Just in case you thought the Phillies only lost a game Thursday night, there was Luis Arraez, unable to put weight on his left leg as he limped off the field.
And now, it’s unclear if he will play again this season.
Diagnosed with a sprained left ankle after landing on it awkwardly to avoid a tag at first base while legging out a grounder in the sixth inning, Arraez’s availability will hinge on how he responds to treatment. X-rays were negative, according to interim manager Don Mattingly.
“We’ll see more, we’ll know more [Friday],” Mattingly said after the Phillies’ latest attempt to clinch a wild card was foiled with a 5-1 loss to the Brewers. “We’ll see what happens, see how he walks in, or talk to him [Friday].”
Closing in on his fourth batting title with a National League-leading .310 average, Arraez is hitting .278 with a .309 on-base percentage for the Phillies since they traded for him at the Aug. 3 deadline. He has been the cleanup hitter in all 44 of his starts.
The Phillies rearranged three-quarters of their infield to accommodate Arraez at second base. If he’s unable to play in the last three regular-season games against the Rays and (maybe) beyond, they could shuffle everything again, possibly even moving Bryce Harper back to first base from right field.
“Yeah,” Harper said. “I’ll do anything.”
When Arraez left the game, the Phillies moved Bryson Stott back to second base, inserted Edmundo Sosa at third, and kept Alec Bohm at first base and Harper in right field. Mattingly mentioned that as one potential alignment.
“I think it’s just putting our full effort in as a lineup and saying it’s the next-man-up mentality,” Harper said. “Sosa’s been great for us all year. So, if he’s in the lineup, obviously he’s going to be our guy even in the short term.”
Luis Arraez was helped off the field after spraining his ankle in the sixth inning Thursday.Matt Rourke
Another possibility includes Bryan De La Cruz in right field, Harper at first base, and Bohm at third. The Rays are scheduled to start three left-handed pitchers, which likely keeps lefty-hitting Brandon Marsh in the lineup.
In any case, the Phillies must generate more offense. Even with Arraez, they scored once in each of the last two games against the Brewers after scoring three runs in five consecutive games last week against the Nationals and Mets.
Trea Turner said it would be “rough” if the Phillies must play without Arraez.
“He’s kind of locked down that four hole for us and just keep the line moving,” Turner said. “Whether people are on or he’s leading off, it feels like he’s making us a lot better. And the defense has been really good, too. So, I think that’s going to be a little bit of a blow.”
Arraez was trying to beat out a grounder to shortstop when Cooper Pratt’s throw pulled Jake Bauers off the first base bag. As Arraez tried to dodge the tag, he appeared to twist his ankle and fell to the ground in pain.
In an equally cruel twist, Arraez was called out when the umpires said he ran out of the baseline. Mattingly contested that Arraez’s last step before passing Bauers was in the box attached to the baseline.
“So, no matter how far he moves, for me, he’s in the box,” Mattingly said. “Now, if I’m wrong on that, I’m wrong. But he’s still inside that box. … I’ve always felt like you can run in that box all day long and do whatever. So, yeah, I don’t get that one.”
Don Mattingly tried to downplay it at first, but even he was unable to hold the poker face.
“I mean,” he said, “it was a regular bullpen.”
Everyone knew there wasn’t anything “regular” about the 30-ish pitches that Jesús Luzardo threw in the Phillies’ bullpen Thursday, the first time he pitched from a mound in 13 days because of inflammation in his left shoulder.
Luzardo wasn’t about to make any declarations, noting that Friday is “a big day to see how I bounce back.” But all signs point to the All-Star lefty being ready to pitch in the postseason, with the Phillies on the precipice of locking up a National League wild card.
“I feel really good, healthy,” Luzardo said. “Everything keeps trending in the right direction, so I think the chances are good.”
Barring a setback, Luzardo is expected to face hitters, likely in a simulated game setting, over the weekend. He’s eligible to come off the injured list Sunday before the regular-season finale.
It’s unclear whether Luzardo will be ready to start a game in the best-of-three wild-card series. He hasn’t appeared in a game since a 109-pitch shutout of the Braves on Sept. 7. But the Phillies are hopeful that he will at least be able to come out of the bullpen.
Jesus Luzardo’s last start was a 109-pitch complete-game shutout of the Braves on Sept. 7.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
“Whatever role they need me at,” Luzardo said. “If they need me [for] one inning, two innings out of the bullpen, three innings, I could start, I could be the bat boy. Whatever they ask of me, I’ll do. I just want to win, so it doesn’t matter.”
Just having Luzardo available at all would be a relief.
The Phillies’ strength is their trio of ace starters: Zack Wheeler and lefties Cristopher Sánchez and Luzardo. The team is 63-25 in their starts, including 21-8 with Luzardo on the mound.
Luzardo has been among the best pitchers in the sport for five months. Only the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski, favored to win the Cy Young Award, has a better ERA than Luzardo’s 1.93 mark since May 11.
Overall, Luzardo has a 2.87 ERA and 221 strikeouts in 178⅔ innings.
Even Luzardo wasn’t sure he would progress so rapidly.
“I feel like I’m a pretty optimistic thinker, so I think this was the plan in my head,” he said, crediting physical therapist Alex Plum, strength coach Morgan Gregory, and the athletic training staff. “Obviously, injuries are hard to really tell where they’re going to go and how your body’s going to react. But I was pretty optimistic the whole way, and I was hoping that it would go as it is now.”
