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Tag: José Alvarado

  • Alex McFarlane, who ‘doesn’t really pitch like a rookie,’ helps preserve a 2-1 Phillies win over Diamondbacks

    Alex McFarlane, who ‘doesn’t really pitch like a rookie,’ helps preserve a 2-1 Phillies win over Diamondbacks

    PHOENIX — As the Diamondbacks’ next hitter stepped into the batter’s box, catcher Garrett Stubbs studied Alex McFarlane.

    Looking across the mound, he could see no hint of fear or nerves in the rookie reliever. Even in a one-run game in the sixth inning, even with two inherited runners looming behind him, even with eight-time All-Star Nolan Arenado setting up at the plate.

    “In that moment, you look out at him,” Stubbs said, “and he didn’t show anything but wanting to attack the zone.”

    Catcher Rafael Marchán and pitcher Grant Holman join the Phillies as MLB rosters expand to 28 players

    And Stubbs was game. They started Arenado off with a fastball, a 99.4 mph offering he watched at the bottom of the zone, but the Diamondbacks third baseman battled back to a 3-1 hitter’s count.

    Still, McFarlane didn’t waver. He evened things up with a perfectly placed fastball on the outside edge before Stubbs made a gutsy call on a 3-2 sweeper. McFarlane missed his spot — it was intended to be low and away, and the righty left it up — but it was not a pitch that Arenado was anticipating. He froze, watching it land in Stubbs’ glove for strike three.

    The Phillies’ 2-1 win over the Diamondbacks on Monday night was ensured by several nervy performances from their relievers. But perhaps none more than the one in the sixth inning from the 25-year-old, who a month ago was pitching in double A.

    “Just doing what this bullpen has helped me out with the whole season,” McFarlane said. “Just breathing and slowing down and understanding, just trusting your stuff in the zone.”

    Of Aaron Nola’s 104 total pitches, more than half were out of the strike zone. Ross D. Franklin

    McFarlane entered the game with two runners on after interim manager Don Mattingly’s decision to send Aaron Nola back out for the sixth backfired. The Phillies starter held Arizona to one run, working around a fastball that didn’t have as much life as normal, but his pitch count was already at 92 after five.

    The long at-bats caught up to him, and Nola departed the sixth inning without recording an out.

    “I notice that when I don’t have that much life on the fastball, they foul more pitches off and run the pitch count up, and work better [at-bats],” Nola said.

    Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo joined elite company in Phillies history. And that’s not all they have in common.

    McFarlane induced a flyout from Lars Nootbar, and after striking out Arenado, got a groundout from Tim Tawa. Looking on from the dugout, Nola raised his fist in triumph.

    “That’s pretty special right there,” Nola said. “Pretty awesome. Left him in a tough spot to come in.”

    The Phillies bullpen, which was without setup man Jonathan Bowlan for workload reasons, covered four scoreless innings to cinch the win.

    Bryson Stott gave the Phillies an early lead with the longest home run of his career. Brandon Pfaadt left a fastball over the middle of the plate and Stott sent it 464 feet, a towering shot that landed a few rows in front of the concourse in right field.

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    “I wasn’t sure if it was going to go out or not,” joked Mattingly. “No, that was a long one.”

    The Phillies scored another run in the third inning as Bryce Harper extended his career-high on-base streak to 33 games with an RBI double. He drove in Stubbs from second base and advanced Kyle Schwarber to third.

    But they missed a few opportunities to add on more. Schwarber was tagged out at the plate in the third and the Phillies stranded the bases loaded in the eighth. So a one-run lead was all the bullpen would get.

    But it proved to be all they needed. Brooks Raley bailed out Orion Kerkering by stranding an inherited runner to end the seventh with a strikeout. José Alvarado left two runners with a big strikeout to end the eighth. Tawa chased four pitches out of the strike zone to go down swinging.

