PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME #71 RECAP: The Phillies defeated the A’s, 3-2 in 12 innings in Oakland … Starter Cristopher Sánchez fanned 5 with 1 BB and 1 hit over 4.0 scoreless innings … 7 different Philadelphia relievers combined to allow 2 runs (1 ER) on 7 hits with 1 BB (IBB) and 9 SO over 8.0 innings … Bryson Stott drove in a pair of runs … In the 12th inning, Kyle Schwarber’s RBI single put the Phils ahead for good … Jeff Hoffman worked a perfect 12th inning for his 1st save … Andrew Vasquez (2-0) earned the win … The win gave the Phils their 5th straight series win and improved their record in extra innings to 4-1.
HATS OFF TO YOU, THOMS: Thursday’s win at ARI was the 100th regular season win of Rob Thomson’s managerial career … Thomson is the 56th manager in Phillies franchise history – out of those 56, he ranks T-6th in fewest games needed to reach 100 wins (180 G) … He reached 100 wins faster than any Phillies manager since Pat Corrales in 1983 (also 180) … The only managers in franchise history to reach 100 faster than Thomson are Steve O’Neil (167 G) in 1953, Bill Shettsline (171 G) in 1899, Pat Moran (172 G) in 1916, Dallas Green (178 G) in 1980 and Billy Murray (178 G) in 1908 … Since Thomson was hired on June 3, 2022, the Phillies are 102-80 and their .560 winning percentage is 3rd-best in the National League, behind only ATL (.669) and LAD (.637).
THE VIBES ARE BACK: This season, the Phillies were seven games under .500 at 25-32 when they entered play on June 3, which was also the one-year anniversary of Rob Thomson’s first game as Phillies manager … Since then, they have gone 12-2 in 14 games with a +32-run differential (80-48) and have moved over .500 at 37-34… When Thomson took over last year on June 3, the Phillies were also seven games under .500 at 22-29, and in their first 15 games with him as manager (6/3-17/22), they went 13-2 with a +40-run differential (97-57) and sat at 35-31 on June 17 (Phils played a DH at WSH on 6/17/22).
I’M GIVING IT MY ALL: The Phillies have won their last five series (2-1 at WSH, 3-0 vs DET, 2-1 vs LAD, 3-1 at ARI, so far 2-0 at OAK) and 12 of their last 14 games (6/3-current) … Over the last three seasons (2021-23), the Phillies are 43-24 in the month of June and their .642 winning percentage ranks 3rd among all MLB clubs behind only BOS (.652) & ATL (.657) … Over the last two seasons (since 2022), the Phillies are 31-12 in June and their .721 winning % ranks 2nd in MLB, trailing only ATL (.786).
STAFF NOTES: Over the last 14 games, the Phillies are 12-2, thanks in part to a starting staff that has combined to post a 1.87 ERA (17 ER, 82.0 IP) with 89 strikeouts to 20 walks and only three home runs allowed … The rotation has faced 316 batters in this stretch and limited them to a .176 AVG and .503 OPS … Phillies starters have gone at least 7.0 innings in six of those 14 games and at least 6.0 innings in 10 of 14 … Overall this year, the Phils rotation leads the NL and is tied with MIN for the ML lead among all starting staffs in fWAR at 8.2.
BACK IN THE BAY: The Phillies series this weekend marks the club’s first stop in Oakland to play the A’s since 2014 … In the previous game in Oakland between these two clubs on 9/21/14 (8-6 A’s win), Phils GM Sam Fuld entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Oakland in the 7th before remaining in the game as the right fielder – he was later intentionally walked in the 9th and stole second with Carlos Ruiz behind the plate.
THE AMERICAN DREAM: The Phillies have won each of their last 8 games against the American League (since 5/7) which is the longest winning streak against the AL in franchise history (previous: 5 G from 1997- 98 and 5 G in 2003) … Dating back to 4/26, the Phils have won 12 of their last 15 against the AL.