Mattingly doesn’t typically oversee bullpen sessions. But he stood alongside pitching coach Caleb Cotham to observe Luzardo, who threw every pitch in his repertoire in the bullpen with his normal intensity.
Jesus Luzardo has a 1.93 ERA since May 11.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
“I don’t think he was out there just like tossing the ball trying to get it to the plate,” Mattingly said. “The strikes felt good. He’s feeling good. He wasn’t shaking his shoulder during the bullpen or anything like that, so all signs are going in the right direction.”
Said Luzardo: “I was letting it go like a normal bullpen, kind of treating it as if we were ramping up for a normal start. It was coming out well, nice and easy, and I definitely wasn’t soft-tossing it up there. There was some intent behind it.”
Wheeler and Sánchez, in some order, are expected to start Game 1 and 2 of the wild-card series. Aaron Nola would be lined up for Game 3. Luzardo could continue to build stamina during the wild-card round while aiding a bullpen that lacks dependable setup options for closer Jhoan Duran.
“I already had 180 innings and built up to 100 pitches a lot of times this year,” Luzardo said. “I think it was six days off from throwing. So, I don’t think it creates that much rest.
“Definitely the last two weeks have been pretty stressful. I want to compete and be there for the guys, so it was frustrating at times. But definitely a relief just feeling good.”
Video: Matt Klentak breaks down how the Phillies acquired Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez
Extra bases
Setup reliever Jonathan Bowlan (groin) played catch after a light bullpen session Wednesday. Bowlan hasn’t appeared in a game since Sept. 17, but Mattingly said he would be comfortable using the big righty in a postseason game even if he doesn’t pitch over the weekend. … Double-A shortstop Bryan Rincon, who received the Phillies’ Paul Owens Award as the top position player in the farm system, credited major-league hitting coach Kevin Long for “a couple of tips” in spring training. Rincon finished with 26 homers and 30 steals and led Reading to the Eastern League championship. … Sánchez (18-6, 2.93 ERA) is lined up to start at 6:40 p.m. Friday against Rays righty Freddy Peralta (9-11, 4.56).
Whatever plans you have this weekend, cancel them. There are more important things going on.
Starting this weekend, all five major pro sports in Philly will have major things going on that carry into the week ahead.
From sitting on the brink of another Red October to welcoming Philly’s newest superstar, here is what all five Philly teams have on the horizon:
Phillies
There is no phrase more indicative of the Phillies’ season than “the ebbs and flows of baseball.” This season, which started with a 9-19 record for the club’s worst 28-game start with Rob Thomson at the helm, has evolved into an 87-71 season under interim manager Don Mattingly.
Just like when Thomson took over for Girardi in 2022 and led the Phillies to the postseason for the first time in 11 years, Mattingly is on the cusp of leading the Phillies to the postseason after taking over for Thomson, who was fired on April 28.
With a magic number of two going into Thursday’s games, the most direct path to a postseason berth is a Phillies win and Diamondbacks or Padres loss. Sitting in the third and final NL wild card spot at the beginning of the day Thursday, the Phillies can lock in their fifth consecutive postseason.
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Eagles
After starting the season 2-0 with two- and four-point wins over the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans, respectively, the Eagles are gearing up for Monday Night Football in Week 3.
As the Birds head to Chicago to take on the Bears (8:15 p.m., 6abc, ESPN), many questions surround the game, including the status of Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who is listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury.
While Williams is week to week for the Bears (1-1), Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is expected to be out for multiple weeks with an MCL injury. Enter Zach Ertz, who played eight-plus seasons with the Eagles and was signed to the practice squad on Monday.
Ertz, 35, was a free agent recovering from a torn ACL, LCL, and hamstring suffered in December 2025. Now back in green, Ertz is just 11 catches from breaking Harold Carmichael’s franchise career catch record.
76ers
No king is official without a coronation, and LeBron James is getting his Monday when he’s expected to speak for the first time as a 76er.
After a long-awaited decision, “King James” signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Sixers on July 24, but he hasn’t had any public appearances with the team yet. However, the team will have its media day Monday, marking James’ anticipated first appearance and first time speaking as a part of the Sixers organization.
Video: Jaylen Brown on Philly fans: ‘The fan base here is incredible’
Flyers
Last season, what many expected to be another year of rebuilding for the Flyers ended in the second round of the playoffs after being swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.
Now, the hype around the Orange and Black has been established and is carrying into the team’s season opener Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena when they take on the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins after eliminating them in first round of last season’s playoffs, four games to two.
Eyes are on goalie Dan Vladař, who played a big role in the Flyers’ success last season but left Tuesday’s preseason 5-1 loss to the Bruins with an upper-body injury. Porter Martone, the 19-year-old right winger who played nine regular-season games and all 10 playoff games, also brings his own level of fanfare to the team.
This summer was big for soccer in Philadelphia as it hosted six World Cup games. But even after the tourists retreated and Philadelphia Stadium became Lincoln Financial Field again, soccer has remained relevant in the city.