    Jhoan Duran picked up his 29th save.Ross D. Franklin

    Against closer Jhoan Duran, the Diamondbacks advanced the tying run 90 feet away after a pair of infield singles to shortstop, followed by a wild pitch. But the third time proved to be the charm, and Trea Turner fielded the next grounder for the third out to seal the Phillies’ fifth consecutive win.

    “I think we got a lot of different mix out there. … I think we think we feel OK with the way the bullpen’s going. This is who we are at this point,” Mattingly said.

    The rest of the bullpen has taken McFarlane, who has the least major league service time on the team, under its collective wing. McFarlane’s locker in the visitors’ clubhouse in Phoenix is in the corner, neighboring Duran’s. The two hard-throwing righties were chatting as the clubhouse was emptying out late Monday night.

    Arenado has become the latest future Hall of Famer added to McFarlane’s mantle of outs. The first hitter he retired in the majors — just over a month ago — was Shohei Ohtani. A few days ago, he struck out Mike Trout on a 101 mph fastball.

    Phillies rookie Alex McFarlane carries his hometown in the U.S. Virgin Islands with him

    “That’s kind of been my story, the whole season, is facing those big guys,” McFarlane said. “And just seeing him in the box is a great thing.”

    What stands out the most to those around him is McFarlane’s composure. On July 18, he threw his last pitch in double A. Now he’s here.

    “I’ll tell you what,” Stubbs said. “For a kid who debuted a month ago or whatever it was, the demeanor that he’s got on the mound in a situation like that is pretty incredible.”

    “He seems to not be bothered, honestly, by it,” said Mattingly. “He kind of comes in right away and just says, ‘Hey, Skip, how you doing?’ He’s been good, and he’s a worker, too.”

    As Nola put it: “Doesn’t really pitch like a rookie.”

  • Derek Hill and Andrew Painter suffer injuries in Phillies’ 10-4 loss to Nationals in 11 innings

    Derek Hill and Andrew Painter suffer injuries in Phillies’ 10-4 loss to Nationals in 11 innings

    Derek Hill has made several spectacular catches in the two months he’s roamed the outfield for the Phillies.

    He robbed Juan Soto of a homer in June, made a highlight-reel dive in Detroit in July, and earlier this series snagged a ball while tumbling to the ground. When Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams hit a laser to center field in the 11th inning on Wednesday, Hill made another all-out effort. But this time, he couldn’t come up with it and crashed into the fence.

    Hill remained on the ground at first, but was eventually helped to his feet and walked off under his own power.

    Andrew Painter exits his start vs. Nationals with left hamstring tightness

    Interim manager Don Mattingly called it a bruised shoulder, but added the Phillies were evaluating “everything” for the center fielder, including a potential head injury. Hill was not made available to media postgame.

    “You hit a wall like that, it’s not too forgiving,” Mattingly said. “I think, give it a chance to evaluate overnight, see what happens, how it comes in tomorrow.”

    What unraveled into a six-run 11th inning sealed the Phillies’ 10-4 loss to Washington, but most pressing for the club is the status of Hill and starter Andrew Painter, who exited the game after four innings with tightness in his left hamstring. Both will be reevaluated Thursday.

    Painter grimaced after falling off the mound during his delivery of a 3-2 pitch to Daylen Lile in the first. He initially remained in the game, with the Phillies checking on him after each inning. When he reported that his hamstring began to tighten up after the fourth inning, the staff decided to pull him.

    Andrew Painter lasted just 63 pitches through four innings before being pulled with a left hamstring tightness.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Painter said he has never had a hamstring injury before, but he was not concerned that it will turn into something serious.

    “I’m not too worried about it,” Painter said. “I felt like I could have gone out there and still competed. They felt like they didn’t want to risk that, so that’s why we made that decision.”

    With their lack of starting pitching depth, the Phillies cannot afford an injury to Painter. They did not add rotation help at Monday’s trade deadline, with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski citing Painter’s encouraging outing against the Orioles as one reason why.

