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Tag: Zach Wheeler

  • Phillies 2026 Offseason Check In – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Credit: Philadelphia Phillies-Facebook

    As the calendar turns to February, the thought of baseball begins to enter people’s minds.

    Pitchers and catchers will report on February 11th, which is just two weeks away.

    While the offseason has been severely underwhelming compared to what fans had expected, the Phillies will still have a formidable roster heading into the 2026 season.

    They took care of business by resigning both Kyle Schwarber to a 5-year, $150 million contract extension and JT Realmuto to a 3-year, $45 million contract. They added a veteran outfielder, Adolis Garcia, who’s spent his entire career with the Texas Rangers, by signing him to a one-year, $10 million contract.

    The Phillies are also hopeful that rookie outfielder Justin Crawford and rookie starting pitcher Andrew Painter will have an immediate impact on the team.

    Credit: Philadelphia Phillies-Facebook

    The problems lie with the fact that they missed out on the big fish in Bo Bichette, who decided that the New York Mets would be a better place for him to win.

    To quote the great movie Dodgeball, “That’s a bold move, Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for him.”

    The Mets pretty much outbid the Phillies by offering him a three-year, $126 million contract. Bichette is owed $42 million with opt-outs after the first and second year. The kicker is that he has an opt-out after the first and second year, so it’s very likely this could be a one-year deal.

    The Phillies also lost key starting pitcher Ranger Suarez to the Boston Red Sox, who signed him to a 5-year $130 million contract. Suarez is a great pitcher, especially in the postseason. Still, his injury history and a history of tailing off at the end of the regular season made the Phillies hesitant to offer him that much money, especially when top prospect Andrew Painter will hopefully be on the opening-day roster in 2026.

    Running It Back

    At this point, it feels like the same team that lost in the NLDS last year, and fans are concerned that this season will involve much of the same. The Mets and Dodgers both got significantly better as the Dodgers went out and signed top outfield FA Kyle Tucker, joining an already absurd lineup. The Atlanta Braves will look to have a bounce-back year as well, hoping guys like Austin Riley, Ronald Acuna Jr, Spencer Strider, and Matt Olson can all stay healthy throughout the season. The NL East will be much more competitive this year, and the Phillies are returning most of the same team.

    Rob Thomson did not take kindly to the term “running it back,” as he made it known in his press conference a few weeks ago that this team is different in terms of the bullpen, the addition of Adolis Garcia, Otto Kemp, and the opportunity that Justin Crawford will have this season as well. We got an outfielder to replace losing Kepler and eventually Nick Castellanos, Otto Kemp, who was solid but is most likely a platoon player, and an improved bullpen despite losing Matt Strahm. That’s some real groundbreaking stuff, according to manager Rob Thomson. I beg to differ.

    The consensus among the Phillies fans I’ve spoken to this offseason is that they’re very underwhelmed with how they handled it. Now that’s a take I agree with. Getting Schwarber back is enormous, and they are hopeful that Adolis Garcia can provide a spark for this team as he has in the past for the Rangers, especially in the postseason. I’m also very eager to see how top SS prospect Aidan Miller looks in spring training this year. It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets called up before June if Alec Bohm is either traded or struggles early on.

    One of the last pieces to fall this offseason will be what happens with Nick Castellanos. The Phillies owe him $20 million next year, which is highway robbery on Castellanos’ end. It’s been expected that he would be traded or released all offseason. While neither has yet to happen, the Phillies will most likely be forced to release him, especially after the way he handled things with Rob Thomson last year.

    Spring Is Upon Us

    Pitchers and catchers report next week in Clearwater, Florida, for the start of 2026 spring training.

    It feels like just yesterday we were watching Kerkering throw the ball over JT’s head while the Eagles lost to the Giants that same night.

    I can’t wait to see what heartbreaking thing happens this year.

