Phillies WIN FIRST SERIES Post All-Star Break as Trade Deadline Looms

The Phillies finally got off the schneid with their first series win post-All-Star break and now gear up for the trade deadline. What moves will Dave Dombrowski make to improve the team? #RingTheBell #PhiladelphiaPhillies #MLBonX

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:30

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, into another episode of the 610 Podcast. I'm your host, Jay Hollyhan, welcoming you in on this rainy Sunday evening as we discuss the Philadelphia Phillies taking two of three from the Baltimore Orioles. The Phillies finally off the Schnee for the second half of the season, winning a series. It's been I mean, we you know, everyone here knows if you're listening to this podcast, I don't need to tell you. The second half for the Phillies right now has been pretty brutal. Five and ten since the All-Star break. Having not won a series at all, and then you get swept by the Miami Marlins after a brutal three and six homestand, swept by the Marlins, you salvage two, you go two and four on the road trip, so alright. You win the series in Baltimore, but we all know that this road trip for the Phillies very easily could have been a five-and-one road trip. And we'll start off with Friday night's loss, which looked basically similar to what we had already seen in the prior twelve games to start the second half of the season. The the Phillies get an early lead. They put two across against the Baltimore Orioles, who, you know, as I said coming into the series, ex don't expect the Orioles to lay down and die. And they didn't do that against the Phillies team. They didn't do it early when the Phillies nabbed a 2-0 lead on a Bryce Harper RBI single and then a Brandon Marsh RBI ground out. And then the Phillies sent out Andrew Payner. I said, you know, I was expecting it to be Tim Meza and Brian Keller, but they then recalled Payner. They bring him up, he allows a two-run blast to Pete Alonzo. Phillies give him another two-run lead as Trey Turner hits a solo shot and JT hits a solo shot in the sixth. And Payner managed to go through six innings, just allowing those two runs, struck out six, walked three, allowed three hits, not terrible, not super stardom, not what obviously we were projecting at this point in the season where we thought, hey, this guy is going to start to look like someone who could hopefully be a number two guy in your rotation, and you basically would have him slot it in at the four spot if everyone was healthy. At the four spot, or if Aaronola improved drastically off of last year, he'd be a great number five. Well, he's the number five right now, and he's anything but great, but that was at least a much better outing out of him. And after the game, Don Mattingley spoke about it, and especially, and we'll touch on it towards the end. You talk about now a lot of these guys like Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford, and even like a Brian DeLacruz, how different the situation may look here with the Phillies coming up in the next 24 hours post-trade deadline. So here was Mattingley on Painter's start.

SPEAKER_09 3:36

Well, it's it's good to see no matter how you look at it. Uh I mean, if it if you thought you were getting that every time out, then you would like that spot, him in that spot. Um obviously I don't know what's gonna happen between now and might be. Um, but he did what he, you know, that we we think he's capable of doing. It was really good to see.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

I'm not sure if it's because it was a then four-game losing streak for the Phillies, and it looked like a road trip that was just gonna really go south, and I'm sure Mattingley had some concerns, well, probably not some concerns, a lot of concerns about what the heck is going on here. Uh, but he didn't seem too confident in Painter in what he did. I mean, he kind of just stated the obvious, didn't really say anything looked great, like, hey, a ho-hummish start, I suppose. I think what also was probably bothering him is he turns the ball over to the bullpen for the bottom of the sixth, or I'm sorry, bottom of the seventh, turns it over to Orion Kirkering, and we know Kirkering has had his struggles, we know the bullpen has had their struggles, and listen, I didn't I didn't think I guess clearly the impact must be felt that much because the bullpen was not performing at this rate prior to when Keller went down. When Brad Keller has since gotten hurt, I I don't know what if it's just a coincidence or what, but that bullpen just has not thrown the same. And it's not like he was any ray of light, but I'm not sure if there was some type of veteran expertise he was given out there. But my my lord, I mean, they turned it over to Ryan Kirkkring as being the top righty out of the bullpen, and he has now since turned it over to Jonathan Bolin, whom, as we know, earlier in the week against Miami, he wasn't necessarily lights out either. So the bullpen has just been a huge problem. Jackson Holiday leads off the bottom of the seventh with a single. It's interesting, and this is where my knowledge of the Orioles comes in, they put Kobe Mayo out there. Now Mayo cannot hit righties. He can hit lefties, he struggles against righties. So it's interesting they decided to stick with him. He strikes out on four pitches. Alright, got his strikeout. Then Colton Kowser, who has really strong plate discipline, what do you know, didn't fall for any pitches that were well outside of the zone, and Kirkering walks him on a low and end fastball, puts runners at first and second. They pinch it, Christian Incarnacio and Strand, who has been red hot for the Orioles since coming up for them. He was traded over in the offseason. He comes up from the minor leagues, much like Brian De La Cruz, but only with an even more significant impact, and he hits a basis clearing double to make it 4-4. He strikes out Beavers and he hits Pete Alonzo. They bring in Mesa, and he allows the RBI two-run triple to Gunnar Henderson, and the Phillies would then lose the game six to four. And afterwards, J.T. Real Muto discussed the bullpen, and then Orion Kirkrane gave his thoughts on his performance recently.