    “Really, the choice came: Do you end up getting a guy that’s a fifth starter that you don’t think is as good as your guy that you have now, and option the guy that you think is a better chance to win to help your depth, or do what we’re doing?” Dombrowski said Monday. “And we figured we do what we are doing.”

    New Phillies relievers Brooks Raley and Caleb Kilian happy to contribute to a team that’s ‘gunning for it’

    While Painter worked on his fastball in Lehigh Valley, the Phillies relied on Alan Rangel and a patchwork of bullpen games to cover the No. 5 spot in the order. It did not work. They have lost 13 consecutive games started by that rotation spot, a streak that includes Painter’s struggles before he was optioned on June 17.

    Before Painter left the game, he threw just 63 pitches. He appeared to improve as the game went on. After giving up a run in the first on a hit batter and two singles, Painter held the Nationals off the scoreboard for the next three innings. He sidestepped a walk and another single, while striking out four. He tossed a 1-2-3 fourth inning, using just nine pitches.

    “The changeup was really good. Something we’ve been building on,” Painter said. “Got some good swing and miss there. I feel like the command of it is getting better and better each time I go out there.”

    With Painter’s outing cut short, the bullpen had to cover the next 21 outs as the back-and-forth game marched into extras. Tim Mayza, Orion Kerkering, and Jonathan Bowlan each delivered a scoreless inning.

    Newly-acquired reliever Brooks Raley coughed up a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning. He surrendered a 404-foot homer to Brady House, followed by a double and a single to left field that scored another.

    Luis Arraez (left) celebrates a second inning home run with Alec Bohm.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    The Phillies punched back. Cleanup hitter Luis Arraez had launched his fifth homer of the year in the second inning, but outside of that the Phillies generated most of their offense from the bottom half of the order. In the seventh, Alec Bohm worked a leadoff walk, advanced on a single from Brandon Marsh, and tied the game at 3-3 on Bryson Stott’s RBI single.

    They had the chance to add more, loading the bases against Nationals reliever Tom Cosgrove, but Trea Turner flew out to right field to end the rally.

    Closer Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless ninth inning to give his team the chance to walk it off. When they came up short, José Alvarado entered for the 10th. After getting the first two outs, he completely lost the strike zone. He threw seven consecutive balls as he walked Andrés Chaparro and then Nasim Nuñez, forcing in a run as the Nationals took a 4-3 lead.

    In the bottom of the inning, Turner hit a sacrifice fly to right field that Dylan Crews made a diving catch on, scoring Hill from third to tie the game once more. The Phillies put the winning run aboard when Bryce Harper drew a four-pitch walk.

    Luis Arraez drives in two runs, brings ‘new blood’ energy in his Phillies debut

    With Arraez at the plate, the Phillies called for Harper to steal second, and he was thrown out to end the inning.

    Mattingly said the reasoning behind the decision was to get Harper into scoring position for Arraez. Even with the possibility of the Nationals countering by intentionally walking Arraez, Mattingly said he felt comfortable with Bohm coming up to the plate in that situation.

    “It’s still going to be a situation where we’re at Bohm and he’s going to need to get a hit,” Mattingly said. “We take a shot there, knowing that Luis is going to be there the next inning and he’ll lead off.”

    By the time Arraez was back in the batter’s box, though, the game was already out of hand. Caleb Kilian had entered for the 11th and walked nine-hole hitter Jacob Young. That brought up Abrams, who drove in two runs with his triple to center.

    Derek Hill is escorted by the Phillies’ training staff after crashing into the wall in the 11th.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Nationals manager Blake Butera had emptied his bench, and without further options, he called on pitcher Miles Mikolas to pinch-hit next. He laid down a bunt that scored Abrams.

    “I think the biggest the thing that hurt us the most there is really the guy walking, and then it puts Abrams in a spot where he gets to hit, we knew the pitcher was behind him,” Mattingly said. “They were out of players, so if we can get him out there, Abrams basically doesn’t swing the bat. But when you once you walk him, that’s the biggest problem there.”