    Tags: 2026 Spring Training Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Boston Red Sox Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Dodgers J.T. Realmuto JT Realmuto Kyle Schwarber LA Dodgers Los Angeles Dodgers Mets MLB New York Mets Nick Castellanos NL East Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Ranger Suarez Red Sox Rob Thomson Spring Training Texas Rangers Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

    Categorized:News Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Offseason Predictions – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

    The dust has settled on the 2025 MLB season with the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrating back-to-back World Series Championships just like everyone expected. With the 2025 season in the rearview mirror, the attention turns to the offseason. One that might be the most pivotal offseason this franchise has had since they signed Bryce Harper in 2019.

    Who’s Back, Who’s Gone

    Right off the bat, it’s very easy to say the Phillies’ top priority is Kyle Schwarber, which I completely agree with. I would love to see Schwarber finish his career in a Phillies uniform, especially after the season he put together last year. As great as his play is on the field, he’s an amazing clubhouse guy, which is another reason why I think the Phillies must re-sign him. It’s going to leave a bad taste in a lot of fans’ mouths if the Phillies don’t offer Schwarber.

    While Schwarber is priority number one, resigning JT Realmuto would be my number two. I think JT should finish his career with the Phillies, and to me, it makes too much sense. He had a great offensive season, considering how slow he started out of the gate. He is familiar with our pitching staff, and I have never heard any of the pitchers he’s worked with complain about how he handles things. Realmuto is still a top catcher in the league despite his age, and there aren’t many other options to replace JT. The key replacement would be trying to trade for Adley Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles, but I would much rather the Phillies resign JT and not give up any assets.

    Harrison Bader, I would love to have back, but I’m not sure where he would fit. If we could sign him for a year or two, I don’t mind Bader being a nice bridge player until top prospect Justin Crawford gets settled at the major league level. Bader would be a great mentor for Crawford during his first few years at the major league level.

    In terms of who’s gone, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Nick Castellanos traded along with Johan Rojas and possibly even Alec Bohm. Castellanos is the one most likely to be moved, especially with how things were handled with him the last few months of the season. Ever since his incident with Rob Thomson, it’s been painfully obvious that the Phillies want to try and move him.

    Rojas has become expendable with the emergence of prospect Justin Crawford, who should definitely be on the Phillies’ opening day roster as their centerfielder. Crawford hit .334 in Triple-A last season and played above-average defense in centerfield. Mix in 46 stolen bases, and you now have a better version of Johan Rojas in centerfield.

    Alex Bohm could be in a similar situation; however, I don’t know if they will cut ties with him just yet. Top prospect Aidan Miller is still only 21 years old, but he put together a strong season across Double-A and Triple-A last season. Miller broke the Reading Fightin Phils record for most stolen bases in a season with 52. If the Phillies move Bohm, I definitely expect Aidan Miller to be with the big league club this season. Unless Miller puts together an incredible spring, I do expect him to start the season in Triple-A. That means the Phillies would need to try and find a bridge third baseman until Miller is ready. Nolan Arenado is a name to watch if they do end up trading Bohm. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Phillies went with Bohm to start the season and then moved him in the middle of the year if Miller is ready and performing.

    Pitching

    In terms of the pitching, getting Zach Wheeler back healthy is the most important thing for this team. The development of Andrew Painter will be something to monitor as well. Ranger Suarez is the big decision this front office will have to make. His performance has statistically tailed off in the second half of the season, and staying healthy has been a struggle. I’m hesitant to throw money at someone who has struggled to stay healthy. It’s going to be an extremely important decision and one that takes a few years to develop before we decide if it was the right move. It all comes down to money, whether they want to give Suarez the contract he deserves.

    If Suarez returns, the Phillies’ rotation will be poised to be a top rotation in baseball again. Christopher Sanchez was your NL Cy Young runner-up after Paul Skenes took home the award last week, which is an incredible accomplishment for Sanchez. A pitcher the Phillies acquired in a trade from the Rays a few years back has turned into a Diamond in the rough. If Wheeler comes back healthy, Aaron Nola bounces back, and Jesus Luzardo builds off of last year’s strong season, then the Phillies could no doubt have the best rotation in baseball.

