Game, a Trea Turner rebound, and more

    Larry Bowa remembers the roar.

    Fifty years ago, the All-Star Game came to Philadelphia as part of the country’s bicentennial celebration. Bowa was among five Phillies players in the game, and when they were introduced with the National League squad, the ovation shook Veterans Stadium.

    With the Midsummer Classic set to return to town next month, Bowa, 80, joined the Phillies Extra podcast to recall Philly’s baseball summer of ’76, as well as the state of the current Phillies.

    Here are a few excerpts from the conversation with the World Series-winning former Phillies shortstop. Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Phillies Extra podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

    Q: When someone brings up the 1976 All-Star Game in Philadelphia, is there a specific moment or memory that comes to mind?

    A: The fact that we played in our own city was unbelievable. The crowd reaction when they introduced all of us is something that you never, ever forget. With the exception of winning the ’80 World Series, that was an incredible moment for me to play in front of your hometown in your ballpark.

    And looking at the cast of characters, the players on both sides — I happened to just check out the roster a couple days ago — and the American League had some good pitchers there. And the thing that stands out in my mind, you have a meeting before — it’s a lot different now, obviously; it’s more of an entertainment thing now. Back then, it was, “Hey, you better win or you’re going to be embarrassed.”

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Joe Maddon on what it would take for Mike Trout to be traded, Rob Thomson’s firing, and more

    I remember Pete Rose. Mark “The Bird” Fidrych was going to pitch against us, and he was on fire. He had one of those years where he’s talking to the ball and doing all that. And three or four of us were sitting around there, and Pete says, “You know what I’m going to do? He’s going to start talking to that ball, I’m gonna hit a base hit up the middle.” … And I knew Pete was a great player, and I said, “Man, if this guy’s that good …” Sure enough, base hit, right up the middle. He’s talking to the ball, and boom. And he looked in the dugout, and he gave me like a little thumbs-up, and I went, this game must be easy for him because to call that against a pitcher that was probably the greatest pitcher at that time in the American League, it was unbelievable.

    Just the reaction of the crowd, especially when they said, “And now from the Phillies,” and they introduced all of us. And if I’m not mistaken, I think there were seven Reds on that team and five Phillie guys, which at that time, those two teams were pretty good. You can throw in the Dodgers, they were really good, too. So, there were three teams there that were well represented in that game.

    Cristopher Sánchez’s streak of scoreless innings ended at 50⅔ on Wednesday, the longest in franchise history.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
    Q: Have you ever seen anything like Cristopher Sánchez, just in terms of a transformation or the kind of growth that he’s had?

    A: No, I haven’t. And when I first saw him pitch, the control was a huge issue, and now I’m watching this individual pitch now, and to me, and I know there might be some guys slighted, but he’s the best pitcher in baseball. The outs that he makes other teams get are very soft. As an infielder, as an outfielder, you’re always ready, because he doesn’t walk a lot of guys. He doesn’t run deep counts. His work ethic is off the charts. He’s a very humble individual. Hopefully, this can continue because literally right now we have two No. 1s. I mean, you talk about Sánchez and [Zack] Wheeler, and I still believe in my heart that we’re going to be in the playoffs. I know Atlanta has got a big lead and all that. I’m not even worried about that. But when we get in, and I know we’re going to get in, I wouldn’t want to face this team with the pitching staff that we have, especially in a short series, whether it’s five games, whether it’s seven games.

    Cristopher Sánchez’s scoreless innings streak ends, but not before he made history in Phillies’ 3-2 win

    Sánchez is the kind of guy that you wouldn’t know if he won 20 games or if he lost 20 games. You wouldn’t know if he’s losing 8-1 or winning 1-0 . He’s a humble individual. … I wish, and I love Ranger [Suárez], [but] I wish Ranger had a little bit of Sánchez’s work ethic because I think Ranger could have attained the same type of success.