SPEAKER_08 7:02

Yeah, it's tough. It's definitely uh this is not the brand of baseball we're going to be playing. So, you know, we've got the guys in this room this room to win, and we know that we just have to play better. We're just not doing enough things, particularly late in the game. I feel like uh really matters or just not making the pitches we need to make and not getting ahead of guys and attacking us, that's good trouble. Yeah, we're concerned, but uh, we believe we have the guys in this room to get it done. Uh we've got guys who've got a lot of big outscores in the last few years with really good stuff. Like I mentioned, we're just not attacking the zone, we're getting behind too much. That's something we have to work on. The stuff is there, and uh we just have to get better and attack the zone and be able to throw strikes early in the count, especially when you're facing good hitters. It's hard to get about behind it. I think we're just too many counts. 2131 late the game, right?

SPEAKER_07 7:46

How frustrating is that, or what can you pinpoint anything?

SPEAKER_06 7:50

Pisses me off. Um yeah, it's frustrating because it can't give the steam a chance to win almost, it feels like. And it pisses me off a lot.

SPEAKER_05 8:00

Um Yeah, I just gotta figure it out. It's just the hits will come, walks you control. It's just one of those things. Uh been threadle this year. Yeah. Yeah, it's pisses me off that keep walking good.

SPEAKER_00 8:18

I know we all, in a way, when the season started, first couple months, we were really happy for Orion Kirkering because after the trials of, I'm sure, having to deal with the game four loss last year against the Dodgers, he went out and he pitched well. I mean, they started him as the as I mentioned, they started him out behind Keller coming out of the bullpen. He was behind Brad Keller, who was supposed to be the big righty setup guy. Something you really didn't have last year once Jeff Hoffman signed with the Blue Jays. So bringing someone like Brad Keller in was going to be good, and I think we all didn't necessarily trust Kirk Ring. Now, he was your top right-handed setup man last year. That kind of lets you know how they valued him heading into this season. Plus, it's never a bad idea to have more arms. You bring in Jonathan Bolin, and you have the right-handed side at least on pen and paper setup. We can talk about the left-handed pitching until we're blue in the face, but we're not going to go there. So Kirkering, again, seemed to be somewhat cruising along, and then it's just been the last couple outings, it's he's a deer in the headlights. I mean, he cannot get three outs, and especially cannot get three outs without allowing guys on base. He can't get a one-two-three inning. And it's left everyone saying, How in the world can you go into some type of a stretch run with him as your best right-handed arm to set up Duran? It just doesn't make it it's not it's not gonna work, and I think we all know that. So Friday night's loss was pretty much what we had seen throughout. We turned the page over into August, and I mean the month of July for the Phillies, which started off on such a positive note because you had that tremendous offensive push going from June to July, and then things just unraveled in that month of July to where they're 9-15 coming out of that month, with 94 runs scored and 117 runs against. In June, they had 153 runs scored, and granted, the runs against were pretty high at 121, but that 153 runs, and granted, that's