Sullivan, Pierre, and Westfield could make their USMNT debuts Saturday vs. Peru in Orlando (4:30 p.m., TNT). Meanwhile, the Union will look to improve to an unbeaten streak of 12 when they host Orlando City at Subaru Park on Saturday.
Union star Cavan Sullivan (front) is in his first camp with the senior U.S. men’s national team.Jonathan Tannenwald
Growing up, Scott Bandura and his father Steve would chat about some of the ballparks they wanted to visit together one day. Scott was 10-years-old at the time, and Steve said Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., was near the top of that list.
Fifteen years later, they finally got to see the stadium together. But both were realizing even bigger dreams. Scott was making his MLB debut with the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 13, and his parents were in the stands.
“Just amazing that the first game I went to Oracle, he was playing in it,” Steve said. “It was an amazing experience to see. It’s just weird, you see the lineup come up on the board, and you see all these stars’ names, and his name’s on there too.”
Taking the field in San Francisco, the outfielder played his father’s words in his head: “Don’t let the pressure exceed the pleasure.
“He sent that quote to me when I left and went to college [at Princeton], and when I was in college and I moved on to pro ball, and that exactly what it is,” Scott said. “There’s definitely some pressure to perform and things like that, but this was the dream and this is what I wanted to do my whole life.”
He has four hits through 10 appearances since his promotion from triple A. Steve’s other piece of advice to his 25-year-old son was to think about what his 12-year-old self would say now.
Around that age, Scott was a part of the 2014 Taney Dragons Little League World Series team, alongside Mo’ne Davis, the first girl to pitch a shutout in the tournament. Scott was the catcher. The team was comprised of members of the Taney Youth Baseball Association and Anderson Monarchs, which Steve founded and directed.
Davis, who lived with the Banduras while the two attended Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, “was like literal family” to Scott, and was in attendance in St. Louis on Sept. 15 to watch him play.
“With all my Monarchs teammates, it’s like having a second family,” Scott said. “They’re just an extension of my family, and it’s great to still have that support from everybody. … I’m still keeping up with them. I know what they’re up to. I’m supporting them too, so it’s just a great all around relationship.”
Scott was coached by his father since he started t-ball at 2 years old. Per the Monarchs’ three-sport requirement for athletes, Steve also coached Scott in basketball and soccer.
The admirable qualities he learned from the Monarchs and his father, Scott still carries with him.
Steve said his son did most of his character building from soccer and basketball, where Scott wasn’t a standout player. But he figured out how to build a role.
“When I was growing up, the last thing he would say to me before getting out of the car to go to school [was], ‘Be a leader,’ and so I always had that instilled in me,” Scott said. “But also, he put a lot of emphasis into not just being a talented player, but knowing the ins and outs of the games and wanting to be the smartest team on the field from a baseball IQ standpoint.”
Mon’ne Davis (left ) and Scott Bandura (right) during a Taney Little League game in August 2014.
But Scott said this whole process is a lot larger than him, and it is a testament to the work his father put in for every child who has come through the Monarchs’ program.
“For him, it’s a lot bigger than than just me,” Scott said. “He’s been doing it for hundreds of kids for almost 40 years now, so I’m just appreciative.”
But there’s some differences that come with having the coach as your father.
After a game, Steve will send his son a note of pointers and they’ll discuss them. Scott said he appreciates the feedback because he isn’t “going through it alone.”
With every new level from high school to college, throughout the minors, and into the majors, Scott said there are new intricacies and nuances introduced. Steve understands that.
“Especially as you get towards the higher levels of the game, a lot of guys, their parents don’t know a whole lot about the sport and the intricacies of everything, and how those expand and compound the higher you go in in the game,” Scott said. “Having somebody that understands that and I can talk about it with is awesome.”
Scott said his father’s intricate understanding of the game was clear during his first MLB hit in his debut, which was “a perfect example of why it’s great to have you know people in [his] life that know baseball.”
During the bottom o the sixth inning of the Giants’ 6-4 loss to the Padres, Scott hit an infield single, which the broadcast showed his parents reacting to. He said as the play unfolded, you could see his father’s hesitation to see if the play would be scored as a hit or an error before he joined his mother, Robin, in celebrating.
Robin, a physical therapist, has also instilled her expertise in Scott throughout his baseball journey, helping him through injuries, in addition to driving him and friends from school in Chestnut Hill to practice in South Philly, multiple nights a week.
Scott said she played the role of mom for him and every other kid that Steve coached throughout the years.
Now, his parents share the title as Scott’s biggest fans.
“I’m just a fan now, and as a dad, he needs someone to lean on and talk to him,” Steve said. “That’s what I do now.”
Let’s talk about the Phillies’ bullpen. Larry Andersen happens to be an expert on the subject. The popular Phillies radio analyst had a 17-year major-league career in which he appeared in 699 games — all but one in relief. He joins Phillies Extra to break down the biggest question standing between the Phillies and a long run through October: How will they bridge the gap to closer Jhoan Duran? Watch here.
You can also subscribe to the podcast version of Phillies Extra on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
The cans of beer and bottles of champagne will remain unopened for now, and the protective plastic lining the ceiling of the Phillies clubhouse will have to stay rolled up for at least another day.
Because following their 4-1 loss to the Brewers on Wednesday, the Phillies were unable to clinch a playoff spot, regardless of what happened on the other side of the country with the Diamondbacks or Padres. So their celebrations will have to wait.