SCHWARBERFEST IS ON: Since being inserted back into the leadoff spot on June 2 at WSH, Kyle Schwarber has posted a .985 OPS in 72 plate appearances – he has 9 extra-base hits (2 2B, 3B, 6 HR), 13 walks to 18 strikeouts and has scored 14 runs in that span – the Phillies are 12-3 in those 15 games … Winner of each of the last two NL Player of the Month Awards in June (2021 with WSH, 2022 with Phils), Schwarber has 34 home runs (70 total hits, 48%) and is slashing .263/.369/.684 in 70 games (314 PA) over the past three months of June combined (1.054 OPS) while averaging a home run every 7.82 at bats.
TOOLS OF BRILLIANCE: In the recently completed 3-1 series win over the Diamondbacks in Phoenix, J.T. Realmuto went 7-for-12 with 7 runs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 6 RBI, 2 walks and a stolen base – he raised his OPS .85 points in three games from .709 on Sunday to .802 entering play today … Realmuto (who played in the first three games of the series) became only the second Phillies player in the Modern Era (since 1900) with multiple doubles, triples and home runs in a single series (any length) – Granny Hamner also did so in June of 1954 at the Chicago Cubs (2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR) … Realmuto is the only catcher in MLB since at least 1900 to do it … Among all MLB players since World War II, Realmuto is one of only 16 players with two or more of each in a single series (any length) … Others: CIN’s Jay Bruce in 2016, SF’s Hunter Pence in 2014, SEA’s Alex Rodriguez in 1998, BOS’ Reggie Jefferson in 1996, COL’s Larry Walker in 1996, DET’s Lou Whitaker in 1983, MTL’s Warren Cromartie in 1978, NYY’s Roy White in 1973, CHI’s Billy Williams in 1965, DET’s Jake Wood in 1962, NYG’s Dusty Rhodes in 1954, Hamner in 1954, BOS’ Willard Marshall in 1951, STL’s Stan Musial in 1949 and CLE’s Jeff Heath in 1939 … Realmuto is the first MLB player with at least two doubles, triples, home runs and walks in a single series since Marshall in 1951.
TODAY’S STARTER – ZACK WHEELER RHP #45
2023: 5-4, 3.73 ERA Career: 79-61, 3.44 ERA
LAST START: 6/13 at ARI (W, 15-3) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, R, ER, BB, 7 SO, 23 batters faced, 101 pitches, 64 strikes … The Phils had 20 hits on the night, which included eight extra-base hits (5 2B, 3B, 2 HR) and five walks to six strikeouts.
TODAY’S START:
Chasing the Cy: Wheeler ranks 2nd among all pitchers this year in fWAR at 3.0, he trails only ARI’s Zac Gallen (3.3 fWAR) … Per Statcast, Wheeler has a 3.13 xERA (expected ERA) compared to Gallen’s 3.83 xERA … The chart below shows Wheeler through the first 14 starts of 2023 and 2021, when he fell a few votes shy of winning his first ever Cy Young Award.
WHEELER – 2023 vs 2021 Through First 14 Starts
Season fWAR K% BB% ERA FIP SO/BB WHIP OPS
2023 3.0 27.4% 5.2% 3.73 2.65 5.22 1.10 .626
2021 3.5 31.6% 5.9% 2.15 2.44 5.36 0.93 .541
Luck Be A Ball In Play Today: Wheeler has a 2.65 FIP this season which is lower than his mark last year (2.89) when he posted a 2.82 ERA … This season, Wheeler has a 3.73 ERA and his 1.09 difference between ERA and FIP is the 3rd-largest of any pitcher in MLB, behind only Lance Lynn (1.32) and Sandy Alcantara (1.11) … Wheeler’s 2.65 FIP ranks 3rd among all pitchers in MLB behind only Zac Gallen (2.45) and Sonny Gray (2.54) … His 2.65 FIP would be the second lowest of his career, short of only a 2.59 FIP he posted in 2021 when he finished 2nd in National League Cy Young voting
Whiffs: Wheeler is running a whiff rate of 30% or greater on three different pitches this year: Sweeper (40.5%), 4-seam fastball (32.0%) and Curveball (31.2%) – Wheeler also has a 28.3% whiff rate on his Slider
