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Author: Scott Lauber

Dave Dombrowski: ‘Better to wait until our season is complete’ before deciding on Don Mattingly’s future

And then there was one.

Don Mattingly stands alone among baseball’s interim managers after the Mets and Red Sox announced Tuesday that they will retain Andy Green and Chad Tracy, respectively, with each receiving a three-year contract to stay at the wheel of those clubs.

The Phillies aren’t ready to make a similar commitment to Mattingly.

Asked if there has been more thought to Mattingly’s future in the dugout beyond this season, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski replied in a text message, “No, there has not been.”

Dave Dombrowski talked with Alex Cora about replacing Rob Thomson: ‘I thought that he might take it’

“[We] have felt it is better to wait,” Dombrowski added, “until our season is complete.”

Mattingly, whose son Preston works under Dombrowski as general manager, agreed to a two-year contract in January to be the Phillies’ bench coach. He took over for deposed manager Rob Thomson on April 28 — but only after Dombrowski offered the job to Alex Cora, who had been fired a few days earlier by the Red Sox.

Under Mattingly, the Phillies were 77-51 entering play Tuesday night and closing in on a National League wild card, with a four-game lead over the Diamondbacks with six games remaining. It was the third-best record in baseball in that span behind the Brewers (84-45) and Rays (78-49).

Mattingly, 65, said in July that he would be interested in staying on as manager, even though he previously believed his days of leading a team were over. He previously managed the Dodgers and Marlins.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski (left) won a World Series with Alex Cora (right) as his manager with the Red Sox in 2018.Elise Amendola

“I like doing it,” he said during a series in Cincinnati before the All-Star break. “I didn’t come here to do it, but I actually like doing it. And I’d committed two years [as bench coach]. In my mind, I told Dave two years, right? So, at that point you make a commitment with your family and what’s going on with everything, that you’re going to do this for two years.

“So, if that’s something that Dave wanted me to do, I would be fine with it.”

But Dombrowski’s relationship with Cora has prompted speculation throughout the sport that they may be poised for a reunion with the Phillies. They won a World Series together in 2018 with the Red Sox as manager and president of baseball operations.

Cora got fired by the Red Sox on April 25. Dombrowski spoke with him that day and offered him the Phillies’ job the day after, even though Thomson hadn’t been let go yet. But Cora, who was owed $13 million by the Red Sox through the end of the 2027 season, opted to take time with his family in Puerto Rico.

Video: Baseball legend Don Mattingly on his son’s journey to becoming a Phillies executive

“I’d really come to the conclusion that, if [Cora] took it, I was going to make a change,” Dombrowski said after firing Thomson with the Phillies off to a 9-19 start. “And I thought that he might take it.”

If Cora wants to return to managing next season, maybe Dombrowski is keeping the Phillies’ seat warm. In April, he referred to Cora as “one of the finest managers in the game of baseball” and compared him favorably to Hall of Fame managers Jim Leyland and Tony La Russa.

In 2022, after Thomson was elevated from bench coach to replace fired Joe Girardi in May, Dombrowski removed the interim tag after the Phillies won the wild-card series. It’s possible Mattingly may need to lead the Phillies on a longer playoff run to shed the interim tag. Then again, he does have one year left on his initial contract and his son in the front office.

In any case, it all figures to play out over the next few weeks.

Phillies ace lefty Jesús Luzardo, sidelined by a shoulder strain, continues to play catch but hasn’t thrown from a mound yet.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

Luzardo update

One week after being placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained shoulder, ace lefty Jesús Luzardo is “still trending in the right direction,” according to Mattingly.

“He just continues to throw and continues to feel good,” Mattingly said after Luzardo played catch for a third day in a row from as far as 120 feet. “Keep moving.”

If the Phillies have a target date for when Luzardo may progress to a mound, Mattingly wasn’t saying.

Jesús Luzardo ‘definitely concerned’ as inflamed left shoulder lands him on the injured list

“Every day is kind of like, how he comes back tomorrow,” Mattingly said. “We’re moving in the right direction. He feels good every day. He hasn’t come back with any kind of inflammation or lack of range [of motion] or anything like that, so it’s been good.”

Luzardo, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 7, is eligible to return from the injured list Sunday, though it’s doubtful he will pitch in the regular-season finale. The Phillies remain hopeful Luzardo will be ready for the wild-card miniseries, likely in a relief role.

Video: Former Phillies GM Matt Klentak ‘happy’ the team has found sustained success

Extra bases

Setup reliever Jonathan Bowlan also continued to throw with more intensity after straining his right groin last Thursday night. “I don’t know about [getting] in a game yet,” Mattingly said. “But he’s been throwing and doing better every day.” … The Phillies named righty reliever Alex McFarlane and infielder Bryan Rincon as recipients of the Paul Owens Award, presented annually to the organization’s top minor league pitcher and player. … Aaron Nola (7-10, 4.49 ERA) will be opposed at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday by Brewers righty Logan Henderson (10-3, 2.51).

September 22, 2026
The Zack Wheeler conversation: Why he expected to thrive after surgery, and how much longer he wants to play

NEW YORK — Zack Wheeler threw “about three strikes in the bullpen,” by his best recollection. But that wasn’t why he slowed his walk across the outfield before a May 12 start in Boston.

“Man,” he exhaled to catcher/confidant J.T. Realmuto, “this is cool.”

Wheeler doesn’t usually do sentimental. Not publicly, at least. He’s 36, with gray wisps in his beard befitting a father of four small children. He’s still the Phillies’ ace, too, and baseball’s highest-paid pitcher (non-Shohei Ohtani division) at $42 million per year.

And he has seen it all in 14 years in the majors.

From spring training: Zack Wheeler’s outlook might be a mystery, but he says there’s no reason he can’t ‘be who I am’ in 2026

Wheeler would rather not waste time, then, on things that don’t matter or aren’t within his control. No-nonsense to his core (save for the occasional cameo on his wife’s TikToks), you have a better chance of getting the password to his email than getting him to go deep on overcoming venous thoracic outlet syndrome, the scary-sounding, career-threatening condition that befell him 13 months ago.

So, why the pause for reflection four months ago on the grass in Fenway Park? It sure seemed like a break from his typical tunnel vision to appreciate something that was nearly taken away.

“Part of that’s me probably winding down my career,” Wheeler said the other day after running sprints in the outfield here. “I’ve only got one more year on this contract. I don’t know if I’m going to play after that. But just going into those stadiums that maybe I won’t go back to — Anaheim, Detroit, Boston — we’re not going to play those teams there next year. So, kind of just soaking that in and enjoying it a little bit more this year than most years.”