The Phillies’ magic number for a playoff spot remained at two after victories by the Diamondbacks and Padres later Wednesday night. They can clinch a spot in the postseason with a victory over the Brewers on Thursday and a loss by the Padres. The Diamondbacks defeated the Rockies earlier on Thursday.
“We know what we have to do. We have to go out there and keep playing,” said Kyle Schwarber. “Obviously we want to lock this thing down as soon as we can. But just wasn’t our night tonight, and got to move forward.”
They trailed the entire game. Starter Aaron Nola allowed four runs, though they came on just four hits.
Brice Turang and Christian Yelich hit solo homers. The Brewers added two more runs in the third inning, as a leadoff walk to nine-hole hitter David Hamilton came back to haunt Nola. Turang doubled, before a single from William Contreras got past a diving Bryson Stott to score two more.
“The Turang one, just left over the plate a little bit too much, and then the Yelich one didn’t really bite like I wanted it to, that cutter,” Nola said. “And Contreras capped the ball in the right spot, right there. Tough team, they battled me hard. They always do. Tough one tonight.”
Aaron Nola allowed four runs on four hits.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
That was all the damage Nola allowed, as he retired the final 10 Milwaukee hitters he faced and struck out eight over six innings. But it proved too much to overcome for the offense, despite the best efforts from Stott, who reached base three times with two doubles and a walk.
With Wednesday marking his final start of the regular season, Nola finished with a 3.03 ERA in the second half. The veteran right-hander’s resurgence — his first-half ERA was 5.75 — has been key for the Phillies.
“I know what I’m capable of, to make better pitches than I was in the first half,” Nola said. “Felt like I was giving up a lot of home runs, and I gave up a lot of home runs this year anyway, but felt like more solos in the second half, rather than the first.”
NL wild-card standings
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It would be hard to imagine the Nola from before the All-Star break making a postseason appearance, let alone starting a game. But his comeback has changed the calculus. Although the Phillies have not yet determined their rotation for a potential wild-card series, it’s possible Nola could take the ball for one of the three games.
Nola said the Phillies have not yet discussed their postseason plan with him, adding that it doesn’t matter. He intends to go about his routine as normal and ensure his body is ready for whatever he’s asked to do.
“Aaron’s been huge for us,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “A lot of talk early, coming off last year into this year, and [he] struggled early. But what he’s been able to do for us, it’s turned that spot in the rotation to [where] you feel like he’s going to give you a good game every time out.”
Trea Turner and the Phillies finished 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The offense missed plenty of opportunities to pick Nola up. Collectively, the Phillies finished 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The Brewers, on the other hand, were 1-for-1.
“I think the biggest thing is, we gave ourselves some chances,” Mattingly said. “Just really weren’t able to to cash in on enough opportunities.”
The Phillies scratched across their only run in the second inning on a groundout from J.T. Realmuto that scored Alec Bohm from third. Though Realmuto picked up the RBI, the catcher’s slump stretched on, reaching a career-high 0-for-26 by the end of the night.
Twice, Bryce Harper and Luis Arraez each came up representing the tying run, and twice, they had nothing to show for it. In the fifth, Harper and Arraez flied out to strand Justin Crawford on third and Kyle Schwarber on first. In the seventh, Harper and Arraez grounded out to strand Schwarber and Trea Turner.
Both times, Harper swung at the first pitch. It’s become a trend of late for the right fielder, who has a 53.1% first-pitch swing rate in September, up from 42.5% in August.
“I really don’t worry about anything with Bryce,” Mattingly said before the game. “Honestly, he’s one of those guys that he’s going to be aggressive. We want him to be aggressive. … So yeah, we trust Bryce to do his thing.”
Out of the bullpen, Tanner Banks pitched two scoreless innings while Max Lazar delivered a scoreless ninth to give the offense one more chance. But Derek Hill, Turner, and Schwarber went down in order.
Phillies Bryson Stott celebrates after hitting a double in the fourth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies Brandon Marsh after striking out in the fourth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies pitcher Tanner Banks gets high fives in the dugout after pitching in the eighth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhils Bryson Stott tries to throw out Brewers # 11 Jackson Chourio in the eighth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. Chourio was quick and beat the throw to first base.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhils Trea Turner strikes out to end the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. The Phillies were defeated by the Brewers 4-1.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerAfter Trea Turner struck out to end the game he went directly to the tablets in the dugout, presumably to review his at bat in the ninrth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. The. Phils lost to the Brewers 4-1.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhils pitcher Aaron Nola looks down as Brewers # 22 Christian Yelich rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the second inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies pitcher Aaron Nola watches the homerun ball hit by Brewers # 2 Brice Turang in the first inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The Phillies will get another opportunity to shrink the magic number further — and perhaps even unfurl the plastic — in Thursday’s series finale against the Brewers, with right-hander Andrew Painter on the mound.
“Obviously we’re all frustrated, and we wanted to go out there and we wanted to get this done tonight, lock this thing up,” Schwarber said. “But we got to move on. We got a game tomorrow, and there’s an opportunity for us tomorrow.”
Don Mattingly didn’t want to tempt fate. So, in revealing that Andrew Painter will start Thursday night instead of Friday, he explained that the Phillies merely prefer to keep the rookie on regular rest.