The Ace Club: Since 2018, Wheeler ranks 4th in MLB (Nola 5th at 23.2) in fWAR among all pitchers at 25.1 – he trails only Jacob deGrom (27.1), Max Scherzer (26.3) and Gerrit Cole by a fraction (25.1)
Statcast Rankings: 97th percentile in extension, 90th percentile in walk rate, 88th percentile in average exit velocity, 86th percentile in
fastball spin, 84th percentile in barrel rate, 82nd percentile in xSLG & fastball velocity, 76th percentile in strikeout rate
Pitch Usage: 4-seam fastball (40.7%), Sinker (17.9%), Slider (16.9%), Sweeper (13.5%), Curveball (10.9%), Changeup (0.1%)
ROAD:
2023: 4-2, 4.62 ERA (20 ER, 39.0 IP) 49 SO, 6 BB in 7 starts 1. His 8.17 SO/BB ratio on the road this season ranks 1st among MLB starters (min. 5 GS)
Career: 42-28, 3.55 ERA (244 ER, 618.0 IP) in 104 starts
2023 SEASON:
Took a no-hitter into the 8th inning on 6/8 vs DET which was the longest no-hit bid of his career (previous: 6.1 innings on 7/30/13 vs MIA)
Reached 10 years of ML service on Sunday (6/11) vs LAD
Recorded his 18th career double-digit strikeout game and 10th as a Phillie on 5/27 at ATL
Racked up a career-high 23 swings and misses on 4/23 vs COL
Made his 200th career start on 4/23 vs COL
On 4/12 vs MIA extended his streak of home starts without allowing a HR to 4 and his streak of 5 or fewer hits allowed at home to 9
OAKLAND ATHLETICS NOTES:
ABOUT THE A’S: Have lost four straight after winning a season-high seven consecutive games and are now 7-8 (.467) in June…had just six wins in May and five in April…are 19-54 (.260) overall, which is the lowest winning percentage in the majors…it is worst record by an A’s team over the first 73 games since the 1920 Philadelphia A’s started the year 17-55 (had one game end in a tie)… it is the worst record by any team since the 2003 Tigers began the season 18- 55…have lost the first two games of this series and are now 3-201 over the last six series after going 1-16 over the first 17 series…swept Milwaukee last weekend for their first sweep of the season…have been swept nine times.
OFFENSE: The A’s are hitting .201 (58-for-288) with 30 runs scored over the last nine games (3.3 runs per game)…rank last in the majors in batting (.222) and have the second fewest runs scored (260)…also have the lowest slugging percentage (.352) and OPS (.656)…lead the majors in hit by pitches (44) and rank eighth in walks (246) but have the fifth lowest on-base percentage (.304)… have nine extra base hits over the last six games (seven doubles, two home runs) and rank last in the majors in extra base hits (173)…have the fourth fewest doubles (99) and the eighth fewest home runs (67…lead the majors in sacrifice hits (16), have the second most strikeouts (683) and are tied for third in most times shut out (8)…A’s pinch hitters lead the majors in hits (16), are tied for second in walks (10) and rank fifth in plate appearances (73).
PITCHING: The A’s have compiled a 2.97 ERA (34 er in 103.0 ip) over the last 11 games and now have a 4.07 ERA (61 er in 135.0 ip) in June…that follows a 5.54 ERA in May and 7.97 in April, both of which were the highest in the majors… have a 6.09 ERA for the season, which is the highest in the majors…the last team to finish the year with an ERA above 6.00 is the 1999 Rockies (6.03)… also have the highest opponents OPS (.831), on-base percentage (.362) and slugging percentage (.469) and the third highest batting average (.272)…lead the majors in most walks (326), home runs (110) and hit batters (47), are tied for the most wild pitches (36) and have the fifth fewest strikeouts (558)…have surrendered six grand slams, which are the most in the majors and tied for fifth most in a season in Athletics history (8 in 1993 and 1999, 7 in 1954 and 1997)…also lead the majors with 14 walks with the bases loaded, which are the most by an A’s team since 2011 (18).