    Winter Meetings

    Most action won’t start happening until the week of the MLB Winter Meetings, which will occur from December 7-10. That is when the owners and managers will get to work on building their ballclubs for the 2026 season, as everyone has a fresh start for a World Series run.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Aidan Miller Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Jesus Luzardo Kyle Schwarber MLB Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

    Categorized: Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Postseason Expectations and Predictions – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    After a grueling 162-game season, the Philadelphia Phillies finished their season with a record of 96-66, good enough for the second-best record in all of Major League Baseball. They won the NL East with a 13-game lead over the New York Mets, a team that won’t be playing into October after a historic second-half collapse. The Phillies have the luxury of a first-round bye and will open the NLDS at home on October 4th against either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Cincinnati Reds. The best time of year is here; nothing beats October baseball.

    Playoff Expectations

    Win the whole thing.

    The end.

    All jokes aside, this team is more than capable of delivering a World Series title to Philadelphia. The loss of Zach Wheeler is massive, and not having him throughout this postseason run will sting. However, I trust Christopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, Jesus Luzardo, and even Aaron Nola enough to hopefully get us deep into the postseason.

    Looking at the pitching first, I would say this is the best overall staff the Phillies have had in recent years. Not only are the starters great, but the bullpen, with guys like Tanner Banks, Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, and Jhoan Duran, rounds out one of the best staffs in the postseason. The last few seasons, the Phillies have lacked solid bullpen arms, and this year is the complete opposite. I feel comfortable knowing Duran is pitching in the 9th if we have a 1-2 run lead late.

    As for the offense, that will be the biggest question mark. Last postseason, the bats disappeared. This year, that simply can’t happen. This team is way too talented offensively to go through a slump this time of year. Led by Kyle Schwarber, this Phillies offense should be able to put up runs. The Phillies’ ability to weather the storm with starting pitching to get into the opponent’s bullpen will be interesting to see. They chased too much out of the zone last year, and it eliminated easy walks and ways to get guys on base. If this lineup can stay consistent and play within itself, the team can put up 5-7 runs per game in the postseason.

    Getting Trea Turner will be massive for the top of the order, especially since with Bader moving back down, it will make the lineup longer in terms of depth. Harrison Bader has been the best trade deadline acquisition Dave Dombrowski has made in recent years. His play in CF will be an integral part of a potential Phillies World Series run. The Phillies have lacked a true centerfielder over the last few playoff runs, so hopefully, Bader will be another spark for this team.

    Postseason Predictions

    Right now, I can see the Dodgers beating the Reds easily in the Wild Card round to set up a NLDS matchup with the Phillies. While the Phillies will have home-field advantage, it’s a best-of-5 series for the NLDS. Truthfully, if the Phillies play their brand of baseball, I could see the Phillies taking the series 3-2

    Next, they would face the Brewers in the NLCS, who I’m predicting will go on to beat the Padres in the NLDS 3-1. A Milwaukee Brewers vs Philadelphia Phillies NLCS with the Phillies winning 4-2 in 6 games.

    I do believe this team is good enough to make a run through the National League and win the Pennant this year. The way the Phillies played in the second half makes me highly optimistic that this team will be able to make it to the World Series.

    As for who they will play, my two guesses are the New York Yankees or the Seattle Mariners, which I know could be a shock to some people. I think the Mariners have the offense and the pitching staff that could help spark a run for them. It would be exciting to see Seattle playing in a World Series. If the Yankees end up making it, then it’s time for us to get our revenge for what happened in 2009.

    My overall prediction is the Phillies win the World Series in 6 games, and we’ll have our second championship parade of the year on Broad Street in November!!

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Christopher Sanchez Harrison Bader Jhoan Duran Kyle Schwarber MLB Nick Castellanos Philadelphia 76ers Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

    Categorized: Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Magic Number Down To One, Clinch Postseason Berth – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Credit: John Jones/Imagn Images

    The Phillies came into last week preparing for their biggest series of the season, a four-game series against the New York Mets, with their magic sitting at 13. Since then, the Phillies would go on to sweep the Mets, take two out of three from the Kansas City Royals, and now sit just one game away from clinching the NL East for consecutive seasons. The last time the Phillies did that was in 2010-2011.