But there’s another factor at play.
By keeping Painter on turn rather than giving him extra rest — as they did last week in New York against the Mets — the Phillies could line him up to come out of the bullpen for one inning over the weekend in lieu of a side session in preparation for a potential relief role in the postseason.
And if the Phillies had clinched a wild card, Mattingly surely would’ve discussed the plan for Painter as a postseason reliever. But they still needed to beat the Brewers on Wednesday night and get a loss from either the Diamondbacks or the Padres.
“There’s really no plan at this point for what we’re going to do,” Mattingly said. “Just win tonight, and then we can talk about it.”
Painter hasn’t pitched in a relief role in his brief career, although the 23-year-old righty did follow an opener twice early in the season. He gave up one run in five innings April 12 against the Diamondbacks and allowed five runs in five innings June 12 against the Brewers.
In his last 10 starts, Andrew Painter has allowed only 43 hits in 55⅔ innings and posted a 3.88 ERA.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
But the Phillies are trying to fortify the bridge to closer Jhoan Duran, especially with setup reliever Jonathan Bowlan sidelined by a right groin strain. Last weekend, Dave Dombrowski said “some of our starters are going to end up in the bullpen” for the wild-card round.
Painter, who isn’t lined up to start in the best-of-three miniseries, would be a logical candidate to fill that role. And the Phillies would surely feel more comfortable using him out of the bullpen if they can give him a relief appearance before the end of the season.
“[I’d] be able to rear back a little bit and let it eat a little bit more,” Painter said recently. “I’m sure velo would tick up a little bit, and we’ll be able to just empty the tank.”
In 24 appearances, Painter is 3-10 with a 5.59 ERA. He has been more effective since returning July 31 from a brief stint back in triple A. In his last 10 starts, he has allowed only 43 hits in 55⅔ innings and posted a 3.88 ERA.
Although Jesús Luzardo tested his sore left shoulder by playing catch for a fourth consecutive day, he had what Mattingly called “more of a recovery day.” The Phillies haven’t disclosed when he will throw from a mound.
“We just have to see how he feels [Thursday],” Mattingly said, “and then listen to [athletic trainer] Paul [Buchheit] and see what he says he can do.”
Luzardo, who hasn’t pitched since a 109-pitch complete game Sept. 7 against the Braves, is eligible to return from the injured list Sunday. The Phillies remain hopeful that he will be able to pitch in the postseason in some capacity, perhaps out of the bullpen.
Zack Wheeler surpassed his 2,000th career strikeout during his start on Tuesday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Mr. 2,000
By striking out the side in the first inning Tuesday night, Zack Wheeler became the 10th active pitcher — and the 96th pitcher ever — to reach 2,000 strikeouts.
“It’s really cool, special,” Wheeler said. “Some of the guys asked me in here, ‘Would you have ever thought [of reaching 2,000 strikeouts]? The answer is no. Getting into the league, trying to get your feet under you, trying to last, game to game early on. Just trying to stay up in the big leagues and trying to figure out how to throw strikes. That was hard for me. Just being where I am now, it’s pretty special.”
Early in his career, after coming up with the Mets, Wheeler missed nearly two seasons after Tommy John elbow surgery and setbacks in his recovery. But since he signed with the Phillies in 2020, Wheeler has a 2.93 ERA in 184 starts and more wins above replacement (36.5, according to FanGraphs) than any pitcher in the sport.
Video: Matt Klentak breaks down how the Phillies acquired Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez
Extra bases
Bowlan threw lightly off a bullpen mound. “It tells you he’s feeling pretty good,” said Mattingly, who didn’t disclose plans to get Bowlan into a game before the end of the regular season. … The Phillies topped 3 million fans in total attendance Tuesday night. It marked the fourth consecutive season that they reached that mark. … The Brewers haven’t named a starter for the series finale, but righty Bryse Wilson (0-0, 3.67) is a possibility. Wilson began the season in triple A with the Phillies and made one major-league appearance before getting designated for assignment in June.
They say bad luck runs in threes. If you’re superstitious, maybe you think Philadelphia is finished with its streak of misfortune.
Strike One: On Sept. 11, the Phillies announced that All-Star lefty Jesús Luzardo had a sore shoulder. He landed on the injured list four days later.
Strike Two: On Sept. 14, the Eagles placed three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson on injured reserve with a bone bruise to his twice-repaired right knee.
Strike Three: In a preseason game Tuesday night, Dan Vladař, the Flyers’ goalie and linchpin, left after absorbing a glancing blow from Bruins forward Tanner Jeannot.
Vladař appeared to take a skate to the back of his right arm, which he also appeared to injure last spring. He was uninterested in retrieving his stick and the Bruins scored. After that, Vladař got his stick back, but he could not manipulate it. Before play resumed, he skated off the ice, bent over in pain.
Did the Flyers’ hopes of relevance skate off with him?
The Flyers have offered no update. Maybe they were shell-shocked. They have every right to be shell-shocked.
After the last 11 days, so do Philly sports fans.
Repercussions
You could argue that losing Vladař is not catastrophic, especially if his absence is brief. The season doesn’t start for a week. The Flyers upgraded their goalie stable in June when they shed Sam Ersson and traded for Joseph Woll, and the rest of the team is pretty good.