    But Sánchez’s work ethic, I haven’t seen anybody — I should say this, Clayton Kershaw worked like that, and that when I watch Sánchez, I’m thinking of Clayton Kershaw, the work ethic that they put in. Hopefully this thing can continue, because right now, when we take the field and we have Wheeler or Sánchez on the mound, it’s almost like that team in ’72 when [Steve] Carlton took the mound, we knew we were going to win. And I think that’s the feeling right now when those two guys take the take the mound in Philadelphia.

    Trea Turner, the reigning National League batting champion, has struggled for most of the 2026 season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
    Q: If they could get Trea Turner going at the top of the order in that one or two spot, that would be a huge boost to an offense that could really use it. What do you see from Trea?

    A: I expect him to be where he’s supposed to be at the end of the year. People don’t see the work he puts in. … This guy works harder than anybody out there. I think sometimes he lets his hitting affect when he goes [on the field at shortstop], not as much as he did the first year when he first came over, but when he feels he’s not helping the ballclub offensively, I think it weighs on him a little bit. I think they made a great move hitting him second.

    What if the Phillies’ most impactful addition was a resurgent Trea Turner? He’s working to make it happen.

    I don’t think Trea’s the kind of guy that’s going to work pitchers and all that and look for walks. He’s one of those guys that, once he gets into his groove, I don’t care where you throw him, he’s going to get base hits. And lately he’s been coming on. I expect a good second half … I think he’s going to be fine, but he’s his own worst critic. Believe me, he wants to do well. He knows he’s disappointed the team. It seems like when Trea doesn’t get on — I know we got the big boys in [Kyle Schwarber] and [Bryce Harper] — but when Trea gets on, we’re a very good offensive ballclub. When he’s not, sometimes we have to struggle for runs.

    Nothing against the other guys on the team, but Trea seems to be the guy that ignites us. And them switching the lineup a little bit lately, having Schwarber lead off, I think it might have eased his mind a little bit. But I expect big things from him moving forward, because he’s too good a hitter to be hitting what he’s hitting. To me, he’s the catalyst for our team.

  • Brandon Marsh sparks Phillies’ offensive surge in 9-5 series finale win over White Sox

    Brandon Marsh sparks Phillies’ offensive surge in 9-5 series finale win over White Sox

    The mural covers the side of a restaurant on a city block in Fishtown. It’s impossible to miss. It also symbolizes promise during this half-decade of Phillies contention.

    And it came to life Sunday.

    It wasn’t only that Brandon Marsh continued a yearlong rise into an All-Star before our very eyes by homering in his third game in a row and leaping to make a catch against the left-field wall.

    No, this time, Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott — the other members of the trio that teammates once dubbed “The Daycare” and inspired the artwork on Frankford Avenue — delivered big fifth-inning hits in a series-winning 9-5 victory over the White Sox in Citizens Bank Park.

    “The best thing about this team,” said backup catcher Rafael Marchán after the Phillies won for the ninth time in 12 games to maintain their hold on a wild card, “is if the big guys can’t do it that day, there’s going to be someone that’s going to find a way to help us win.”

    Marchán might as well have been speaking for himself after homering in the second inning of a seesaw game in which the Phillies led 3-2 and 4-3 but also trailed 2-1 and 5-4.

    But it’s really more about Bohm and Stott. Like Marsh, they were supporting characters who brought youthful energy when this run began in 2022. Now, they bat behind the star trio of Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper.

    You might say the Daycare is all grown up.

    Brandon Marsh’s breakthrough no surprise to Kyle Schwarber: He has a ‘high ceiling, and he’s tapping into it’

    Into what, though? Marsh has matured as a core player, perhaps even the Phillies’ most consistent hitter in their season-reviving 26-11 run under interim manager Don Mattingly. He leads the majors with a .338 average and has an .889 OPS.

    Remember when Marsh started only against right-handed pitching? Yeah, that’s a thing of the past. He has been one of the best outfielders in the majors.