Phillies ace Zack Wheeler has one season left on a three-year, $126 million contract.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Wait, let’s pause. When Wheeler signed an extension in March 2024, he initially wanted only a two-year deal. The Phillies talked him into three, for a total of $126 million. And at a news conference in Clearwater, Fla., he hinted it might be his last contract.

“I don’t want to play until I’m ‘old, old,’” he said then.

OK, sure. But did anyone really believe him? Wheeler was at the peak of his powers, healthier and better in the first half of his 30s with the Phillies than in his late 20s with the Mets. Besides, 40 is the new 30 in pro sports.

And here’s Wheeler now, pitching as well as ever — 2.99 ERA and 177 strikeouts in 150⅓ innings — even after a procedure last Sept. 23 in which surgeons removed his top rib to relieve a compressed vein.

Surely, he won’t walk away after only one more season. Will he?

“Honestly, I mean, it’s just still up in the air,” Wheeler said. “I think a lot of things have to kind of play out for me just to be able to see.”

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

Presumably, that includes the outcome of another Red October.

The Phillies are closing in on a fifth consecutive playoff appearance, and their chances of making a deep run hinge on the starters, notably Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, and Jesús Luzardo, if he’s able to overcome an inflamed left shoulder. Aaron Nola, Wheeler’s close friend and longtime running mate atop the rotation, can help, too, if he continues his second-half revival.

But there’s also baseball’s looming labor fight over a salary cap. With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire Dec. 1, the owners almost certainly will lock out the players.

What if an agreement isn’t reached in time for a 162-game season in 2027? How would that affect Wheeler’s plans?

“I don’t know,” he said, smiling. “I think it’s just going to be [a decision] at that point in time, whether it’s this or that, honestly.”

Fair enough. Say this, though: A year ago, even some Phillies officials wondered if Wheeler’s retirement, whenever it happens, might not be entirely on his own terms. Wheeler insists he never had a doubt.

Zack Wheeler (right) and Aaron Nola have been mainstays in the Phillies’ starting rotation since 2020.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

‘To be expected’

As Wheeler comes up on one year since his surgery, it was fitting that he pitched this week in Washington, where his injury odyssey began.

Wheeler allowed two runs in five innings on Aug. 15, 2025, in Nationals Park and felt fine after coming out of the game. But when he developed a bubble in his armpit that looked like a lymph node, head athletic trainer Paul Buchheit recommended that they get it checked by the Nationals’ team physicians.

It turned out to be a blood clot.

Wheeler returned to Philadelphia for a venogram, a test to detect blood flow. The conclusion: The clot was caused by a vein that got compressed between the rib cage and collarbone.

Jesús Luzardo ‘definitely concerned’ as inflamed left shoulder lands him on the injured list

One month after the clot was removed, Wheeler had a second procedure to relieve the vein. Then came the hard part: weeks of physical therapy and rehab, including a strict diet, not easy for an unabashed fast-food and junk-food lover.

It took time for Wheeler to put back the weight. He left spring training at about 195 pounds, roughly 10 pounds less than normal.

And yet, after all that, Wheeler shut out the Nationals on four hits in seven innings Wednesday night in Washington. Among 52 pitchers with a minimum of 150 innings entering the weekend, Wheeler was 14th in ERA and tied for 10th in walks/hits per inning (1.06).

“He’s made it look very easy,” pitching coach Caleb Cotham said of Wheeler’s comeback. “And it’s not.”

If someone had told Wheeler, as he left the hospital last September, that he’d be pitching at this level a year later, what would he have said?

“To be expected,” Wheeler said. “When you have surgery, or anything along those lines, you just have to stay positive and keep a strong mindset, you know? You believe that you’re going to come back and be the same guy, if not better, because you’ve had more time to strengthen and fine-tune everything.

Zack Wheeler says he “expected” to be pitching this well a year after surgery.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

“For me, it was just, come back, hit the ground running, and just be the same guy as I was, if not better.”

It did take time for Wheeler to regain the pre-surgery zip on his fastball. Even now, it isn’t completely back. He averaged 96.5 mph in July 2025, according to Statcast; he’s averaging 95.5 mph so far this month.

But Wheeler leans on his secondary pitches more now. His splitter, in particular, is “as good as it’s ever been,” Cotham said. Wheeler has thrown it 15.7% of the time, according to Statcast, and held opponents to a .182 average and .303 slugging.

If anything, Wheeler said the most unexpected part of the season was the depth of a six-start struggle after the All-Star break in which he posted an 8.51 ERA, bottoming out with an eight-run, five-walk, four-homer dud in Seattle on Aug. 24.

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The root of the problem was a glitch in his mechanics. Wheeler dropped his glove, causing him to over-rotate and follow through too far to the third-base side. He fixed the issue and has allowed three runs in his last 26 innings.

“I feel like, since I’ve been [with the Phillies], I haven’t had more than two, maybe three starts in a row where it’s kind of gone bad,” Wheeler said. “I think I probably thought I was going to get out of it a little quicker than I did. And I didn’t. So, maybe I should have checked in a little bit earlier.”

It probably cost him a chance for his elusive Cy Young Award, although Brewers sensation Jacob Misiorowski probably wrapped that up months ago. But there’s little doubt Wheeler will be the Comeback Player of the Year.

Zack Wheeler and J.T. Realmuto have played together with the Phillies since 2020.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

‘This is where you want to be’

Eleven days after the removal of his rib, Wheeler was introduced with his teammates before Game 1 of the divisional round against the Dodgers.

It was a helpless feeling.

“Yeah, it was tough,” he said. “Maybe if it was like June or May, I would have been like, ‘All right.’ But being that close to the finish line and the playoffs where, that’s your goal every year is to make the playoffs and see what happens. It was tough.

“But what are you going to do? I’m that type of person where, stuff’s going to happen in your life. Everyday stuff, normal person stuff, baseball-wise stuff, and sometimes you just can’t help. Injuries happen. Car wrecks happen. Stuff happens in life. You just have to learn how to deal with it and figure stuff out.”

J.T. Realmuto’s extreme success with the ABS system has the Phillies hoping he will challenge more calls

It helped that Wheeler overcame injuries early in his career.