If Dan Vladař’s injury is serious, the Flyers will turn to new backup Joseph Woll.David Zalubowski
This is short-sighted.
Vladař was the team MVP last year. At the age of 28, and in his first chance as a full-time starter after four full seasons in the NHL, Vladař, despite being a goalie, was the de facto captain of the team last year. He was its spirit and its soul. He led a team with no power play and a bunch of skittish kids through a wild stretch run, into an unlikely playoff berth, and past the rival Penguins in the franchise’s first series win since 2020.
He might not have been the best Flyer — that was probably defenseman Travis Sanheim if it wasn’t leading scorer Travis Konecny — but he certainly was the most valuable.
Vladař’s absence will be felt more than Dickerson’s, or even Luzardo’s.
After he dealt his first complete-game shutout Sept. 7, “Zeus” had, against all odds, earned the undisputed right to be the Game 1 pitcher in the Phillies’ expected postseason run. This, in a year in which Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez both should get Cy Young Award votes (as should Luzardo).
The ability to sandwich Wheeler — perhaps the best pitcher in Phillies history, when you include playoff effectiveness — between two elite left-handers is the sort of advantage managers dream of. What’s more, the Braves’ trio of Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and Ozzie Albies are a combined 15-for-73 against Luzardo all time, with 19 strikeouts and only six walks.
The Phillies would have strongly considered starting Jesús Luzardo in Game 1 of the NLDS. Now, they must wait to see if he’s even available.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Luzardo is able to come off the IL on Saturday, and he threw on flat ground for the first time Monday and Tuesday with no immediate ill effects. But a gentle game of catch is wildly different from throwing an adrenalized 97 mph 70 times, off a mound, in a playoff game. If the Phillies use Luzardo at all, it probably won’t be until the end of the NLDS, if they get that far.
Going left-right-left with their starters was the Phillies’ only real hope to beat the likes of the Dodgers, Brewers, or Braves, the latter their most likely opponent as things stand. And while Aaron Nola’s last 10 starts have been encouraging, Acuña (1.037 OPS) and Olson (1.075 OPS) own him.
The Phillies’ bullpen lacks a dependable piece outside of closer Jhoan Duran. The lineup is maddeningly inconsistent, and one-third of it is utterly undependable: the No. 2 spot, with Trea Turner; No. 7, with Brandon Marsh; and No. 8, with J.T. Realmuto.
In 2024, when Saquon Barkley won Offensive Player of the Year with 2,005 rushing yards, more than half of his runs went to the left side, where he averaged 4.0 yards before first contact from a defender. Not coincidentally, Dickerson enjoyed his best season in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus, which, nonetheless, criminally under-graded him, but that’s a different discussion.
The discussion here is: If Dickerson isn’t healthy, then the Eagles’ run game simply won’t work. Not like it did in 2024, when the run game was the chief factor on their path to winning Super Bowl LIX.
Eagles guard Landon Dickerson has suffered a litany of injuries in both college and the pros. His loss is a major hit to the team’s run game.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
It’s only been two games but the Birds are having lots of trouble running the ball. If you subtract Jalen Hurts’ rushing totals, most of which have come on scrambles, they’re averaging 81.5 rushing yards per game. In 2024 they averaged 179.3 rushing yards. In 2025, their rushing average fell by 62.4 yards.
Why? Partly because of injuries all along the line, including the seven-game absence of right tackle Lane Johnson. That was not the entire reason.
In 2025, Dickerson fought through pain in his surgically repaired knees and ankles that was so bad he got stem-cell injections in all four joints in March. He played so badly that sources say he contemplated retirement (which he now denies).
This season, after Dickerson limped through Game 1 with the bone bruise, Cam Jurgens replaced Dickerson at guard in Game 2. Jurgens was, somehow, even worse in Week 2 than Dickerson was in Week 1. To be fair, Jurgens is a former Pro Bowl center with some experience at guard — but at right guard. Jurgens moved from center to guard last game. Fifth-round pick Drew Kendall, in his second year, started at center. It was a mess.
An underlying effect here concerns the play of left tackle Jordan Mailata. He was the best offensive lineman in football in 2024, when, perhaps not coincidentally, Dickerson had his best season playing next to him. Mailata was still very good, though appreciably worse in 2025. So far, he’s playing even worse in 2026.
Does this mean Dickerson made Maliata? Or vice versa? No: It means that the pair of them together is far greater than the sum of the parts.
That pair doesn’t seem likely to reunite any time soon.
Watching Vladař leave Tuesday’s game, he seems like a long-term loss, too.
At least the luxury of time provides hope in both of those situations.
For the Phillies and Zeus, time just might run out.
In his four seasons as an advisor in the Brewers’ front office, Milwaukee has won four consecutive National League Central crowns. This year, the Brew Crew has the best record in baseball and is closing in on the top seed in the NL playoffs.
As the Brewers came to town this week, Klentak, 46, joined Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss his time with the Phillies and the Brewers’ success.
Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Phillies Extra podcaston Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Q: The Brewers were probably the runner-up in the Tarik Skubal derby at the trade deadline. Can you describe the actuarial exercise of determining the level of risk that you might have been willing to take on for a great pitcher while also being wary of giving up too much?