    By the time the Phillies secured the third out, Chase Shugart had replaced Kilian and the Nationals had scored six total runs in the frame. The Phillies’ offense went down in order to end it.

  • Phillies acquire Luis Arraez in trade with Giants; Bryce Harper moving back to RF

    Phillies acquire Luis Arraez in trade with Giants; Bryce Harper moving back to RF

    Luis Arraez is neither an outfielder nor a right-handed hitter. But he is the Phillies’ solution for scoring more runs.

    Even though it puts Bryce Harper back in right field.

    Welcome to the Phillies’ brave new world.

    Amid an underwhelming market for righty-swinging outfielders, Dave Dombrowski made a trade-deadline splash Monday, acquiring Arraez — a lefty-hitting second baseman — and reliever Caleb Kilian from the Giants for two minor leaguers, including breakout pitching prospect Ramon Marquez — and in the process, uprooting three-quarters of the infield and transplanting Harper to the outfield for the first time since April 2022.

    Phillies insist they’re ‘not scared of anyone’ after Dodgers make big move for Tarik Skubal

    Then, in an almost concurrent trade, the Phillies picked up veteran lefty reliever Brooks Raley from the Mets for minor-league outfielder John Spikerman and right-hander Luke Gabrysh.

    “Obviously,” Harper said, “it’s been a good deadline. I think [Dombrowski]’s done a great job.”

    Harper said he didn’t know the Phillies were talking to the Giants about Arraez when he texted Dombrowski on Sunday night, after a conversation over the weekend in Baltimore with manager Don Mattingly. In both cases, he reiterated what he has said for years: For another productive hitter who played in the infield, he would make a short-term move back to right field.

    With Harper clearing the way, the Phillies pivoted to Arraez, a contact-hitting savant and three-time batting champion with a bead on a fourth. He’s leading the National League with a .324 average and has struck out only 21 times in 464 plate appearances.

    In short, he’s like almost no other modern hitter.

    Luis Arraez has more walks (25) than strikeouts (21).
    Gregory Bull

    “He’s kind of like the modern day like Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs,” said Mattingly, who played with both. “The guy just hits. He’s always hit, [won] batting titles, and just continues to do it. Obviously a huge addition to the lineup.”

    But in pivoting to a hitter whom they believe will have a bigger impact than any of the righty-hitting outfielders they were scouting, the Phillies threw into flux an infield that already ranks among the worst defensive groups in the majors.

    Arraez wants to stay at second base, where he improved defensively this season under Giants infield coach Ron Washington. Mattingly said the Phillies “wouldn’t have made the trade if we weren’t going to put him at second,” but really, they had little choice. The out-of-contention Giants assured Arraez they would only trade him to a team that would use him there.

    Effective Tuesday night, then, when Arraez joins the Phillies, second baseman Bryson Stott will move to third base, third baseman Alec Bohm will go to first, and yes, Harper will shift back to the grass.

    The Phillies do ‘need some help’ by trades. But they also need some from Bryce Harper and his teammates.

    “The key for me is Harp,” Mattingly said. “Harp moving to the outfield is really the key to this.”

    Said Harper: “I’ve said it in years past — I mean, I know everybody thinks it’s crap when I say it, but it’s not. Any chance that we have an opportunity to win, I’d do anything for this organization. And they know that.”

    In the weeks leading up to the deadline, the Phillies focused on three areas: a right-handed bat, a late-inning reliever, and a starting pitcher. With so many needs and few assets in the farm system, it seemed like a challenge for Dombrowski to get everything.

    As a team, the Phillies entered the week tied for 28th in the majors in on-base percentage (.304). In particular, they have gotten less production than any team from the right side of the plate, with a worst-in-the-majors .280 on-base percentage and .644 OPS.

    But neither Mike Trout nor Byron Buxton has signaled a willingness to waive their no-trade rights. (In Buxton’s case, the Twins are a playoff contender in the American League.) The Reds’ Spencer Steer injured his wrist and may miss the rest of the season; the Royals traded Lane Thomas to the Braves; the Angels’ Jo Adell has a .279 career on-base percentage; and the Orioles were noncommittal on trading Taylor Ward.