    “It seems like now we’re starting to talk about him every day,” Mattingly said. “He’s just swinging the bat, and he continues to swing it. And not only average but power, you know? It’s extra-base hits, he’s driving in runs.”

    Said Marsh: “I don’t know about the power. That was first row, bro.”

    OK, so Marsh’s leadoff homer in the third inning did eke over the fence. But it came on a curveball, and he drove it the other way to left field to restore the lead for the Phillies at 4-3.

    Alec Bohm hits a sixth inning RBI single against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    And if Marsh had plans to go away for a few days in the second week of July, he should probably cancel.

    The All-Star Game is beckoning.

    “I’d be lying to you if I said it wasn’t on my mind, but I’m really not focused on that,” Marsh said. “I’m really just trying to enjoy right now. I’m just enjoying this moment. I’m really focused on just trying to be present here with these guys and still just be a sponge to my teammates and just keep learning from them and just trying to be the best I can be.

    “But it would be really, really cool to be a part of that group this year, especially here in Philly.”

    Yet while Marsh has ascended to the level the Phillies believed he could reach when they traded for him at the deadline in 2022, Bohm and Stott struggled through much of the first two months of the season.

    What if the Phillies’ most impactful addition was a resurgent Trea Turner? He’s working to make it happen.

    Even now, these were the numbers they carried into the fifth and sixth spots in the batting order entering play Sunday:

    • Bohm: .218 average, seven homers, .624 OPS.
    • Stott: .216 average, six homers, .638 OPS.

    But trailing 5-4 in the fifth inning, Bohm punched a game-tying double the other way to right field before Stott drove in Marsh as the go-ahead run with a single to center field.

    Marsh, Bohm, and Stott combined to go 5-for-10 with three runs and five RBIs.

    And there it was: hope, symbolized by the three players in a 2-year-old mural of the “Daycare.”

    “That whole middle of our order, all really good today,” Mattingly said. “It felt like it was up and down the order today.”

    The Phillies recorded 11 hits, five of which came with runners in scoring position. And they needed it. Aaron Nola lacked his usual control. He walked four batters, three of whom came around to score, and lasted only 4⅓ innings.

    After weeks of being pushed back into contention by otherworldly starting pitching — “If we wouldn’t have won those games, you all would have been asking a lot more questions about the offense,” Mattingly said — the Phillies busted out for 20 runs in the three games against the White Sox. Before this week, they went 13 games without scoring more than four runs in a game.

    It surely helps when it’s more than Schwarber, Harper, and Marsh driving in the runs.

    “We’ve just got to keep this train going,” Marsh said. “It’s been driven by our pitchers. They’ve set the tone for us. And as hitters, we’ve picked it up as well. We’re just trying to give those guys a couple of runs because that’s pretty much all they need.

    “Just trying to do our part so they can do theirs.”

  • Andrew Painter presses for command; Don Mattingly asked to join NL All-Star staff

    Andrew Painter presses for command; Don Mattingly asked to join NL All-Star staff

    The lessons are coming quickly for Andrew Painter in his first major-league season.

    Sometimes, though, it’s as basic as throwing a strike.

    Take, for instance, the first batter Saturday. Painter fell behind in the count and tried to get White Sox leadoff man Sam Antonacci to swing at a fastball above the zone. Instead, Painter hit him, the beginning of a tone-setting three-run rally in an eventual 6-3 Phillies loss.

    What if the Phillies’ most impactful addition was a resurgent Trea Turner? He’s working to make it happen.

    “He beat himself there by trying to command a pitch [in a] 2-1 [count] when I just need you to control the zone and collect a strike and move it to 2-2 on a foul ball,” pitching coach Caleb Cotham said Sunday. “Say that wasn’t commanded as well, but you’re 2-2 now vs. you commanded the heck out of trying to go up and in and you missed two inches left of where you’re trying to go.