    NL East Dominance

    As of today, the Phillies are 89-61, 12 games up on the New York Mets (77-73) for first place in the NL East, which is something I didn’t expect to write this season. I truly believed the Mets would be competitive and the NL East would be close for the majority of the season. However, the Mets have played dreadful baseball in September and just snapped an eight-game losing streak yesterday.

    As for the Phillies, they are playing their best baseball of the season right now. The pitching looks great, the offense looks better despite the Phillies missing both Trea Turner and Alex Bohm this week, and the bullpen has found its rhythm. They have found different ways to win games, not just relying on the offense or pitching. Some nights, the pitching staff looks incredible when the offense doesn’t, and vice versa. This team looks like a team built to win in the postseason, and the Phillies are just 12 games away from starting another attempt at a World Series run. The Phillies head out west for six games before returning home for a six-game home stand to close out the season.

    The Phillies currently sit as the two seed in the National League but are only two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (91-59) as the one seed. If the Phillies could clinch home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs, that would make me feel much better entering the postseason.

    Bader Leading Off

    Once the Phillies announced that Trea Turner was going on the IL, I was unsure who the Phillies would bat leadoff. In last week’s article, I discussed the potential for Stott or Bader to step into that role. In the first game, Rob Thomson went with Bryce Harper in the leadoff spot, which was questionable and rightfully so. In the next game, Rob put Bader at the leadoff spot, and it clicked. In his first game batting leadoff, Bader went 3/5 with a home run against his former team, the New York Mets. Thomson kept Bader in the leadoff spot for the remainder of the week, and boy, did it work. Bader had a great week and has had an even better start to his Phillies career. Bader has a .349 BA with a .940 OPS in 38 games played for the Phillies. Not only has he delivered offensively, but defensively, he’s been great as well. Bader has made some really impressive grabs in the outfield, and for the first time in a while, it feels like the Phillies have found their centerfielder.

    Dave Dombrowski did an incredible job this trade deadline, not only acquiring Harrison Bader but also Jhoan Duran, who has continued to pitch great for us as the closer. The Phillies added a legit CF and closer and now look like a team primed to make some noise in the postseason.

    Two Weeks Remain

    The Phillies kick off their final road trip of the season tonight, as they open up a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (84-65), a team that’s fighting to clinch the NL West. This series could also be a potential playoff matchup. The Dodgers have had a down year compared to where everyone expected them to be. Injuries have hit them hard, and the pitching isn’t what they had hoped. The Phillies always seem to play well at Dodger Stadium, so wins in 2/3 games seem likely. They have an off day on Thursday before they play a three-game weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks (75-75).

    The Phillies need just one more win on the season to clinch the NL East, and I like their odds to do it tonight at 10:10 EST with Ranger Suarez on the mound.

    Weekly Predictions

    Not only do the Phillies win the NL East this week, but they also overtake the Milwaukee Brewers for the one seed in the National League.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Brandon Marsh Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Harrison Bader J.T. Realmuto JT Realmuto Kyle Schwarber MLB New York Mets Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Ranger Suarez Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

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    Matt Saglembeni

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  • The New York Mets Come to Town in September Division Showdown for Phillies – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Credit: John Jones/Imagn Images

    The Phillies took 2/3 from the Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins last week, helping them maintain a seven-game lead in the NL East.

    The New York Mets (76-67) come to town for a four-game series that can make or break their season.

    The Phillies have an opportunity to make up for what happened in New York just a few weeks ago and bury the Mets.