in a 27-game sample size compared to 24, but when you still consider it, it's not that far off. You couldn't even break a hundred, and obviously the nine and fifteen hurts. Now, I like to think when you consider the month of April, how bad that was at ten and sixteen. Personally, I like to think the Phillies and I want to be careful how I put this they played better baseball, although it was losing baseball, but it was better baseball than where they were in April. Now we spoke about this I think after the homestand, that they were finding ways to lose games, but now they were doing so with the bullpen and not with the poor at bats or the starting pitching just being porous like it was in April. And it felt like and it feels like you're going to need to find outlier sources in order to be able to, and when I say that I of course mean at the trade deadline, you're gonna need to bring someone in that's gonna give you a boost at the plate just as much as you are on the rubber. And we'll talk about that again in a moment. Now, Saturday's win. You needed one, and Christopher Sanchez went out there and he got it for you. He wasn't great, but he got through a couple of jams, 13 strikeouts, and a shutout. I mean, we obviously saw him be untouchable earlier in the season, but the offense managed to score five runs on all singles, terrific at-bat by Bryson Stott to work Shane Bass's pitch count there, I believe, in the in the sixth, and it seemed like it just kind of set up the Phillies' offense, got them rejuvenated a little bit. And someone who had a really big series and has really been huge since being called up to the Phillies is Brian De La Cruz. And De La Cruz, who had the RBI single to put the Phillies up 1-0 in that game, and then in the eighth, Boehm played in another run to make it 2-0. Then Marsh RBI single, Justin Crawford, two-run single, great series out of Crawford as well. But let's hear from Don Mattingley on Brian De La Cruz and Brian De La Cruz himself, courtesy of translator Diego Daniela.

SPEAKER_09 13:27

Just been solid. Obviously, that was a big hit early. Uh had another ball in the nose. It could have been another run. But I think just like Dala's always kind of day in, day out. You know, he plays solid defense, uh, doesn't really make mistakes, rarely on the bases. The bats are good. Uh he's kind of the right-left. You know, he's always kind of been, for the most part, like an everyday guy. So he's like righty's or not terrible for him. So he's a guy that handles those guys better. So he's more the everyday like right-left.

SPEAKER_03 14:04

I mean, uh I've been spent the last three, four years playing against his team, so you know, being a part of it uh it's uh really fun. So being able to compete for this team is uh has been uh extremely fun, and uh I'm just thankful and we've got it for you today. You know, I can control if a team wants to do or doesn't want to do or make a move, I can't control that. I can't control it, I can't feel that uh I think that's the game that I'll be focused on is just you know what I have to do every day to contribute to this team and uh you know it's hitting the ball, if it's hitting the ball, hit the ball, making contact. Um, you know, if it's making plays in the outfield, it will be making plays in the outfield and catching those balls. So I'll just focus on that and or what I can do and what I can control on my side of the ball, and uh, you know, just trying to contribute to this team every day that I get the chance to play.