A: I think just about every general manager, front office person would tell you that in just about every decision you’re making, there is some degree of balancing the present and the future. And how you balance that may differ based on a variety of factors. … For the nature of our market and the way we build our rosters, we typically put a lot of focus on the future because we know that for this franchise to be successful in the way that we have been, the way that we want to be in the future, we need to continue to have that pipeline of young players come into the big leagues year after year. So we know that.
Having said that, we very much recognized that this was somewhat of a unique year for us, given where we were in the standings, given the construction of our roster, given the strength of the farm system, and given how hard it is to reach the World Series and win the World Series. We did recognize that … and that’s frankly the reason that we went right down to the wire in the trade discussions for Tarik Skubal.
Why the Tigers opted to go with a different package of players vs. ours vs. any other teams, we may never know the answer to that. Was it frustrating in the moment? Sure. The thing was, in looking back on it, it was actually helpful for us was that trade took place several days before the actual [Aug. 3] deadline, so we had time to recover and pivot, and we ended up making the trade with the Cardinals [for starter Dustin May], making a trade with the Rockies [for reliever Antonio Senzatela]. We did a few things afterwards, not to add Tarik Skubal but to bolster our pitching in other ways. … But I think there are some years where it calls for a little bit more aggression and maybe a little bit more focus on the present. And there are other times when it probably is not as prudent to sink a lot of resources into the present and make sure you’re protecting your future a little bit, and that’s going to change from year to year.
Matt Klentak spent five years as Phillies general manager.
Q: As the Phillies close in on a fifth year in a row in the playoffs, I wonder how you feel about the success that they have, and whether you feel at all a part of that?
A: With each passing year, there are fewer and fewer players on the roster that I overlapped with. … I was in Pittsburgh for our clincher and ended up running into [reliever] JoJo Romero and spending a bunch of time with JoJo Romero, who was drafted when I was with the Phillies and came up. So, there are still quite a few players throughout the league from my Phillies time.
But yeah, there’s only whatever a small handful that are still on the club. Mostly, I’m happy for that group, that specific group of players you’re talking about, but also for the organization. Because that was always the goal was to build something that would … be good and that would stay good for a long time. And I happened to be a part of the first part of that, helping to build the roster and I’m not there now as the sustained winning has taken place over the last few years. But I’m just happy that has worked out as well as it has for the players, some of whom have really seen their careers advance to another level, which has been great. But also for ownership and fans and all the people in the front office that I worked with that are still there. It’s a hell of a lot more fun to win than to go through the rebuild like we did for a few years, and I’m glad for the organization that everybody’s getting to enjoy these winning seasons like this.
One of Matt Klentak’s best moves with the Phillies was trading for an unheralded pitching prospect named Cristopher Sánchez.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Q: Is the Zack Wheeler signing and the Cristopher Sánchez trade the two moves that you are most proud of from your time with the Phillies?
A: I appreciate you calling out the good ones and casually omitting some of the ones that didn’t work out. Any time whether you’re sitting in the GM chair in Philly or more of an advisory chair like I am in Milwaukee, but any time that we make decisions, you’re trying to use the information you have to make the best decision you can in the moment based on the information and the resources that you have. So, in virtually all instances, whether the transaction works out really well or OK or not well at all, in the moment, you probably felt good about making the decision. And I would say that about those two transactions you brought up. … They themselves were very different transactions. Wheeler was [$118 million] free-agent signing, which was not one of the bigger free-agent signings in that offseason. There were some bigger ones for sure, but nonetheless, $100 million for a pitcher is still a big investment.
Whereas Sánchez was a pretty unrecognizable name outside of the scouting community. He was not on top 100 lists, and neither was Curtis Mead, who we traded for Sánchez. So they were very different in terms of profile. These were two very different types of transactions.
Video: Matt Klentak breaks down how the Phillies acquired Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez
… Wheeler had been in the big leagues for six years. A few of those were injury years, but he had been in the big leagues. He had more of a track record, but the prevailing thought was that there was more in that tank. We hadn’t quite seen him peak yet, and maybe because he had missed the amount of time that he had with injury, that maybe there are fewer innings on his ledger, and there might be more upside there in the future.
And with Sánchez, it was more of taking a chance on a gangly young lefty that doesn’t always know how all the parts are going to fit together. But if you squint, you can see that coming together. And in both cases, give a ton of credit first to the players for their work habits — they’re the ones throwing the pitches. So you always have to start with that. But behind the scenes … I think you have to give a lot of credit to the pitching coaches and analysts and those that are helping these players through, in Zack’s case, coming off of a … very significant surgery, and in Sanchez’s case, going from a true unknown to one of the best pitchers in the league. There are a lot of twists and turns along the way in both of those journeys, and the support those guys have received from various members of the organization should be recognized as well.
It’s all but inevitable now. But until the Phillies actually clinch a wild card, they will insist every game is akin to the postseason, in terms of significance and urgency.
In case you’re wondering, then, how Mattingly will run a game next week — and beyond, if the Phillies move on — consider the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings Tuesday night in a 6-4 victory over the majors-leading Brewers that pushed them to the verge of a sudsy celebration.
After Zack Wheeler became the 96th pitcher ever to record 2,000 career strikeouts but also fumbled a three-run lead, the Phillies broke a tie by scoring three runs with two out in the eighth inning. Bryson Stott delivered the big hit, an RBI double, and the Brewers kicked around the ball to allow another run to score.