Drafted in the first round (sixth overall) by the Giants in 2009, traded to the Mets in a one-for-one deal for Carlos Beltrán, and hailed as a top prospect, he missed 2½ seasons after Tommy John elbow surgery and multiple setbacks during the recovery.

By comparison, coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome was straightforward.

“That was my first injury where I was missing time at any level, even high school, so I was honestly just nervous that I wouldn’t get back,” Wheeler said. “I was unsure, just hoping for the best. But this far into my career, at the level that I’ve been pitching at, I expect to be there and want to be there.”

A year later, it’s like Wheeler was never gone.

“This time of the season, it’s cool, it’s special,” Wheeler said. “This is where you want to be, and these games really, really matter. It’s fun competing in these types of games, these atmospheres, and getting that close to the finish line. You’ve got to really bear down, and I think everybody knows that.”

September 19, 2026
José Urquidy navigates life as a ‘hired gun’, the wild-card race gets wilder and the Phillies lose to the Mets

NEW YORK — José Urquidy lost one job Tuesday, found another Thursday, and barely sat down in the Phillies’ bullpen here Friday night when he was told to warm up.

“Hired gun,” interim manager Don Mattingly said.

Swell. How many more can the Phillies find?

Because with eight games left in the season, 11 days before the start of the wild-card miniseries, they are down one ace starter (Jesús Luzardo) and one setup reliever (Jonathan Bowlan). A pitching staff that was never deep in the first place is leaking oil.

And even though Urquidy introduced himself with 4⅔ scoreless innings, the Phillies lost, 6-3, to the Mets on three first-inning runs against opener Tim Mayza and Juan Soto’s three-run homer in the sixth against embattled Orion Kerkering.

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“Just a rough last couple of months,” Kerkering said, and he might have been understating the depths of an 8.84 ERA since July 22, including runs in seven of his last eight appearances. “I think tonight was a lot better executing besides one pitch to Soto. But it’s just the turnaround, hopefully here soon.”

Soon, or never.

Zoom out, and the Phillies stayed tied for the top National League wild card because the Cubs blew a one-run lead in Cincinnati. But the Padres forced a three-way tie with a win at home over the Marlins.

How’s that for putting the “wild” in wild-card race?

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly, second from left, pulls pitcher Tim Mayza, left, out of the game during the first inning.Seth Wenig

It wouldn’t be quite as wild as Urquidy’s week. He got designated for assignment by the White Sox and was back in Chicago with his family when his agent called Thursday with an offer from the Phillies.

But there was one catch: Urquidy won’t be eligible for the postseason, assuming the Phillies get in, because he wasn’t in the organization on Sept. 1.

“I threw a little bit, and they told me to plan to come here [Friday] and throw,” said Urquidy, a 31-year-old righty who faced the Phillies in the 2022 World Series. “They asked me if I was ready for the day, and I said yes and everything was good.”

Wait, he threw Thursday? With whom?

“I found an academy in Chicago,” Urquidy said. “The academy was behind the airport, and I threw there. I was watching the time to see when my flight. It was a very crazy afternoon, actually.”

Andrew Painter and Christian Scott were high school teammates. Saturday, they will face off in a ‘special’ matchup.

The only thing crazier would’ve been if Urquidy started the game. Instead, the Phillies went with Mayza, who delivered three scoreless innings last Saturday night in Atlanta after Luzardo was scratched with an inflamed left shoulder.

This time, Mayza faced five batters and got one out.

Soto and Bo Bichette put up back-to-back 10-pitch at-bats against Mayza before Carson Benge smashed an RBI single. And by the time Urquidy could get ready, the bases were loaded with one out.

Nice to meet you, too.

A.J. Ewing greeted Urquidy with a two-run single. But Urquidy set down 10 of the next 11 batters, and the Phillies chipped away at a 3-0 deficit against lefty Zac Thornton.

“José was really good today,” Mattingly said. “It was fun to watch, actually. It just seemed calm all day and no real panic in any situation. Yeah, it was fun to watch.”

The Mets’ Juan Soto celebrates his three-run home run in the sixth inning.Seth Wenig

Mattingly could choose to start Urquidy next Thursday when Luzardo’s turn in the rotation comes up again.

By then, the Phillies hope to have secured a wild card.

Unless the bullpen keeps melting down. It would help, of course, if the Phillies scored more than three runs, which has happened twice in the last eight games. But Mattingly is also running out of relievers that he can trust, especially with Bowlan sidelined now by a strained right groin.

Kerkering was making his first appearance in six days because of a case of turf toe. He gave up a leadoff infield single and a one-out single before hanging a sweeper to Soto with two outs.

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Three Septembers ago, Kerkering made a meteoric rise to the majors because of his sweeper. It will always be his best pitch, but even he wonders if he has become too predictable.

“It’s maybe a factor of guys sitting on it more,” he said, noting that he throws his sweeper nearly 50% of the time. “It’s just been my bread and butter. I think most guys, if they shouldn’t know, they probably already know that’s my pitch now. I’m just trying to figure out how to attack guys a little bit better and go from there.”

Whatever the case, the Phillies need Kerkering to figure it out. Because Mattingly has little choice other than to keep using him.

“The one thing I can’t do is look backwards, right? And he can’t either,” Mattingly said. “And obviously, with Bow going down, we’re going to need good innings out of Kerky.

“Anybody that gives up runs, when things aren’t going good, your confidence is not sky high like when you’re getting all your outs and everything’s going smoothly. But we’ve got to get past that at this point.”

After all, there are only so many hired guns available.

September 19, 2026
Andrew Painter and Christian Scott were high school teammates. Now they will face off in a ‘special’ matchup.

NEW YORK — The message landed on Andrew Painter’s phone before the Phillies landed at LaGuardia Airport.

When are you pitching?

Christian Scott had to know. More importantly, a few former coaches from Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., needed to book plane tickets. Because if the Phillies’ starting rotation stayed in order — not a guarantee after Jesús Luzardo went on the injured list — Painter would face the Mets’ Scott, his former high school teammate, here on Saturday.

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“They were all pretty eager to figure out what was going on,” Painter said Friday. “I didn’t know if I was going to be throwing [Friday] or [Saturday]. So everyone was just kind of waiting for that answer.

“It worked out.”

So former Calvary Christian coach Alan Kunkel was en route to New York — “Can’t wait!” he said Friday in a text message — along with then-pitching coach Alex Norris.

Painter and Scott were teammates in 2018, when the former was a freshman and the latter a senior. Not surprisingly, Calvary Christian was a powerhouse, winning the Class 4A state championship in 2016 with Scott and in 2018 with Scott and Painter.

Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter had a roadmap of sorts in the form of Christian Scott, who he’ll face on Saturday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Kunkel remembered Scott as “very emotional at times” on the mound; Painter was more laid-back. If there was a question about Painter in high school, Kunkel said some scouts wondered if he was competitive enough.

“They were both equally competitive; they just did it different ways,” Kunkel said earlier this year. “I really think that if clubs thought [Painter] was as competitive as he really is, he’d have been the first or second [overall] pick of the draft. Because, man, he wanted the ball when it mattered.”

If anything, Painter said Scott’s path through amateur baseball almost served as a road map.

The Zack Wheeler conversation: Why he expected to thrive after surgery, and how much longer he wants to play

Scott, 27, pitched for Florida before the Mets drafted him in the fifth round in 2021. Painter, 23, verbally committed to Florida, too, but changed course after getting drafted in the first round in 2021 and signing with the Phillies for $3.9 million.

“We worked out together as well, outside of school,” said Painter, who drove with Scott twice a week to the Cressey Sports Performance training facility in South Florida. “Just kind of being able to lean on him for some of that stuff when I was just getting into it and kind of being able to take a little bit of his work ethic and kind of just pay attention to that stuff.”

They’ve shared other experiences. Painter missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons after tearing an elbow ligament and having Tommy John surgery; Scott didn’t pitch in the majors last season while recovering from the same procedure.

Painter made his major league debut this season. And after posting a 7.06 ERA and getting sent back to the minors in June, he returned a month later and has a 3.58 ERA in his last nine starts.

Scott debuted for the Mets in May 2024 and had a 4.56 ERA in nine starts. He has a 3.76 mark through 22 starts this season.

“It’s really awesome,” Painter said. “It’s not something you really think about when you’re in high school. … It’s a big day. It’s special. I can only imagine from [their coaches’] point of view how much they’re looking forward to it.”

September 18, 2026
Phillies reliever Jonathan Bowlan has a right groin strain, but he won’t go on the injured list

NEW YORK — When reliever Jonathan Bowlan strained his right groin in April, the Phillies placed him on the injured list for 15 days.

That won’t be the case now.

Because although Bowlan was diagnosed Friday with a right groin strain and interim manager Don Mattingly conceded that it may result in a stint on the injured list at any other time of the season, the setup man will remain active to be eligible for the wild-card series.

Jesús Luzardo ‘definitely concerned’ as inflamed left shoulder lands him on the injured list

“I thought the news was pretty good,” said Mattingly, who added that it’s a “mild strain,” according to the medical report. “It’s something that we’re going to try to work through, obviously keep evaluating daily.”

Bowlan tweaked his groin on his second-to-last pitch to the Mets’ Nick Morabito in the eighth inning Thursday night. He said postgame that the injury didn’t feel as bad as earlier in the season.

“It’s not that extreme,” he said.

Bowlan emerged as the Phillies’ primary setup man in July when Brad Keller was lost for the season to Tommy John surgery. But after a solid first half, he has struggled recently, allowing runs in five consecutive appearances before Thursday night.

Phillies pitcher Jonathan Bowlan had struggled in recent appearances before Thursday, when he exited with a groin injury.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

Mattingly said the Phillies are better prepared to keep Bowlan on the roster, even if he’s unavailable, because they’re carrying an extra reliever in September. They also picked up veteran righty José Urquidy off waivers this week, giving them another multiple-inning option out of the bullpen.

But Mattingly stressed that the Phillies also believe Bowlan could be ready before the postseason, which opens Sept. 29. If he went on the injured list, he wouldn’t be eligible to return until Oct. 3.

“I mean, it sounded good,” Mattingly said. “They’re calling it a strain. I think if it was worse than that, there would be no reason to try to work through it, right? It’s something that we feel like he can work through. We’ll just keep watching it and go from there.”

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Without Bowlan, rookie Alex McFarlane will be the top right-handed setup option, if he wasn’t already, in front of closer Jhoan Duran. Orion Kerkering hasn’t pitched since last Saturday night in Atlanta because of turf toe, although Mattingly said he remains available.

“I think he’s ready to go, even though he hasn’t been used,” Mattingly said. “It’s just because the game wasn’t in his spot. Yeah, I think he’s ready to go.”

From the left side, the Phillies have Tim Mayza, Brooks Raley, and Tanner Banks, in addition to top option José Alvarado. Mayza and Banks are available to pitch more than one inning, and Mayza started as an opener here Friday night.

Pitcher Jesús Luzardo is dealing with left shoulder issues.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

Waiting on Luzardo

Although Jesús Luzardo hasn’t been cleared to resume throwing, Mattingly said he was encouraged by the progress of the star lefty’s inflamed left shoulder.

“I feel a lot better about him just from the standpoint that he’s feeling better,” Mattingly said. “What we thought was going to happen is happening.”

Mattingly said there’s “no schedule” for when Luzardo will try to play catch.

Brandon Marsh has struggled to make adjustments, and it’s broken his breakout season

Benching Brandon

Despite a deep second-half slump that has put Brandon Marsh on the bench against lefty starters, Mattingly said he isn’t ready to take him out of the lineup against right-handed pitchers, too.

“I can’t say it hasn’t crossed my mind,” Mattingly said. “I don’t think I have the right [alternative] for that spot.”

Besides, Marsh did start the All-Star Game for the National League. Through the end of June, he was batting .317 with an .868 OPS. Since then, he’s hitting .181 with a .492 OPS.

Mattingly knows the Phillies need him to snap out of it more than they need to replace him.

“I feel like we need him, and we feel like he’s getting closer to what we want him to be,” Mattingly said. “I will say, it’s easier to pull the trigger quicker on the pinch-hitter at times. But other than that, I’m not really thinking about flipping a righty into that spot.”

Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh is hitting .181 with a .492 OPS since July 1.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

Extra bases

Urquidy joined the Phillies before the game and was set to come into the game behind Mayza and pitch multiple innings. The veteran righty isn’t eligible for the playoffs because he wasn’t in the organization before Sept. 1. “Hired gun,” Mattingly said. “I’ve seen it before, seen it multiple times over the years, where a guy can’t pitch in the playoffs, but he has a chance to help you get there.” To open a roster spot for Urquidy, the Phillies optioned lefty Kyle Backhus to triple A. … Andrew Painter (3-9, 5.54 ERA) is scheduled to start at 4:10 p.m. Saturday against Mets righty Christian Scott (4-5, 3.76). They were high school teammates for one year at Calvary Christian in South Florida.