SPEAKER_00 14:53

Well, there's nothing better, and we've seen it in the past with this Phillies team. When someone comes up, they tend to produce. Now, whether or not they stay in that production area, well, that's a different story. But De La Cruz so far, he's been he's been big for the Phillies, and they've needed him to be to be big. Now, is he that is he your right-handed bat that you had to have at this point? No, you need more. You absolutely need more. And again, uh with the trade deadline now a little under 24 hours from now, we're obviously going to be seeing this Phillies team hopefully improving in that area. But they go out, they win that game, they just w, you know, they win a game. And it was a complete game, and Don Addley said after the game, that's what they had been missing. And again, that's why I said, you know, this should have been a five in one road trip. I'll give Miami the Tuesday night game with Aaronola and Sandy Alcantara. Now, at the time I'm not gonna sit there and go, well, you tip your cap and move on. No, that was frustrating as I'll get out and the offense was really being putrid. But Monday's game was unacceptable. Wednesday Wednesday's game, if Monday's game was unacceptable, I don't know what to call Wednesday's six run blown lead. Friday was another just at that point, ho hum, because I honestly the last two days have, I'm sure, gotten people to be like, oh, maybe they could get something at the line, but after Friday, it was like, yeah, whatever, this team's done. And I'm still kind of on that fence line. Now, when it came to Sunday's game, needing to win the series, finally won a series, you know, coming out of the all-star break, and then heading into the trade deadline, and then a home series now with the Washington Nationals, who have already made a move. We'll talk about that in a moment. But the Phillies win eight to nothing today. They go through two rain delays. Again, Brian DeLacruz, who's been so huge, hit a two-run bomb to give the Phillies the early lead there in the third, then the rain came, and unfortunately, you didn't get to see Zach Wheeler build off of what had been, to start, a a really solid after a rough game Monday. He came out, and I'm telling you, part of me thinks, you know what, it was the extra day's rest. But he goes out there, he allows one hit through two innings, and then the delay comes. Get through the third. Phillies take the 2-0 lead. Or then the delay comes, I'm sorry, then in the bottom of the third, the d you know, before the bottom of the third, they bring in Kyle Backis, who works around a walk, a single, then a wild pitch to put runners on second and third, gets Pete to line out, and then Gunnar Henderson to fly out to De La Cruz and right. Phillies add another run in the fourth with a Bryson Stott. Walk, 3-0. Justin Crawford, RBI ground out, 4-0. Hey, just putting the ball in play. And the 4-0 lead would then build. Tim Mesa did a good job there in the bottom of the fourth. In the top of the fifth, Bryce Harper hits his 23rd homer of the year. Again, Mesa in the fifth, working out around a two-out single by Jake Rogers. Then in the sixth, Justin Crawford with the RBI single to make it 6-0. De La Cruz, sackfly, 7-0, Schwarber's sackfly, 8-0. And then in the bottom of the sixth, they'd have Kirkering ready to come into the game. But Mother Nature decided to bless the Phillies fans and not give anyone a potential heart attack to see Kirk Ring come into said game. But Dom Addingley wasn't too thrilled with the way that the operation was worked at Camden Yards. He was pleased, though, as you'll hear after his thoughts on the rain delay. He was pleased, though, with Phillies Asack Wheeler.

SPEAKER_07 19:06

The first rain delay, you had a pretty long conversation in the umpire. Was this a little frustration, maybe that you were going to lose Wheeler there?

SPEAKER_09 19:13

Yeah, a little bit. You know, just starting it like that. I mean, both teams. Honestly, both teams lost their starter. You know, I know they're trying to make the best decision, but it was that was a little frustrating. What did you think of Wheeler, though? I was good. For two innings. What'd you lack? What we talked about, it doesn't look like Wheeler. You know, his fastballs back, sharp, breaking balls good.