The Phillies lowered their magic number to clinch a wild card to two over the Diamondbacks, who defeated the Colorado Rockies late Tuesday. They can spray champagne as soon as Wednesday night with a victory and an Arizona loss.
NL wild-card standings
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“That’s what we show up for and grind every single day for,” said Brandon Marsh, who interrupted a dreadful second-half slump with his first homer since Aug. 13 and a tack-on RBI double in the eighth inning. “Obviously it’s to win at the end of the day, but to end up holding that trophy at the end of the year.”
Actually, Alex McFarlane already has. Sort of.
While the rookie right-hander was getting five outs in a game for the first time in the majors — central to Mattingly’s plan for managing the late innings in the postseason — his minor-league teammates until the All-Star break were winning the Eastern League championship for double-A Reading.
Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler pitches in the second inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerDespite the tag by Phillies Luis Arraez Brewers David Hamilton is called safe at second with a stolen base in the sixth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies Zack Wheeler before coming out of the game in the sixth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies Alec Bohm and Luis Arraez (right) after scoring in the eighth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies pitcher Zack Wheeler licks his fingers while pitching in the second inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies Brandon Marsh greets Luis Arraez at home plate after Arraez scored on a single by Bryson Stott in the eighth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies coach Don Mattingly speaks with pitcher Tim Mayza after Mayza replaced Zack Wheeler in the sixth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies interim manager Don Mattingly hands the ball to pitcher Tim Mayza after making a pitching change in the sixth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies Brandon Marsh signals to the dugout after hitting a one run double in the eighth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPhillies Brandon Marsh after hitting a two run home run in the second inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Does McFarlane expect to receive a ring?
“I hope so,” he said, laughing.
McFarlane will factor into the Phillies’ chances, too. Mattingly turned to him in a tie game in the seventh inning, and instead of shaking his hand after a scoreless 15-pitch frame, he sent him back out for more.
In total, McFarlane recorded five outs — on 21 pitches — and kept the game tied.
“Obviously he’s been really good,” Mattingly said after McFarlane’s ERA dipped to 2.12 in 17 appearances since getting called up. “His stuff’s really, really good. But more than anything, he’s handled everything. Just his demeanor around the clubhouse, the way he’s able to get himself ready, he can check himself and not throw a ton of pitches down there, so he stays fresh. He’s been huge.”
It’s a lot of responsibility to place on the right shoulder of a 25-year-old who left Reading only in mid-July. But what choice does Mattingly have?
Setup reliever Brad Keller was lost to season-ending elbow surgery in July. The Phillies didn’t make meaningful additions to the bullpen at the trade deadline. And Keller’s replacement, Jonathan Bowlan, is trying to make it back from a right groin strain that would’ve landed him on the injured list if the playoffs weren’t starting next week.
It was McFarlane, then, who got the ball to lefty José Alvarado against lefty-hitting Brice Turang for the final out of the eighth inning.
“I’m prepared for anything until [Mattingly] tells me I’m done,” McFarlane said. “I just went out there with that mentality. It felt great to go out there, come out in the eighth inning, and try to get the team into the ninth.”
But while Mattingly plans to use McFarlane as the main link in the bridge to closer Jhoan Duran, it’s also clear he will ride his starters — Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez, in particular — longer than most managers typically do in October.
Consider the sixth inning against the Brewers. Clutching a 3-1 lead, as lefty Tim Mayza loosened in the bullpen and Wheeler gave up a leadoff single and a one-out walk, Mattingly stuck with his ace righty against dangerous William Contreras with the tying run in scoring position.
Wheeler’s first pitch of the at-bat — his 96th of the game — was a low-and-inside sinker. Contreras hit it off his shoe tops and into left field for a two-run single to tie the game.
Wheeler is the 10th active pitcher with 2,000 strikeouts. Also: Verlander, Scherzer, Sale, Cole, Gausman, Darvish, Gray, deGrom, Nola. pic.twitter.com/CaQORiN5Y0
“I wanted to go in, but it was down,” Wheeler said. “I wanted it kind of more up, you know? Down’s a little easier to hit than up. That’s probably what I was most upset about tonight — and probably the pitch I hate the most so far this season.”
Otherwise, there was a lot to like about what may be Wheeler’s final regular-season start. He’s lined up to start Sunday, but the Phillies almost certainly will skip him to line him up for Game 1 or 2 of the wild-card miniseries Tuesday or Wednesday.
Wheeler struck out the first seven batters, surpassing by one Brandon Duckworth’s 24-year-old club record for whiffs to begin a game. Wheeler’s third strikeout of the game was the 2,000th of his career.
Zack Wheeler threw 101 pitches in his start on Tuesday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“It’s really cool, special,” Wheeler said. “Some of the guys asked me in here, ‘Would you have ever thought [of reaching 2,000 strikeouts]? The answer is no. Getting into the league, trying to get your feet under you, trying to last, game to game early on. Just trying to stay up in the big leagues and trying to figure out how to throw strikes. That was hard for me. Just being where I am now, it’s pretty special.”
All that’s missing is a World Series championship.
As the Phillies close in on a playoff spot, their pitching plan — heavy on the starters and an impressively calm rookie reliever — is taking shape.