    The Final Sprint

    The Phillies enter Monday night with their magic number sitting at 13 and the Mets coming to town for a four-game series. To say this series is the most important so far this season is an understatement, especially after the Phillies were swept in New York just two weeks ago. Luckily, the Phillies won’t have to deal with the horrors or parabolic microphones that Citi Field brings. They will have to deal with being without their top hitter, Trea Turner, as he is currently undergoing MRI scans on his right hamstring after he left the game early Sunday. They are unsure how serious the strain is, but it’s not ideal for the Phillies to be without their leadoff hitter for the next few games and possibly even weeks.

    If Trea does end up on the IL, I am curious who Rob Thomson will end up batting leadoff. With the year Kyle Schwarber has had, I feel like you have to keep him at the second spot in the order. I wouldn’t mind seeing Bader or even Stott bat leadoff if Trea misses an extended amount of time.

    Revenge Time

    PHOTO: John Jones/Imagn Images

    As the Phillies enter this series against the Mets, I am feeling confident this team will win at least 2/4, if not 3/4, over the Mets at home. After getting swept on the road a few weeks ago, I would like to think this team has the firepower to get there get back in some way. This is a series where the Phillies need Bryce Harper to tap into some of that postseason energy and deliver some big hits. If Turner is out for this entire series, which is likely, the Phillies will need their big bats in Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to show up. Schwarber was in the midst of a 0-17 stretch the last time he played the Mets, so I’m hopeful that won’t be happening again this series.

    I’m also looking for Alec Bohm and Harrison Bader to stay consistent as well. Bader has been a great addition to this team as he has made some great plays in centerfield while also coming up with some clutch hits.

    The Phillies will also need a better pitching performance from Aaron Nolan in game one compared to the last time he pitched. Nola has been shaky since returning from the IL, and without Zach Wheeler for the rest of the season, the Phillies desperately need Nola to get back on track. If Nola can have a solid start tonight, that would give both him and the Phillies a much-needed confidence boost heading down the stretch.

    Upcoming Week

    After the Phillies complete their four-game series against the Mets, they jump right into a weekend series matchup against the Kansas City Royals (73-70), a team that is also fighting for a playoff spot. This team is targeting a playoff spot in the American League.

    As of Monday, the Royals are two games back of the final wild card spot in the American League. The Phillies have a big week ahead with a chance to not only bury the Mets but take full control of the NL East with 19 games remaining.

    Weekly Prediction: Bryce Harper has one of those signature series where he crushes the ball and powers the Phillies to a series win against both the Mets and Royals.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Harrison Bader J.T. Realmuto JT Realmuto Kansas City Royals Kyle Schwarber Mets MLB New York Mets Nick Castellanos NL NL East Philadelphia Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Ranger Suarez Rob Thomson Royals Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

    Categorized:News Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Weekly Recap: Phillies Maintain Six Game Lead Despite Being Swept By Mets – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Phillies got swept by the New York Mets to start the week, shrinking their division lead to four games. After the weekend, the Phillies had taken 3/4 from the Atlanta Braves while the Mets lost 3/4 to the Miami Marlins. With that, the Phillies’ lead went back to six games as we enter the final month of the season.

    September Starts Now

    As the calendar turns over to September, the Phillies lead the NL East by six games, which is something they would’ve loved if they heard that in April. However, the last series at Citi Field proved that playing the Mets on the road is the worst thing that could happen to the Phillies come October. The Phillies have lost 10 straight games at Citi Field, and this past series was no different. The Phillies got absolutely dominated. To put it frankly, the Phillies showed absolutely no fight against the Mets. Something that I will touch on later. However, that debacle of a series went down the drain after they returned home and took 3/4 from the Atlanta Braves. Starting the series off with a four-homer game from Kyle Schwarber, the fourth in franchise history. Thanks to our friends down in Miami, the Marlins took 3/4 from the Mets, bringing the lead back to six games.

    That brings us to today. A six-game lead with 25 games to play in the season. Four of those 25 are against the New York Mets, but this time at home. If the Phillies can take 3/4 from the Mets during that series while maintaining this current lead, they could bury the Mets that series. If that’s the case, this team is going to have to put up way more of a fight than last time.