SPEAKER_00 19:41

You know, I don't understand what was going through the mines there in Baltimore with the rain, why the start wasn't pushed back. I mean, listening to Craig Albernaz after the game, he seemed pretty frustrated with it too. Seemed more along the lines of the league having issues with it more than anything. I just it seemed a little ridiculous for all parties involved, and um it's interesting. Craig Albernaz's opening line was it sucked because you you missed what could have been a great outing between two guys in Zach Wheeler and Kyle Bradish. Um and you know, it's funny that that's your thought after the loss, but sure, that's a good point, too. Now, as for the Phillies scoring 13 runs and holding the opposition to zero, even though it was just I mean, let's face it, 15, well, not even 14 innings of going out there and your pitchers having to go up against their hitters, but I think when we talk about now as we get into the trade deadline, I think when we talk about this trade deadline, this has to be treated like you have this is it for this last year, and you want to extend a window. And do the Phillies have the resources to be able to extend said window? I don't know. But what I do know is they've already missed out on Lane Thomas, the right-handed bat who went from Kansas City to Atlanta. There's another right-handed bat out there in the name of Randy Rosarena, whom there have been reports that the Phillies could be interested in going after a Rosarena. Now, what you would have to give up would be Justin Crawford, probably a prospect or two as well for a Rosarena services. But with Seattle being as out as they are, or seemingly as out as they are, as they traded away Luis Castillo, and there are other conversations around that. Several other players might go, like Randy Rosarena, that would, in my opinion, be a great fit for the Phillies. And I and I said, let me walk that back. I said reports. People have been speculating that that could be a possible avenue for the Phillies. Now, from the pitching standpoint, the starting pitching standpoint, Kevin Gaussian's already been traded to the Cubs. I don't know really what starting pitcher out there that's like a big name that, you know, people threw around Scuball, and to see what the Phillies were willing to offer for Scuball is why I did not want Scuball. Because one, it's not a guarantee you're going to have him here for the long term. So why would you give up your future for that? And not only that, but there are other areas that the Phillies need improvement in. Because, in my opinion, you get the right hand to bat, you get a Randy Arroz Arena, you pump your resources into that, you get a starting pitcher who can just get you 15 outs, and you get a bullpen arm or two in here that actually know that that knows what they're doing, and granted, they've got to be used in the right situation. This could be a team that could again roll like they did in June and July in uh May and June. Not June and July. Definitely not July. In May and June. But again, it comes back to how do the Phillies prospects stack up? And that's what's obviously the most concerning with the Phillies at the moment. Now, as I record this, and I'm sure you're listening to this, a move could already have been made. I'm recording this around what time are we at here? 10.50 Sunday evening. So a move could be made. Hell hell, as I click submit and publish, there could already be a move that the Phillies make. So we'll see what they do. We'll see what Dave ends up doing. But you know, if you're Dave Dombrowski right now, with Daryl Morey now no longer being with the Sixers, you are public enemy number one in the city of Philadelphia. Let's put it that way. Now coming up against the Nationals, the Nationals team who m have already made a trade, and it was for I think a lot of uh baseball fans, you know, especially NL East fans, you kind of look at Luis Garcia Jr. being dealt to the Yankees. Number one, good move for the Yankees, but number two, two eighty-three hitter, twenty-three homer, seventy-six ribbies. Now, the rumor was that for a while now that they were interested in moving CJ Abrams. I think they were looking for an avenue to call up some of their younger prospects that they have to bring them into that middle infield. Now, moving Abrams, I think, would have been a mistake. So Luis Garcia Jr. I think makes more sense, but man, that is a tough, tough move for Nationals fans, I'm sure, because Luis Garcia Jr. I mean, he was having a hell of a season. And, you know, we didn't even, unfortunately, didn't get the all-star uh vote to or all-star game appearance to boot, although the the Nationals had a couple all-star appearances because of how good of an offense they had this year. But regardless, Nationals are sending a message to their players that they're going with the youth movement. They're gonna kind of I would anticipate them to add a bullpen arm, and that's gonna be it. I can't envision them going anywhere more than that, especially at 55 and 58. I think they're gonna let their young guys see what happens. You know, you think about when the Phillies traded Bobby Abreu and Corey Lytle and David Belaway and guys of that nature to see what some of the younger guys could do on that team to give Shane Victorino an avenue to play when they moved Aaron Rowan so they could give Jason Worth an opportunity in the outfield to platoon with Jeff Jenkins. Like, that's where I think the Nationals are at right now. And they're also 11th in the National League. Now, coming into the series, Phillies are a game up on the Padres. Phillies are 28-27 at home this year. Nationals are 32 and 24 on the road. They're 23 and 34 at home. The Phillies, they're gonna send out Aaron Nola tomorrow night to make the start. 