STARTING PITCHING: A’s starting pitchers are 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA (21 er in 57.1 ip) over the last 12 games after going 2-32 with a 7.19 ERA over the first 61 games…are 6-34 with a 6.53 ERA for the season…the ERA is the highest in the majors and the wins are the fewest…the fewest wins from a starting rotation in a full season in Major League history is 21 by the Pirates last year…have tossed seven innings or fewer in each game this year and have the third fewest innings pitched (339.0)…now have a streak of 107 consecutive games of seven innings or fewer, which is the longest in Athletics history…the last A’s starter to last more than seven innings is Adam Oller, who went 8.0 innings on Aug. 27, 2022 against New York (AL).
FOR OPENERS: The A’s have used an “opener” six times this year (all since May 24)…A’s openers are 1-2 with a 7.50 ERA (6.0 ip, 10 h, 5 r, 5 er, 7 so) and the “main” pitchers are 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA (30.0 ip, 28 h, 15 r, 15 er, 10 bb, 30 so)… are 2-4 in the six games…used an opener nine times in 2018 (all in September) and three times in 2019 (none after June 5).
THE BULLPEN: The A’s bullpen is 3-2 with six saves, two blown saves and a 2.50 ERA (14 er in 43.2 ip) over the last 11 games…had an Oakland record tying streak of six consecutive games with a save snapped on Wednesday…that followed a 29-game stretch without a save, which was the second longest single-season streak in Oakland history…the pen is now 10-for-23 (43.5%) in save opportunities for the season…has the lowest save percentage in the majors, is tied for the second fewest saves and is tied for the eighth most blown saves (13)…has a 5.61 ERA, which is the highest in the majors…has 305.0 innings pitched, which is second most…has allowed 54-of-133 (40.6%) inherited runners to score, which is the fourth highest percentage…has the third most inherited runners.
ON THE BASES: The A’s have stolen two bases in each of the last two games and now have 18 in the last 13 games…are 73-for-90 (81.1%) in stolen base attempts for the season…rank third in the majors in stolen bases, fourth in attempts and 10th in percentage…had 78 stolen bases all last year…A’s opponents are 8-for-17 (47.1%) in stolen base attempts over the last 10 games and are 56-for-83 (67.5%) for the season, which is the third lowest success rate in the majors…the 27 caught stealings are five more than any other team but the 56 stolen bases are tied for 10th most…A’s pitchers have nine pickoffs, which is tied with the Yankees for the most in the majors.
HOME AND AWAY: The A’s are 2-4 on this seven-game homestand against Tampa Bay (2-2) and Philadelphia (0-2)…went 2-4 on the last homestand against Houston (0-3) and Atlanta (2-1) and are 9-28 (.243) at home, which is the lowest home winning percentage in the majors…including this series, the A’s are now 1-1-1 over the last three home series after losing each of the first nine…leave following the game today for a six-game road trip to Cleveland (three games) and Toronto (three games) that begins on Tuesday…went 5-4 on the last road trip to Miami (0-3), Pittsburgh (2-1) and Milwaukee (3-0)…it was the A’s first winning road trip since Sept. 14-19, 2021…are 10-26 (.278) on the road, which is the second worst road record in the majors (Royals, 9-24/.273)… have compiled a 5.26 ERA (201 er in 344.0 ip) at home compared to 7.05 on the road.
WINNING LATE: The A’s have scored the winning run in their final at bat in 10 of their 19 victories…have five walk-off wins, which is tied for second most in the majors (White Sox, 6)…are 10-50 when tied or trailing after seven innings compared to 9-4 when leading after seven innings…are tied for fourth in the majors in wins when tied or trailing after seven innings but no other team has fewer than 14 wins when leading after seven…are 4-5 (.444) in extra inning games…are tied for second in the majors in extra inning losses, tied for fourth in games (9) and tied for fifth in wins.
RUN DIFFERENTIAL: Each of the A’s last two wins, three of the last four and 11 of 19 overall have been by one run…are now 11-13 (.458) in one-run games… rank fourth in the majors in one-run games (24) and tied for fifth in losses… however, are 8-41 (.163) in games decided by two or more runs, including 1-14 in games decided by six or more runs…have a run differential of -7 in June after posting a mark of -78 in May and -118 in April…are -202 for the season, which is the lowest in the majors…had a run differential of -202 all last year, which was second lowest in Oakland history (-287 in 1979).