September 18, 2026
Aaron Nola keeps turning back the clock with dominant outing in Phillies’ shutout win over Mets

NEW YORK — Aaron Nola once stood on the mound here and struck out 10 consecutive batters, tying a major-league record set by a Hall of Famer with a 10-foot tall statue outside the main gate of this ballpark.

Just in case anyone forgot who Nola is.

It was a long time ago — June 25, 2021, to be exact — when Nola shared a feat with Tom Seaver. Nola is 33 now, with as much mileage on his iron right arm as any pitcher in the sport. And until this week, he wasn’t as essential to the entire Phillies’ operation.

But with nine games to go, a playoff spot within reach, and star lefty Jesús Luzardo shut down by an inflamed shoulder, the spotlight is back on the Phillies’ longest-tenured player.

José Urquidy claimed off waivers, will be available to pitch for Phillies on Friday vs. Mets

What a time, then, for Nola to turn back the clock.

That’s clearly what’s happening, the latest gem coming Thursday night when Nola faced the minimum 15 batters through five innings, didn’t yield a hit until the sixth, and threw 81 pitches over seven innings — a model of efficiency and effectiveness — in a 3-0 victory over the Mets.

You could’ve sworn it was 2022 all over again.

“It feels good,” Nola said, understated as ever.

But here’s the thing: It wasn’t a one-off. Quietly, as is his nature, Nola has pitched like this for six weeks, beginning with a hard-luck 1-0 loss July 28 in Miami. In his last 10 starts, he has a 2.10 ERA in 60 innings.

Video: Aaron Nola on the Phillies’ World Series chances: ‘We definitely have the team to do it’

These are the Phillies, though, so it couldn’t be all good. Jonathan Bowlan, who has emerged as the primary setup reliever, took over from Nola and left in the eighth inning with what the Phillies termed “tightness” in his right groin.

“No pop, nothing like that,” said Bowlan, who missed two weeks in April with a strained right groin. “All I can do is treatment, and re-evaluate and go from there. We’ll just have to see what tomorrow brings.”

The bullpen is already missing Brad Keller, sidelined in July by season-ending elbow surgery. Orion Kerkering has been slowed by turf toe. Rookie Alex McFarlane is already playing a big role. Without Bowlan, lefty Tim Mayza and others would have to take up the mantle.

“We’ll find out more tomorrow,” interim manager Don Mattingly said after the Phillies pulled into a tie with the idle Cubs for the top National League wild card and lowered their playoff-clinching magic number to five. “I don’t want to be coldhearted, but you’d have to move on and find a way to fill that spot, which is not necessarily easy to do. But that means other guys got to step up. That’s all.”

Just like Nola.

Jesús Luzardo ‘definitely concerned’ as inflamed left shoulder lands him on the injured list

Nola is nothing less than one of the best homegrown pitchers in franchise history. On the Phillies’ all-time lists, he ranks second in strikeouts (2,045), fifth in wins (116), and seventh in innings (1,884).

Someday, he’ll get a plaque on the Wall of Fame in Ashburn Alley.

But through June, Nola had a 6.04 ERA — after an injury-plagued 2025 in which he finished with a career-worst 6.01 mark. Never one to overpower hitters with velocity, his command must be precise. And nothing has gotten easier for him, not with the advent of the pitch clock, the automated ball-strike system, a limit on the number of pickoff moves, and just the passage of time.

It was fair to wonder if Nola, signed through 2030 at $24.57 million per year, was cooked.

Aaron Nola has a 2.10 ERA in his last 10 starts.Seth Wenig

“Not for me,” Mattingly said. “Honestly, guys that locate like that and work and are healthy, you know what they’ve been in the past. And guys just don’t quit trying to get better and reinventing themselves, in a sense. As you get older, you have to do it.”

Indeed, after a decade of spinning his curveball, burying his sinker, and pounding the strike zone, Nola changed his pattern. In particular, he threw more changeups, even to right-handed hitters.

“I think it’s just mixing well and throwing all the pitches for strikes and just trying to keep everything sharp and the delivery sharp,” Nola said. “Try not to be too perfect with my pitches.”

Against the Mets, Nola relied on his signature curveball. He threw 47 pitches through five innings and sat through a long delay in the top of the sixth when Mets first baseman Jared Young got carted off the field on a stretcher in a scary scene after colliding with pitcher Nolan McLean and taking a knee to the head.

Brandon Marsh has struggled to make adjustments, and it’s broken his breakout season

(Young had feeling in his extremities, according to the Mets, but was taken to the hospital, where a CT scan was negative.)

Nola allowed a one-out walk in the sixth on a 10-pitch duel with Brett Baty before finally giving up a hit, a solid single to left field by Nick Morabito. He got through the seventh and might have come back for the eighth, too.

“But just checking with him, he seemed hesitant to me,” Mattingly said. “He felt like he didn’t have the same fastball. He was kind of running out of gas.”

NL wild-card standings

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And given the uncertainty with Luzardo, Mattingly isn’t about to take chances with Nola — or any other starter.

“We really hope [Luzardo] can come back healthy — and quick,” Nola said. “We really need him.”

Meanwhile, there’s Nola, with his 3.88 ERA in 11 career postseason starts, tied for 14th-most among active pitchers.

“Noles is huge,” Mattingly said. “It was tough there early for him, but he just hung in there, kept working, and next thing you know, you’re seeing this. And with Zeus, not knowing what’s going on as this thing gets down to the wire, how Noles factors in could be huge.”

September 18, 2026
José Urquidy claimed off waivers by Phillies and will be available to pitch Friday vs. Mets

NEW YORK — Don Mattingly was riding to the ballpark here Thursday, still unsure of the Phillies’ pitching plan for the next few days, when a name came across his phone.

José Urquidy.

Two days after getting designated for assignment by the White Sox, Urquidy was claimed off waivers by the Phillies. The veteran right-hander is set to meet the team in New York and is scheduled to pitch Friday, according to Mattingly, likely providing bulk innings within a bullpen game.

“He’s going to be available tomorrow, I can say that much,” Mattingly said. “But how we’ll run the game, we’re not quite sure. We haven’t got there yet.”