    (Adell and Ward were ultimately dealt to the Guardians and Mariners, respectively, Monday.)

    Given the state of the market, the Phillies felt they needed to get creative. So, they widened their search over the weekend, according to major league sources, and landed on Arraez, who has a .360 on-base percentage and figures to help set the table for Kyle Schwarber and Harper.

    “He’s a guy that won the batting title a couple of years and somebody that’s going to put the bat on the ball,” Harper said. “Exciting player, you know? I think he just brings a lot to our lineup. He’s got that hit tool, and it’s somebody that can be really good for us.”

    The Phillies also acquired Kilian, a 29-year-old righty, to add depth to the middle of the bullpen. He has a 4.26 ERA in 46 games this season, but hasn’t allowed a run in eight of his last 11 appearances.

    The move comes at a cost for a farm system that was already ranked among the worst in baseball.

    Marquez, a hard-throwing 20-year-old right-hander, has emerged this season, prompting debate among scouts about whether he or 2025 first-round pick Gage Wood was the best pitching prospect in the system. Scouts are impressed by Marquez’s changeup and an uptick in his fastball velocity. He has a 1.50 ERA in six starts since moving up to high-A Jersey Shore.

    Marty Gair, a 23-year-old, was recently promoted to Jersey Shore. He has a 4.50 ERA and six saves in 30 appearances overall this season.

    The Phillies must go through the Dodgers. To do it they’ll need to find a lefty reliever at the trade deadline.

    Raley is shaping up as an important addition, especially given the powerhouse Dodgers’ lefty-heavy lineup. In 41⅓ innings with the Mets, the 38-year-old veteran had a 1.96 ERA. A pending free agent, he will join José Alvarado as the lefty weapons to combat Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, and Kyle Tucker in the middle and late innings.

    “I see him more towards the back end,” Mattingly said. “Obviously we’ve got Alvy, who’s throwing the ball really good. But we’ll take all the arms we can get out there.”

  • Phillies’ lack of starting pitching and left-handed bullpen depth exposed in 11-5 loss to the Reds

    Phillies’ lack of starting pitching and left-handed bullpen depth exposed in 11-5 loss to the Reds

    CINCINNATI — Each time a Reds player clubs a home run at Great American Ball Park, fireworks are released from the smokestacks in the outfield.

    By the end of the fourth inning of Wednesday’s 11-5 Phillies loss, it was fair to wonder if Cincinnati’s supply might be running low. Because the Reds blasted four homers in the inning, including three consecutive off lefty Tanner Banks, leading to a lot of pyrotechnics.

    Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, and JJ Bleday went back-to-back-to-back off poorly located pitches from Banks, who took over for Alan Rangel with one out in the inning. Rangel, who was recalled earlier on Wednesday to start the Phillies’ bullpen game, had already given up a leadoff homer from Noelvi Marte to start the fourth.

    Bryce Harper takes Phillies’ leadoff spot with Trea Turner taking the day off; Brad Keller rejoins the team

    “At the end of the day,” Banks said, “I just need to be better at making those pitches.”

    The blowout exposed two glaring weaknesses on the Phillies roster: a lack of depth in starting pitching and left-handed relief pitchers. It marked the club’s ninth consecutive loss in games started by the fifth spot of the rotation, a streak that includes Andrew Painter’s last five appearances before he was optioned in June.

    While the front end of their rotation has multiple aces, the Phillies do not have a true No. 5 starter. And the lack of depth means the team would be in a truly precarious position in the event of an injury.

    Justin Crawford’s RBI triple in the second inning put the Phillies ahead.Carolyn Kaster

    But what really doomed the Phillies on Wednesday was the Reds running up the score on two of their three left-handed relievers. After Banks’ collapse in the fourth, José Alvarado also gave up four runs in the sixth inning. Banks and Alvarado left the ballpark dragging ERAs of 7.14 and 7.03, respectively.