3-9 with a 5-6-1 ERA. In June against Washington, he gave up two runs on three hits and five innings. He's 0-4 with a 6-7-0 ERA and 10 starts at home this year. Let that sink in for a minute. The Nationals, so it's listed as TBD here. I assume they're gonna go with a bullpen game. For the love of God, win three in a row. You know, for the law could you win three in a row, Phillies, please? Uh bullpen game, mostly yeah, they haven't updated their starting pitcher. So I assume it's a bullpen game. Then Tuesday, you'll see Jesus Lazardo take the bump. Nine and five with a three-five-seven ERA. The former Washington National draftee gave up a run in six and two thirds innings against the Nationals in June. Five runs did cross during his outing. He did have 13 strikeouts. He's 3-5 with a 5-5-3 ERA and 10 starts at home this year. He's been so well, I mean, I the start against Miami wasn't good, but aside from that, he's been so much better on the road than at home. Hopefully he gives you a big start at home. Zach Lattell will be on the mound for the Nats, 7-8 with a 4-9-4 ERA. He's given up five runs on 11 hits and nine innings this season over two starts against the Phillies with six strikeouts and two walks. He's three and three with the five-three three ERA and five starts and two appearances out of the bullpen on the road. Now, game three will see Andrew Painter come back to CBP and make what will be his eighth career start at Citizens Bank Park, and the former top prospect, one and eight with the six seven two ERA this year. He pitched five and a third innings in his season debut, major league debut this past late March, I believe it was, where he gave up a run on four hits, had eight strikeouts and a walk, one and five with a seven oh five ERA and seven starts and one appearance out of the bullpen this year at home. Jake Irvin, who's two-five with a five-five six ERA on the season, comes in 0-5 with a 6-4-2 ERA and six starts versus the Phillies since 2023. He's 2-2 with a 4-5-4 ERA and seven starts on the road this year. And then game four, it'll be Christopher Sanchez back out on the mound at Citizens Bank Park, 14-4 with a 2-6-1 ERA. He's allowed six runs on 11 hits and 10-3rd innings versus the Nationals with 13Ks and six walks. Remember, his last start in DC wasn't what anyone would consider great, but you know, the Phillies were able to come back and win that game. He's 9-1 with a 1-2-8 ERA and 13 starts at home this year. Uh his, again, for whatever reason with the Phillies now, his road ERA looks a lot better now. I mean, it really ballooned up after the tough really uh tough tough outing um against the Milwaukee Brewers and then again against the Nationals. But hopefully he goes out against the Nationals this time and he shoves for you and he continues that home terrific ERA, and hopefully the Phillies are sending him out there on the rubber match with Foster Griff, or not rubber match, I beg your pardon, with an opportunity to win the series against the Nationals against Foster Griffin. Left-handed pitcher is 12-3 with a 3-0 six ERA. This year he's allowed three runs on nine hits in 12 and a third inning, so two starts with 14 strikeouts and a walk, and he's 6-2 at the 3-2-0 ERA and 12 starts coming on the road. Alright, Phillies. This is the moment of truth because now with there's n there's nothing more this team can do the rest of the way. There's no looking towards the trade deadline. There's no, well, we still have a couple games. It's, you know, it's still early. We can we can come back. I say a couple games. We still have a lot of games left. No. It's now it's go time. It's get serious. Or this run of making it to the postseason five years in a row, and this hope of being the team that actually beats what's I mean, come on. This isn't just going to be David versus Goliath for any time. I mean, even the Yankees, even the Yankees. Okay. The Dodgers are, as I mentioned, they're on another planet. So you really have to go out there and be creative and be aggressive at this deadline. I'm sure Dave Dombrowski knows that. I do not envision, though, the Phillies' prospects are going to be anything that will be worthwhile for anyone else. But, you know, Stranger Things have happened, I suppose. We'll see. I didn't necessarily expect Jalen Brown to be a sixer. I certainly didn't expect LeBron James to be a sixer, and here we are. Uh, but when it comes to a different sport in baseball, landing a Randy Arroz Arena, I think would be the big prize at this deadline. I think that would be huge. Now I've heard I've seen that from it, it seems like from Matt Gelb that the Phillies are more interested in looking towards improving the bullpen. And just getting, you know, like a Harrison Bader-esque player to be your right-handed bat. Listen, I loved Harrison Bader as much as the next guy. This team is not a Harrison Bader away. They would need a Randy Arrows Arena. So if you really want to go at it, you gotta try and do that. We'll see what happens. And we'll talk to you after one of these games, hopefully between now and Thursday, where we'll come on and we'll talk a little trade deadline, or we'll talk to you at the end of the four-game series. So again, thanks folks for tuning in. And we leave you with hoping that there will be brighter days ahead at One Citizens Bank Way.