Jesús Luzardo ‘definitely concerned’ as inflamed left shoulder lands him on the injured list

The Phillies have a hole in the rotation after star lefty Jesús Luzardo went on the injured list with an inflamed left shoulder. Aside from being a critical blow to their chances for a deep postseason run, it left them with a short-term need for a starter against the Mets.

Rather than bringing a pitcher from triple A, the Phillies decided to divide the start between relievers. Even so, Mattingly prefers to use at least one pitcher for multiple innings rather than passing the baton inning by inning.

Urquidy, 31, started playoff games for the Astros once upon a time but missed the 2024 season due to Tommy John elbow surgery and has struggled to reestablish himself. He had an 8.53 ERA in five relief appearances for the Pirates before getting traded in July to the White Sox and posting a 4.37 ERA in six games (one start).

Jesús Luzardo hasn’t been cleared to throw because of an inflamed left shoulder.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

So, with Luzardo still not cleared to resume throwing — “Until he’s kind of pain-free, it’s going to be no-throw,” Mattingly said as the lefty ran sprints in the outfield — the Phillies took a flier on Urquidy.

Urquidy isn’t eligible for the postseason roster. Really, though, the Phillies only want him to eat innings here against the Mets and probably next Thursday night at home against the Brewers.

Mattingly said Urquidy “has been throwing” since the White Sox took him off the roster. In his most recent appearance, on Sept. 8, he threw 65 pitches in four innings and gave up two runs on five hits and a walk.

“I think missing Zeus’ start puts you in a bullpen game in some fashion, and a bullpen game one [inning] at a time is a little different than having a bulk guy in there who can throw 70-75 pitches,” Mattingly said. “So, we’re in a little better shape now.”

Can Trea Turner rescue his season despite career-worst stats at the plate? His manager and teammates believe so.

The Phillies ran a bullpen game last Saturday in Atlanta after scratching Luzardo from his scheduled start. In that case, they opened with lefty reliever Tim Mayza, who threw 31 pitches in three scoreless innings.

Mattingly mentioned Mayza and lefty Tanner Banks as relievers who can go multiple innings. Urquidy will provide additional coverage.

“We’re just built a little better — we’re a little more prepared, I should say — for this game than the one in Atlanta,” Mattingly said. “Because [scratching Luzardo] happened so late in Atlanta.”

The move for Urquidy also enabled the Phillies to give rookie righty Andrew Painter an extra day of rest. Painter is scheduled start Saturday before Cristopher Sánchez in the series finale Sunday.

Alec Bohm has hiked his average above .250 for the first time since the third game of the season.Erik S. Lesser

Bohm takes the fifth

With two hits and three walks in Wednesday night’s 3-0 victory in Washington, Alec Bohm hiked his average and OPS above .250 and .700, respectively, for the first time since the third game of the season.

“I was in a pretty deep hole early on,” Bohm said. “For me, it was focusing less on what’s my batting average today and more on let’s go out and try to win a game today. Because the numbers are what they are. Can’t really do much about it at this point, so let’s try to go help the team win and contribute in some way.

“Getting lost in that for a while, they’ve found their way back to, I guess, more of the norm for myself.”

Brandon Marsh has struggled to make adjustments, and it’s broken his breakout season

It’s an admirable outlook for a player who will be a free agent after the season. But with a solid second half — .314 average, .844 OPS since the All-Star break, entering play Thursday — the righty-hitting Bohm also has moved into the No. 5 spot in the order and helped to balance the top half of a lineup that’s heavy on lefties with Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Luis Arraez.

“I like it,” Arraez said through a team interpreter. “I like it because they’re bringing a lot of lefty pitchers to us right there. It gives Bohmer an opportunity to produce. And it’s good for a team to give him those chances.”

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly has to manage the hole in the rotation created by the injury to Jesús Luzardo.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

Extra bases

Mattingly met with the relievers as a group in left field before batting practice. The Phillies rank 20th in the majors with a 4.31 bullpen ERA. … Top prospect Aidan Miller, a shortstop, made his second start in a row at third base for double-A Reading in the Eastern League semifinal series against Hartford. … To add Urquidy to the 40-man roster, the Phillies moved reliever Caleb Kilian to the 60-day injured list. Kilian is sidelined by a strained oblique muscle in his left side. They will have to make a move to get Urquidy on the active roster. … The Phillies will face Mets rookie lefty Zac Thornton (4-5, 3.44 ERA) at 7:15 p.m. Friday.

September 17, 2026
Zack Wheeler delivers seven scoreless innings in Phillies’ shutout of the Nationals: ‘They’re all must-win’
WASHINGTON — Most of the Phillies were already gone from the clubhouse to catch the team bus. But for the benefit of any stragglers, Kyle Schwarber took it up an octave.

“It’s going to be a grind,” he said here the other night. “It’s not like it’s guaranteed.”

Not even when it should be a walk in the park — or lots of walks in Nationals Park. Not for these Phillies. Not with 10 games left and a playoff spot still to be clinched.

Case in point: Wednesday night. The Phillies knocked a rookie opener from the game after six batters. They worked seven walks through four innings, including four in the first — and 13 in all, their highest total in a game in … checks notes … 22 years.

Brandon Marsh has struggled to make adjustments, and it’s broken his breakout season

And yet they ground out only a 3-0 victory over the Nationals behind seven workmanlike innings from old reliable Zack Wheeler, once again the most effective and healthiest of the Phillies’ Big Three starters.

“It’s win games and get in the playoffs at this point. So they’re all must-win,” said Alec Bohm, who drove in the first run with a bases-loaded single and reached five times (two hits, three walks). “We just want it in our control. We win, then it’s in our control. If we don’t win, we’re scoreboard watching and who knows what can happen.”

Cue the nightly check of the playoff race:
- The Phillies (84-68) remained a half-game behind the (85-68) Cubs for the top National League wild card. The Phillies were one game clear of the Padres (83-69) going into Thursday’s games for the second wild card.
- With any combination of six victories or Diamondbacks losses, the Phillies will clinch a wild card.
- Chicago, which holds a tiebreaker over the Phillies, is off Thursday. The Phillies will begin a four-game series in New York against the out-of-contention Mets, who have played better after a brutal first half.
Got all that? Good.

NL wild-card standings

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The Phillies are struggling to reach base at last month’s majors-leading clip. But even they couldn’t avoid taking what the Nationals gave them in the first inning, chiefly enough walks to score twice.

And Wheeler took it from there.

One day after Jesús Luzardo went on the injured list with an inflamed left shoulder and Cristopher Sánchez gave up five runs on eight hits in a loss, Wheeler was in command against the Nationals, third in the majors in runs despite being headed for their seventh consecutive losing season.