    “Tonight, it didn’t look very good. We’ve really probably been searching for that more than anything through the course of this season,” said interim manager Don Mattingly.

    After Kyle Backhus was optioned on Tuesday following his own struggles, Tim Mayza is the only other left-handed option in the Phillies’ pen. Mayza pitched a scoreless eighth after sidestepping a double.

    Phillies recall Max Lazar from triple A, option Kyle Backhus

    Mayza, who was a nonroster invitee to spring training, lowered his season ERA to 2.81. But the Phillies need more than just one reliable lefty reliever.

    The expectations were high for Banks and Alvarado entering the season. In 2025, Banks had pitched his way into higher-leverage opportunities with a 3.07 ERA. But this season, he is experiencing more frustration than at any point of his career.

    “I think if I were to try to put my finger on one thing, I would say maybe a bit of … being a one-trick pony,” Banks said. “Like throwing a lot of the same stuff in the same place, and it’s hard to get someone out when you’re doing the same thing over and over again.”

    Banks said he feels like this year, he has given hitters the same look too many times in the same at-bat, which allows them to adjust and square him up.

    “He’s just missing, not getting the ball where he’s trying to get it to,” Mattingly said.

    Interim manager Don Mattingly pointed to José Alvarado’s batting average on balls in play of .449 — a career high — as an explanation for his overall numbers this season. Nick Wass

    The manager views Alvarado’s struggles somewhat differently. The lefty struggled to find the zone Wednesday, issuing consecutive walks to start the sixth inning. A single, another walk, and a bases-clearing double sank the Phillies into a seven-run hole before Alvarado could end the rally with a strikeout.

    But Mattingly pointed to Alvarado’s batting average on balls in play of .449 — a career high — as an explanation for his overall numbers this season.

    “Alvy’s been, I’d say, more inconsistent than bad,” Mattingly said. “His stuff is still good. We were looking at it today, actually. The batted ball stuff is actually not bad. So it looks like he’s probably been better than his numbers show, but still, obviously, he’s been inconsistent with giving up runs.”

    Alvarado said he feels healthy, which is what gives him confidence he can bounce back.

    “Things are not going my way right now,” he said through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “In that regard, it’s just about controlling what you can control, getting back to work, working harder, improving, and let’s just hope things turn around for me.”

    Phillies get a sixth All-Star as Jesús Luzardo is added to NL roster

    The Phillies’ offense had its chances against Reds starter Chase Burns. The 23-year-old, who is poised to make his first All-Star appearance next week, issued a career-high six walks. But those walks — plus three hits — only translated to three runs, slightly raising Burns’ season ERA to 2.54.

    In total, the Phillies left 10 men on base. J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber each hit solo home runs off Cincinnati relievers, but the two big innings against Banks and Alvarado put the game out of reach.

    “I’ll never give up,” Alvarado said. “It’s just going out there, giving the best of myself every time I’m on the mound. I’ve been through this before. I’ve gotten out of this before.”

  • Mets jump on José Alvarado in seventh inning of Phillies’ 6-4 loss

    Mets jump on José Alvarado in seventh inning of Phillies’ 6-4 loss

    José Alvarado thought the inning was over.

    The Mets had already scored one run against the Phillies reliever to break the 3-3 tie in the seventh, and threatened for more with two runners on. But Marcus Semien fouled a cutter back into J.T. Realmuto’s glove for what Alvarado thought was an inning-ending strikeout, and he started to walk off the mound.

    Home plate umpire Brian Walsh checked the ball and found a dirt mark on it, proving that it had touched the ground before entering Realmuto’s glove. It gave the Mets second baseman a new life. And Semien made the most of it, sending Alvarado’s next pitch to the center field wall, above a jumping Justin Crawford.

    “It ends up being the right call,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “Not a call I like, but the right call.”