    Lack of Urgency

    This is something I have avoided all year because I don’t want to doubt Rob Thomson, but with the season coming down the stretch, my biggest concerns are the offense disappearing and Rob Thomson. Last Tuesday, while the Phillies were getting mopped up by the Mets, the umpiring was questionable (as it was the whole series). I was waiting and waiting for Rob Thomson to explode and give his team some kind of juice. Instead, he just sat in the dugout. The night before, he put Jordan Romano in a close game, then immediately gave up four runs. No spark, no flare, not much of anything. A series against a division rival, and the team looked flat. It reminded me of the days of Charlie Manuel. I’m watching, thinking Charlie would’ve lost his mind by now. I’m not even in the dugout, and I can tell this team is flat. Isn’t it part of a manager’s job to motivate their guys when needed?

    Ever since Rob Thomson put Craig Kimbrel back into that Diamondbacks series two seasons ago, I have questioned his bullpen decisions in big-time games over and over again. A clear example of this is putting Orion Kerkering in (a guy who has struggled inheriting runners on base) in a BASES LOADED jam against the Mets. What do you think happened? He gave up runs. For someone who claims to be so analytical, I truly question Thomson’s managerial feel for a game. Yes, baseball is a numbers game, but you also have to go with your instinctive feeling. The fact that we kept trotting out Jordan Romano and his 8 ERA is beyond me. Then, for the organization to cut Joe Ross and not Romano is questionable to me as well. If Romano is on the postseason roster, that tells me everything I need to know about this team. Time and time again, it feels like Rob presses the wrong button, and one wrong push might cost him his job this offseason.

    Now, yes, they turned the page and beat the Atlanta Braves, but is that something we really should be happy about? Beating down on a team that is 62-75. They did what they should have done. I’m not calling for Thomson’s job, but if this team loses in a fashion in which the offense disappears and Thomson mismanages the bullpen (again), I think the conversations are going to get really loud about whether Rob is the guy. This core is not getting any younger, and at some point, you have to explore other options. He’s a player’s manager, but sometimes this city needs a little tough love. I’ve yet to see any spark from any player this year outside of Turner and Schwarber.

    Even Harper has been inconsistent lately. Oh, and can we please cut it out with this “Rivalry” series equipment? Here we are entering the final stretch of the season, and our superstar is worried about his batting gloves and cleats matching the color of our division rivals. Guess what, the Phillies are 0-2 in those games. It doesn’t work.

    New Addition

    Hopefully, that spark is coming soon since the Phillies announced yesterday the signing of Walker Buehler, a right-handed pitcher who was let go from the Red Sox last week. Buehler is a former World Champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers and provides the attitude this Phillies team desperately needs. Buehler offers playoff experience along with a guy you can trust in a big game in big moments. I think this signing is going to be a very beneficial one for the Phillies come playoff time. With Zach Wheeler done for the year, the only righties we have are Aaron Nola and Taijuan Walker. Buehler provides depth at that right-handed pitcher position and can start games but also come out of the bullpen.

    Upcoming Week

    The Phillies have a big week ahead, starting with a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers (85-53). They play Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday in Milwaukee with an off day mixed in on Tuesday. A huge three-game series with the top two teams in the NL based on record. The Phillies are currently 5.5 games back of the Brewers for the top spot in the NL. After the Brewers, the Phillies head to Miami to take on the Marlins (65-72) in a three-game series.

    It would be massive if the Phillies could win 5/6 on the week. Especially if they can take at least 2/3 from the Brewers, a team that swept them at home earlier this season.

    Weekly Predictions

    The Phillies’ offense gets back into a consistent groove after a week of inconsistency.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Brandon Marsh Bryce Harper Harrison Bader Jordan Romano Kyle Schwarber MLB Philadelphia Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Playoffs Rob Thompson Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

    Categorized:Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Weekly Recap: Zach Wheeler Out 6-8 Months, Phillies Prepare For NL East Showdown – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    May 23, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch in the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

    On Saturday, the Phillies announced that Zach Wheeler would be missing the remainder of the season with venous thoracic outlet syndrome, an injury that requires surgery and has a timetable of 6-8 months for a full recovery. The good news, Wheeler had the blood clot successfully removed. The bad news, the Phillies need to find a way to replace their Cy Young caliber ace for the final stretch of the season and into the playoffs.