Hayes: With Jesús Luzardo out, Phillies hitters need to start earning their millions

Wheeler said he sought to exploit the young Nationals by throwing pitches off the plate early in the count “to try to use their aggressiveness against them.” It worked. He held them to four hits (three singles) and completed seven innings in 91 pitches.

“I threw a lot of first-pitch balls, but that was kind of on purpose just to see if I could get weak contact,” Wheeler said. “If I was going in, I was trying to throw it off the plate. If I was going away, I was trying to make them chase a ball or two off the plate.”

Jesús Luzardo ‘definitely concerned’ as inflamed left shoulder lands him on the injured list

Luis Arraez doubled in Bryce Harper for insurance in the seventh inning. Arraez reached four times, including his first three-walk game since 2024. Maybe it all gets the offense refocused. Maybe it was one game.

Say this: Bohm has hoisted his average above .250 for the first time since the third game of the season. He’s batting .293 against lefties, including .500 since the beginning of August.

“I was in a pretty deep hole early on,” Bohm said. “For me, it was focusing less on what’s my batting average today and more on let’s go out and try to win a game today. Because the numbers are what they are. Can’t really do much about it at this point, so let’s try to go help the team win and contribute in some way.

“Getting lost in that for a while, they’ve found their way back to, I guess, more of the norm for myself.”

Alec Bohm (right) is batting .293 against lefties, including .500 since the beginning of August.Nick Wass

It’s a mature outlook for a player who has often been criticized for immaturity. But it’s undoubtedly the correct one in the second-to-last week of the season.

At this late juncture, interim manager Don Mattingly is still trying to bring order to the bullpen. He put the lead in the unsteady hands of lefty José Alvarado, who sidestepped a one-out walk by getting dangerous James Wood to line out and Daylen Lile to fly out.

Jhoan Duran, who hadn’t pitched in five days, went to a full count on the leadoff batter in the ninth before striking him out. He popped up CJ Abrams to win a seven-pitch duel before ending the game with a strikeout.

The whole thing was imperfect. The Phillies went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. They left 13 on base. They became the first team since the Tigers on June 8, 1955, to walk at least 13 times and score three runs or less in a nine-inning game.

Can Trea Turner rescue his season despite career-worst stats at the plate? His manager and teammates believe so.

“I look at it as, we won tonight,” Mattingly said. “That’s what I look at. No matter how we do it, we got the win. So, that’s really what matters at the end of the day.”

Indeed. And in winning for only the second time in six games, they crossed Game 152 off the calendar in their quest to just get into the playoffs, reset everything, and take their chances.

“After losing [Tuesday] night, we had to come out here with a win today,” Wheeler said. “I was just trying to do the best that I could and at least split.”

It wasn’t easy, even though the Nationals tried to make it so. And it isn’t about to get easier, just as Schwarber warned.
September 17, 2026
Brandon Marsh has struggled to make adjustments, and it’s broken his breakout season

WASHINGTON — Two months ago, Brandon Marsh was the starting right fielder for the National League in the All-Star Game.

Really. That happened.

Since then, Marsh has been among the worst hitters in the league. Benched against left-handed pitchers, the long-haired, bushy-bearded Phillies’ outfielder batted eighth here Wednesday night after playing every day and hitting cleanup for much of June and early July.

“I just think [teams] have made an adjustment to him, and then we’ve got to make it back,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “And we haven’t been able to do that.”

J.T. Realmuto’s extreme success with the ABS system has the Phillies hoping he will challenge more calls

It has broken Marsh’s breakout season.

Consider this: After a two-hit game July 1 against the Pirates, Marsh was batting .319 with an .881 OPS. He dragged a .176 average and .470 OPS since then into the series finale against Nationals lefty opener Jared Simpson.

Marsh’s success has always been rooted in his batting average on balls in play. Among all players with at least 2,000 career plate appearances, Marsh ranks sixth all-time with a .360 average on balls in play. Three of the top five are Hall of Famers (Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, and Billy Hamilton); a fourth in Joe Jackson.

But as Marsh’s profile rose, teams began attacking him differently. In particular, Mattingly noted that Marsh has seen fewer pitches in the strike zone in the second half, especially early in counts.

The two months since his start in the All-Star Game have been a struggle for Brandon Marsh.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Not coincidentally, his batting average on balls in play plummeted from .396 through July 1 to .221 since then.

“Marsh is sitting back there at some point, and they’re probably not doing a ton of homework on him,” Mattingly said. “They’re attacking him. Whatever. He starts being aggressive early. He’s doing damage. He’s getting his hits. All of a sudden, he’s hitting .330 and he’s on the All-Star team, and it’s like, ‘Maybe we ought to do a little more work on this guy.’ Right?

“At some point, he’s aggressive, [so] they’re going to be less likely to throw you strikes and get you to chase a little more. And then we’ve got to make the adjustment to back down maybe the aggression. Be aggressive when you swing, but it doesn’t mean you’re swinging at everything.

“You see adjustments all the time, and I think that’s what’s happened basically.”

In any case, after assisting Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber in carrying the offense for much of the first half, Marsh’s production has all but disappeared at a time when the Phillies need it.

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly plans to deploy a bullpen game Friday or Saturday in New York.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

Where’s the depth?

Rather than recalling triple-A starter Alan Rangel to fill the rotation vacancy created by Jesús Luzardo’s sore left shoulder, the Phillies will opt for a bullpen game Friday (or maybe Saturday) in New York and then likely again next week at home.

“It’s nice to have, say, a bulk guy, which probably is 45 to 60 pitches,” Mattingly said. “If you’re able to do that, you’re not using one guy to get [each of] those innings for you instead of three [pitchers total], which leaves you in a better shape the next day. I’m not sure.”

In that case, why not call up Rangel, effectively the No. 6 starter?

“I’m sure we’re probably more comfortable with the guys that we have,” Mattingly said.

Jesús Luzardo ‘definitely concerned’ as inflamed left shoulder lands him on the injured list

Rangel, who started Wednesday night in triple A, was 0-3 with a 5.88 ERA in seven games (three starts) earlier this season. He had a 10.23 ERA in his last five triple-A starts.

Andrew Painter threw a between-starts bullpen session and likely will start Saturday with an extra day of rest. But if the Phillies need to use several relievers Thursday night, Painter could start Friday on regular rest.