    “You need to command the count by throwing strikes, and that, for him, comes first. If you’re ahead in the count, you get to throw to more aggressive locations. He’s trying a little too hard to command perfect locations, which gets him behind, and it’s tough to work back from that on good hitters.”

    Eleven starts into his major-league career, Painter has a 6.21 ERA, 108th among 111 pitchers who have worked at least 55 innings this season.

    It’s not what the Phillies expected from the 23-year-old righty, their most hyped pitching prospect since Cole Hamels.

    Andrew Painter throws against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Most surprising, though, is the ineffectiveness of his fastball. Opponents are batting .390 and slugging 585 on a heater that ranks in the top 75th percentile in average velocity (96.6 mph), according to Statcast.

    Some rival talent evaluators suggest that Painter may be able to amplify his fastball by getting more extension through his delivery. With less time to react, hitters perceive the pitch to be even faster than it is.

    Despite his 6-foot-7 frame, Painter ranks in only the 51st percentile with 6.5 feet of extension. By comparison, 6-7 Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski reaches upwards of 7.5 feet.

    But Cotham is focused on less complicated things.

    “I can sit here and say I don’t necessarily care about extension as a metric,” Cotham said. “I think extension is as important as it is for a person to throw good pitches.”

    Cristopher Sánchez’s scoreless innings streak ends, but not before he made history in Phillies’ 3-2 win

    After the first inning Saturday, in which Painter walked two batters in addition to hitting Antonacci, Cotham said they talked about “trying to let it rip with full belief right down the middle.”

    “If he’s in the zone a little bit more, I’ll take my shot there,” Cotham said. “When he’s at his best, he’s controlling down and up. It’s not just this constant up, kind of noncompetitive miss.

    “Big-league hitters are very good at hitting fastballs, and obviously the fastball’s gotten hit. But there’s a different type of fastball where it’s like, if I have enough stuff behind it, belief behind it, the same pitch that a guy maybe hits out, now he fouls it off.

    “So, I think the path through is not, try harder to be more pinpoint. It’s more belief that I’m good enough, and I need to throw strikes when I need to throw strikes and balls when I need to throw balls.”

    Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly has an offer to serve on the National League coaching staff for the All-Star Game next month.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Star man

    Fan balloting for the All-Star Game got underway only a few days ago, but the Phillies already have one All-Star.

    Interim manager Don Mattingly confirmed that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts asked him to join the National League coaching staff. He deferred comment until MLB announces the staffs, but USA Today reported that Roberts reached out to Mattingly and Cardinals manager Oli Marmol.

    It would be the second time that Mattingly has coached in an All-Star Game. As manager of the Dodgers, he was on then-Giants manager Bruce Bochy’s NL All-Star staff in Cincinnati in 2015.

    Is it finally time for Mike Trout to be traded? The all-in Phillies make too much sense.

    “Any time you can be involved with the All-Star team, obviously it’s an honor,” Mattingly said, “The All-Star Game is a big deal. It’s kind of like an award show almost for MLB, right?”

    Mattingly, hired in January by the Phillies as bench coach, thought his managerial days were over until he was tapped to replace deposed manager Rob Thomson on April 28.

    As a player, Mattingly was selected for six consecutive All-Star Games. His favorite memory: meeting Rod Carew at his first All-Star Game in 1984 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

    “He was kind of the guy I watched as a kid and kind of patterned hitting after, and Rod signed a bat for me and brought it to me,” Mattingly said. “He obviously read something that I talked about it. That was probably my [biggest memory], just making the first one and then having Rod reach out.”

    Extra bases

    Top pitching prospect Gage Wood allowed one run in four walk-free innings Friday night for double-A Reading. He has allowed three runs in 11 innings with 14 strikeouts and one walk in three starts since the Phillies promoted him two levels from low-A to double A. … Cristopher Sánchez (7-2, 1.46 ERA) is scheduled to start at 7:07 p.m. Monday in Toronto against Blue Jays lefty Patrick Corbin (2-2, 3.98).