    Win It For Wheeler

    No MLB team ever wants to lose its ace, especially a team that has World Series aspirations. For the Phillies, this situation is a new one. Since Wheeler signed with the Phillies, he has been a staple of the rotation, especially in the playoffs. Over the last three years, Wheeler has been great in the playoffs and was the best thing we had to ensure a win in a series. You knew if Wheeler was taking the mound, the Phillies had a decent chance to win the game. Now, with Wheeler gone for the season, it’s going to be extremely hard to replace an arm like his. Luckily for the Phillies, they have three arms I would trust in a playoff series, which is more than a lot of other teams have.

    With Wheeler being gone, I could see the Phillies rolling out a staff of Christopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, and Aaron Nola for a playoff series. Getting a first-round bye is massive for this team, as the National League gets the extra day off in between games this year (the leagues alternate each year). With that extra day, the Phillies will only need three arms for the NLDS. Game one starter is easily Christopher Sanchez, with game two belonging to either Ranger Suarez or Aaron Nola. If Rob wants back-to-back lefties, he will go with Ranger. If he wants to mix a righty in there, he will go with Nola. Despite his injuries and inconsistency, I trust Nola to show up and perform in the postseason. Like Wheeler, he has pitched well in the playoffs, and let’s not forget he was our ace at one point. My stance may change by season’s end, but I wouldn’t mind if Nola got the ball in a game two scenario.

    Ranger Suarez is cool, calm, and collected every time he steps on the mound, no matter the game. Having him pitch in a game two or three is not a terrible situation to be in. The Phillies are very fortunate this year to have a plethora of starting pitching, and if the offense can pick up the pitching, this team can still make noise in the postseason. If Suarez can close out an NLCS to send us to the World Series circa 2023, I would absolutely trust him starting a playoff game for us. He has found his groove in his last two starts, striking out 10+ in both. If that’s the Ranger, the Phillies get in the postseason, I will feel extremely confident this team could win a series even without Zach Wheeler.

    Offense Steps Up

    Losing your ace means you’re going to need more contributions from key players on offense. JT Realmuto has been on fire since June, leading all catchers in batting average since then. Bryce Harper has been swinging a hot bat, and Bryson Stott has been thriving in the nine hole. Rob Thompson moved Stott to 9th in the order a few weeks ago, and I have loved it ever since. Not only is Stott hitting more, but Trea Turner has been great since having Stott before the order turns around to him. Turner is hitting .300 and is the current NL leader in hits with 160. On top of Turner playing great defense this year, he is having his best season as a Phillie so far.

    Kyle Schwarber had a down weekend against the Nationals, but still has 45 homers and 109 RBI. He is second in home runs in baseball and leads the majors in RBI. Schwarber has been elite this year, and the Phillies will need his offense to remain consistent as we head down the stretch.

    Upcoming Week

    The Phillies have a massive week coming up, starting tonight against the divisional rival New York Mets (69-61). The Phillies are currently 7 games up on the Mets as we enter play this evening. The Phillies have an opportunity to bury the Mets this week if they can take 2/3 or even sweep them. It’s the biggest series of the season for this team, right off the heels of the Zach Wheeler news. I would like to think this Phillies team has the toughness and resilience to take at least 2/3 from the team that ended their season last year. It’s also ironic that it’s against Wheeler’s former team. After a three-game series against the Mets, the Phillies head back home for a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves (59-71). Another division rival that will be gunning for the Phillies despite being 10 games out of a playoff spot. The Braves would love to play spoiler and take some games from the Phillies.

    This Philadelphia Phillies team enters the biggest week of the season without its ace. It’s time to see what this team is made of and how battle-tested this team truly is. If the Phillies could take 5/7 games overall, it would be an extremely successful week.