Mattingly noted that the Phillies have 10 relievers in the bullpen because of expanded rosters. So, although they lack a true bulk reliever, they can piece together a game.

When the Phillies scratched Luzardo last Saturday night in Atlanta, lefty Tim Mayza completed three innings in only 31 pitches. He could be the choice to start against the Mets.

Mattingly seemed to rule out veteran left-hander Nestor Cortes, who gave up two runs on three hits and struck out three batters on 32 pitches in 1⅔ innings Tuesday night in triple A. Cortes, 32, signed with the Phillies last month after biceps tendon surgery after last season.

“Everything is a possibility, right?” Mattingly said. “But he’s not really built at this point.”

Phillies top prospect Aidan Miller made his first career start at third base Tuesday night in a playoff game for double-A Reading.George Youngs/Reading Fightin Phils

Extra bases

Reading won 21-4 (you read that right) in the opener of the double-A Eastern League semifinal, with the best-of-three series moving to Hartford on Thursday night. Top prospect Aidan Miller made his first career start at third base and went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts; 22-year-old shortstop Bryan Rincon finished with two hits and five RBIs. … Aaron Nola (6-10, 4.69 ERA) is slated to start at 7:15 p.m. Thursday in New York against Mets righty Nolan McLean (11-9, 3.24).

September 16, 2026
Phillies’ late-inning bullpen struggles show up again in 6-3 loss to the Nationals

WASHINGTON — Jesús Luzardo spent his first night on the injured list seated at the end of the dugout bench, an ace unable to pitch due to shoulder stiffness.

Yet, somehow, the Phillies still have a bigger problem.

Luzardo, only the best pitcher in the National League since the middle of May, may not pitch again this season. But even that ominous news can’t possibly churn interim manager Don Mattingly’s bile like the bullpen in a close game.

It reared its head again here Tuesday night — and on the first pitch thrown by Jonathan Bowlan, who gave up a go-ahead three-run homer to pinch-hitting Daylen Lile in a series-opening 6-3 loss to the Nationals.

Jesús Luzardo ‘definitely concerned’ as inflamed left shoulder lands him on the injured list

“I mean, it was executed,” Bowlan said of a first-pitch changeup to Lile. “He just put a good swing on it, you know? The result is what it is. If he rolled over, we’d be saying something different. That’s just part of the game.”

More so lately for Bowlan, who has allowed four homers in his last seven appearances, a troubling development for the Phillies’ primary setup man at a time when Orion Kerkering is trudging around the clubhouse in a boot because of turf toe, and Alex McFarlane is a rookie with 15 games of major-league experience. Back to all that momentarily.

Because despite losing for the fourth time in five games, the Phillies (83-68) stayed a half-game behind the Cubs (84-68), who lost at home to the Braves, for the top NL wild card. They also remained a game ahead of the Padres (82-69), who lost on the road in Colorado. San Diego occupies the final wild-card spot.

Cristopher Sánchez was charged with five earned runs across 6⅓ innings.Nick Wass

And there are only 11 games remaining.

“It’s going to be a grind, there’s no doubt about it,” said Kyle Schwarber, who opened a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning with his majors-leading 45th homer. “It’s not like it’s a guarantee. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. We’ve got to go out and we’ve got to win ballgames.”

Especially ones that are tied in the seventh inning.

NL wild-card standings

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Bowlan inherited a two-on, one-out jam from Cristopher Sánchez. The big righty had a stellar first half and emerged as the setup man in July once Brad Keller was lost to season-ending elbow surgery. But he has also pitched a lot, a career-high 55⅔ innings in 58 games.

The Phillies have noticed that the quality of Bowlan’s stuff diminishes when he pitches on back-to-back days. In this case, he hadn’t pitched since last Friday.

Can Trea Turner rescue his season despite career-worst stats at the plate? His manager and teammates believe so.

“Obviously you’re concerned,” Mattingly said. “You don’t want to give up the long ball because then it’s either a run quick or multiples. In general, we’ve given up some homers out of the pen, say, in the last month. We’ve got to do a better job of either executing or getting the ball to the right spots, things like that.

“I thought [Bowlan] was the right guy for that spot.”

Instead, Bowlan left a changeup over the plate. He has allowed a run in each of his last five outings and six of his last seven. His ERA since Aug. 29: 7.71.

“It’s a tough situation to be in, no doubt,” Bowlan said. “I mean, you don’t want to do that. That’s not what we’re here for. There’s ups, there’s downs, and you live and you learn from it. I wouldn’t say there’s much searching. All you can do is move on to the next day, next pitch. The sun comes up, and just keep rolling.”

Sánchez wasn’t blameless. He was unable to hold 1-0 and 3-2 leads, allowing Andrés Chaparro’s game-tying homer in the fifth inning. After 193⅔ innings, second-most in the NL, the ace lefty is leaking oil, too, with a 5.06 ERA in his last five starts.

Cristopher Sánchez has a 5.06 ERA in his last five starts.Nick Wass

“I feel like I’ve missed a couple pitches, and they got me on those mistakes,” Sánchez said through a team interpreter. “Of course I’ve noticed it. It’s something that I have to work on and improve.”

Is it a mechanical tweak?

“I’d rather not talk about that right now,” Sánchez said. “I’m just missing some pitches and know that I have to get better.”

The offense wasn’t absolved either. The Phillies got only one hit after Schwarber’s fifth-inning homer. As Mattingly put it, “We didn’t do anything, honestly.” And after getting on base at a .353 clip in August, they’re back to a .279 mark so far in September.

“Guys go up and down,” Schwarber said. “There’s times guys are going to go good, times guys are going to go bad. That’s why there’s a lineup.”

Bryce Harper had his best month as a Phillie, and even he is not quite sure how he’s done it

Yet none of it, not even Luzardo’s inflamed left shoulder that put him on the injured list, is as gut-churning as the bullpen. Because in the postseason, if they make it, the Phillies will be tied in the seventh inning with the starter at 98 pitches and the offense struggling for hits.

And the outcome will rest with the bullpen.

“Those innings are always the stressful innings, and they’re stressful innings all over the place,” Mattingly said. “You’d like to be able to lock down that end of the game when you get a lead or you’re in a close game. You want to be able to lock that down and keep it right there and give yourself chances to score.”

Instead of giving it away on one pitch.

“We know we have the group that is capable of being the team that can hold up a trophy at the end of the year,” Schwarber said. “We know that. But we also have to go out there and we have to win games.”

September 16, 2026