PLAYERS USED: The A’s have used 45 players, which is tied for second most in the majors (Angels, 47)…employed a franchise record 64 players last year…29 of the 45 have been pitchers, which is second most to the Rays (32)…tied an Athletics record with 34 pitchers last year…12 of the 43 are rookies after using an Oakland-record 34 rookies last year…seven have made their Major League debuts…had 23 do that last year.
THE INJURED LIST: The A’s placed Kevin Smith on the injured list yesterday and have now used the IL 17 times, including 12 times for pitchers…currently have nine players on the IL, including seven pitchers…used the IL 31 times last year, which broke the Oakland record of 27 set in 2016 and matched in 2021.
THIS AND THAT: The A’s are 15-27 (.357) in night games, 4-27 (.129) in day games…are 15-11 when scoring four or more runs, 4-43 when scoring fewer than four runs…have committed four errors in the last four games and now have 42 for the season, which is tied for sixth most in the majors…rank fifth in the majors in outfield assists (14)…have an average time of game of 2:45, which is the longest in the majors…however, have not averaged under 2:53 per game since 2010 (2:46).
A’S VS. PHILLIES
- The A’s have lost the season series for the second consecutive season as they have dropped the first two games of this series after losing
two of three in Philadelphia to open the season. - This is the fourth meeting between the two clubs in Oakland (2005, 2008, 2014)…won two of three in each of the previous three meetings.
Year Home Road Totals
2023 0-2 0-0 0-2
2022 0-0 1-2 1-2
Oakland History: 11-12
at the Coliseum: 6-5
at Citizens Bank Park: 4-5
TODAY’S TIDBITS
Ryan Noda leads the American League and ranks sixth in the majors with a .401 on-base percentage…leads the AL and is tied for third in the majors in walks (48)…leads Major League rookies in on-base percentage (.401) and walks (48)…Esteury Ruiz leads the majors in stolen bases (36) and hit by pitches (12)…leads ML rookies in stolen bases (36) and hit by pitches (12) and is tied for the lead in hits (74),
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: Hogan Harris (2-0, 4.84 ERA)
FOR STARTERS: Is scheduled to make the sixth appearance and second start of his career…three of his appearances came in a game started by an opener (May 27 vs. Houston, June 2 at Miami, June 13 vs. Tampa Bay)…was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas May 27 for his second stint with the A’s and is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA (22.0 ip, 14 h, 6 r, 6 er, 4 bb, 14 so) in four games, including one start, since his return…was recalled for the first time on April 14, made his Major League debut that day in relief against the Mets (0.1 ip, 1 h, 6 r, 6 er, 5 bb, 0 so) and was optioned back to Las Vegas the next day…is 0-1 with a 3.77 ERA and .699 opponents OPS in eight starts with the Aviators.
MAJORS AND MINORS: Went 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA and 1.040 opponents OPS over his first five games this year at the Major League and Minor League
level (four with Las Vegas, one with Oakland)…is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA (10 er in 41.2 ip) and .517 OPS in eight games since then (four with Las Vegas, four with Oakland)…walked 19 batters, struck out 11 and yielded three home runs in 11.2 innings over his first five games…has walked just 10 in 41.2 innings since then (34 so, 2 hr).
THIS AND THAT: Has a .160 (8-for-50) opponents average with the bases empty, .250 (7-for-28) with runners on…opponents are 5-for-12 (.417) with runners in scoring position…has allowed nine of his 12 runs in the fifth inning for an 18.69 ERA (4.1 ip)…has a 1.50 ERA (3 er in 18.0 ip) in all other innings.
LAST START: He picked up his second consecutive win in the A’s 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday in Oakland…pitched in relief of opener Shintaro Fujinami and tossed 7.0 innings of relief…it tied for the sixth longest outing by a reliever in Oakland history and was the longest since Reggie Harris logged 7.0 innings on Aug. 14, 1990 against Boston…allowed his only run in the fifth inning on a Margot RBI single…the A’s tied the game with a run in the seventh inning and took a 2-1 lead with a run in the eighth.