    Mets’ Bo Bichette says he wasn’t close to signing with the Phillies in the offseason

    What was nearly an inning-ending strikeout instead became a bases-clearing triple, putting the Mets ahead to beat the Phillies, 6-4, in Thursday’s series opener. Alvarado, whose season ERA has risen to 6.58, was charged with the loss.

    Alvarado was nearly out of the inning even before that. He had allowed a leadoff single to start the seventh inning, but battled back to induce a line out and pop out, respectively, from Bo Bichette and Juan Soto, who had been the Mets’ most dangerous hitter all night. He then brought pinch-hitting Mark Vientos to a 1-2 count.

    But Alvarado lost his command, throwing three straight cutters in the dirt to walk Vientos. He allowed another pinch-hitter to reach when Eric Wagaman singled, bringing up Semien.

    “Hitters feel confident that they can hit against me right now,” Alvarado said through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “It seems like 100 mph is something they see a lot at this level. It’s not surprising anymore. They’re just hitting well against me right now.”

    All three hits Alvarado gave up on Thursday came on his sinker. Hitters are batting .333 against the pitch this year, and .268 on his cutter.

    After the Phillies optioned fellow lefty Tanner Banks earlier on Thursday, it is more crucial that Alvarado turns his season around. Alvarado and Tim Mayza are the Phillies’ only left-handed options on the roster, though Kyle Backhus (left elbow inflammation) is progressing on his rehab assignment and is nearing a return.

    “We’re a nick away from catching strike three, just touches the ground. So we just keep paying attention to him,” Mattingly said of Alvarado. “But, I mean, the ball’s coming out, it’s not like he’s down in velo or anything like that. Just got to get the ball to the right spots.”

    It didn’t help that the Phillies’ bats went cold after the fourth inning. After the Mets jumped out to an early lead against starter Aaron Nola, courtesy of a pair of solo homers from Soto and an RBI double A.J. Ewing hit over Brandon Marsh’s head in right field, the Phillies chipped away to tie it in the fourth.

    Phillies’ Trea Turner exits game vs. Mets after being hit by pitch

    Trea Turner was hit by a sweeper in the leg in the bottom of the first, and he scored on a single from Alec Bohm. Turner was later taken out of the game with a bruised right calf.

    “He said he had trouble on defense, felt like he was a liability on defense, so he couldn’t really move,” Mattingly said, adding that he hoped the day off Friday would help Turner be ready for Saturday night’s game.

    Bohm delivered another RBI in the third, doubling to drive in Kyle Schwarber and cut the Mets’ lead to 3-2. The Phillies’ designated hitter had reached first on a dropped third strike from Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, and advanced to second when Alvarez botched the throw to first.

    In the fourth, Derek Hill tied the game at 3, singling up the middle to drive in Bryson Stott. But that proved to be the Phillies’ final hit until the ninth inning, as the bats fell mostly silent against the Mets bullpen.

    Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola allowed seven hits, but he limited the Mets to three runs to keep his team within striking distance.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Nola allowed seven hits, but he limited the Mets to three runs to keep his team within striking distance. Seth Johnson and Bryse Wilson, who both had been recalled earlier on Thursday, each appeared in relief. Johnson retired the side in order in the sixth with a pair of strikeouts on his 99-mph fastball, while Wilson pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth after the Mets took the lead against Alvarado.

    “Seth was good tonight,” Mattingly said. “He’s been throwing the ball good in triple A, one of the best relievers in triple-A baseball. So stuff was good, threw in the strike zone, attacked, so it was good.”

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    Down to their final out in the ninth, the offense showed a little life. Gabriel Rincones Jr., pinch-hitting for Hill, delivered the Phillies’ first hit since the fourth on an infield single to Bichette. Crawford followed it up with an RBI single to bring up Schwarber, representing the winning run with two on base.

    Schwarber worked a 2-2 count against Devin Williams, and hit a sharp liner, 104.6 mph off the bat, but it was straight at right fielder Brett Baty for the final out.