    Prediction of the week: Who else picks up this team other than Bryce Harper? Harper and Schwarber power the Phillies this week, both clubbing 3 home runs apiece. A big week means I get to predict big.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Jhoan Duran JT Realmuto Kyle Schwarber Max Kepler MLB New York Mets Nick Castellanos NL East Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Ranger Suarez Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

    Categorized:Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Weekly Recap: Phillies Maintain NL East Lead, Zach Wheeler Placed On IL – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Phillies went 6-4 over their longest road trip of the season, maintaining a 5-game lead in the NL East. As Aaron Nola returned from the IL, Zach Wheeler went on the IL, with an upper extremity blood clot in his right shoulder. Wheeler currently has no timetable for a return.

    Happy To Be Home

    Despite having a winning record on the road trip, the Phillies’ offense struggled at times, and the pitching rotation took a massive hit with Zach Wheeler heading to the IL. The Phillies started this road trip last weekend in Texas against the Rangers, taking 2/3 in Texas. They lost 2/3 in Cincinnati to the Reds, a team fighting for the final Wild Card spot. They closed out their longest road trip of the season with four games in Washington, splitting the series 2/2 with the Nationals. While they head back home with a winning record on the trip, nothing can make up for the loss of Zach Wheeler.

    It was announced Saturday night that the Phillies would be placing Zach Wheeler on the IL with an upper extremity blood clot in his right shoulder. The Phillies have no timetable for his return at the moment, as he will be getting more testing done on his shoulder throughout the week. The Phillies losing their ace down the stretch is brutal, and with no timetable for his return, who knows if he will even pitch again this season. Blood clots are a serious issue, and I can see the Phillies being over-cautious with Wheeler. My best-case scenario is that he comes back with a week or two left in the season to get a start or two under his belt before the playoffs. The worst case is we don’t see him till next spring training. It’s going to be a very interesting next few days as more news is expected to come on Zach Wheeler’s health.

    Closing Out August

    As we enter the final two weeks of August, the race to the postseason is heating up. The Phillies currently hold a 5-game lead over the New York Mets for the top spot in the division. To close out August, the Phillies have a three-game series against the Mariners this upcoming week and then three series in a row against NL East competition. The Nationals come to town this weekend before the Phillies close the month out with a three-game series against the Mets and a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves. These next two weeks will be crucial for the Phillies as they try to set themselves up for back-to-back NL East titles. They have a chance to bury the Mets and take away any last hope the Braves have of making the postseason.

    The offense needs to get it going, and following an 11-run outburst in the final game of the Nationals series, I would hope the offense is starting to find its groove again. Getting Alec Bohm in the lineup is huge, and he showed that Sunday with a homer in his first game back. If the offense can put up 5-7 runs a game down the stretch, the Phillies should be able to use their top-tier bullpen to close out games.

    Speaking of the bullpen, reliever Jose Alvarado is expected to return from suspension this week, which will give the Phillies another hard-throwing lefty out of the bullpen. The Phillies also avoided disaster after newly acquired closer Jhoan Duran took a line drive off the foot Friday night. He was carted off the field as the city of Philadelphia held its breath. They were able to exhale on Sunday after Duran came in and earned a save against the Nationals.

    Upcoming Week

    The Phillies welcome the Seattle Mariners (68-57) to town for a three-game series against a team that’s also fighting for a division. The Mariners are 1.5 games back of the Houston Astros for first place in the NL West. The Phillies have an off day on Thursday, followed by a three-game series against the Nationals in Philadelphia. If the Phillies can finish the week winning 4/6 games, I will be happy.

    Weekly Prediction

    Alec Bohm hits a pair of homers during this homestand, and Christopher Sanchez shines in his first start since the Zach Wheeler news.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Christopher Sanchez Harrison Bader Jhoan Duran Jose Alvarado Kyle Schwarber Matt Strahm Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

    Categorized:Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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