PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME #77 RECAP: The Phillies defeated the New York Mets, 7-6, in a wild one at Citizens Bank Park as they took two of three from their division foe … Starter Zack Wheeler (ND) went 5.1 innings and allowed 5 runs on 9 hits with 2 walks and 8 strikeouts … Down 6-3 in the 8th, the Phillies scored four runs in the frame on 1 hit, 3 walks, 2 hit batters and an error … Per Elias, it marked the first time in the Expansion Era (since 1961) any MLB team won a game after trailing by 3+ runs in the 8th inning or later, by scoring the tying and go-ahead runs on hit by pitches.
PETITION TO MAKE JUNE 3 A HOLIDAY: This season, the Phillies were seven games under .500 at 25- 32 (.439 win %) 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 15-5 (.750 win %) with a +30- run differential (100-70) and sit three games over .500 at 40-37 … When Thomson took over last year on June 3, the Phillies were also seven games under .500 at 22-29 (.431 win %), and in their first 20 games with him as manager (6/3-23/22), they also went 15-5 (.750 win %) with a +30-run differential (110-80) … Since Thomson was hired on June 3, 2022, the Phillies are 105-83 and their .559 winning percentage is 3rd-best in the National League, behind only ATL (.676) and LAD (.638) and 8thbest in MLB.
I’M GIVING IT MY ALL: The Phillies have won six of their last seven series (since 6/3: 2-1 at WSH, 3-0 vs DET, 2-1 vs LAD, 3-1 at ARI, 3-0 at OAK, 0-2 vs ATL, 2-1 vs NYM) … Over the last three seasons (2021- 23), the Phillies are 46-27 in the month of June and their .630 winning percentage ranks 3rd among all MLB clubs, behind only ATL (.675) and BOS (.641) … Over the last two seasons (since 2022), the Phillies are 34-15 in June and their .694 winning % ranks 2nd in MLB, trailing only ATL (.796).
OUR KIND OF TOWN: There have been 1,410 players in Wrigley Field’s storied history with at least 100 plate appearances in this building – of those 1,410, Bryce Harper ranks 1st with a .485 OBP (130 PA) … In 28 career games at Wrigley, Harper is slashing .350/.485/.550 with a 1.035 OPS – he has more walks (26) than strikeouts (23) … Teammate Nick Castellanos also ranks 1st in SLG in Wrigley Field’s history at .723 and 2nd in AVG at .376 (min. 100 PA) … In 43 career games at Wrigley, Castellanos is slashing .376/.411/.723 with a 1.133 OPS in 185 plate appearances – of his 65 hits in this ballpark, 35 have been for extra bases (22 2B, 3B, 12 HR) … Castellanos played in 51 games for the Cubs in 2019.
SUMMERTIME CHI: The Phillies return to Chicago for the first time since a three-game set against the White Sox in April which included a postponement on April 17 due to frigid temperatures and wind … The Phillies return to Wrigley Field for the first time since being swept in a three-game series last September … Following their three-game sweep against the Cubs, the Phils flew to Washington D.C. where they took three of four from the Nats and began their march toward the National League Pennant … The last time the Phillies won a game at Wrigley Field was July 8, 2021 when Brad Miller hit three home runs in an 8-0 Phils win that capped of a 3-1 series win.
I’M OFF ON THE ADVENTURE: Over his last five starts (since 5/30 at NYM), Ranger Suarez has posted a 1.38 ERA (5 ER, 32.2 IP) and has limited the 128 batters he has faced to a .214/.268/.316 slash line (.584 OPS) … Suarez has gone at least 6.0 innings and allowed 2 ER or fewer in all five starts during this stretch, and, in the month of June, and has gone at least 6.0 innings and allowed 1 run or none in all four starts (since 6/4 at WSH) … Per Elias, if he were to do so tonight, Suarez would join a list of only 10 Phillies pitchers since at least 1893 to have five starts of 6.0 IP and 1 or 0 runs allowed in a single month … Aaron Nola was the last in May of 2018 and prior to that, Cliff Lee in June of 2011, Dick Ruthven in May of 1982, Steve Carlton in May of 1980, Jim Bunning in Sept. of 1967, Larry Jackson in July of 1966, Robin Roberts in July of 1953, Grover Alexander three times from 1915-17, George McQuillan two times in 1908 and Frank Corridon in August of 1907.
TONIGHT’S STARTER – RANGER SUÁREZ • LHP #55
2023: 1-2, 3.50 ERA Career: 26-17, 3.16 ERA
LAST START: 6/20 vs ATL: 6.0 IP, 4 H, R, ER, 2 BB, 7 SO … Suárez vs Strider … In their first game back in Philly after a 6-1 road trip, the Phillies fell to the
Atlanta Braves, 4-2, as they opened a six game homestand … The Phillies had the tying run at the plate in the 9th with two outs but failed to score.
TONIGHT’S START:
- Center Cut: Suárez has a career 2.31 ERA (18 ER, 70.0 IP) against the NL Central, including a 2.78 mark (18 ER, 58.1 IP) in 10 starts … His 2.31 overall ERA is the 3rd lowest of any of the 39 Phillies starters with at least 10 career starts vs the NL Central since the division was founded in 1994, and of the 613 major league pitchers with 10+ starts against the division, Suarez has the 7th best ERA (best: Chris Sale, 0.99) … The Phillies have won 7 of his 10 starts against NL Central clubs
- Road Warrior: Suárez has a 3.31 ERA (20 ER, 54.1 IP) in his last 10 road starts … Since the start of last season, Suárez’s 2.98 ERA on the road ranks T-11th in all of baseball and 3rd in the NL among pitchers with at least 100.0 IP … In 9 of his last 10 road starts, Suárez has allowed 3 earned runs or fewer • Trouble With the Curve: Suárez has thrown his curveball 158 times in 43.2 IP this season after only throwing it 198 times in 155.1 IP last year … He is holding batters to a .063 average (2-32) with his curveball and has struck out 14 batters with a whiff rate of 38% … Among ML pitchers who have thrown at least 100 curveballs this season, Suarez’s .063 OPP AVG ranks 2nd best (best: Eury Pérez, .048)
- Left In The Dust: Suárez has held the 37 LHH he’s faced to a .143/.167/.229 slash line this season, with 3 XBH (3 2B) … Among all lefthanded pitchers in the National League with at least 35 lefties faced, Suárez’s .143 OPP AVG ranks T-5th (best: Gregory Soto, .077)
- Ground Level: Suarez’s ground ball % of 53.2% is 12th -highest among all National League pitchers with at least 40.0 IP and his ground ball/fly ball rate of 2.32 is 7th
- Pitch Usage: Sinker (28.5%), Curveball (21.6%), 4-Seam Fastball (19.6%), Changeup (18.8%), Cutter (11.2 %), Slider (0.3%)
ROAD:
- 2023: 1-1, 2.19 ERA (6 ER, 24.2 IP) in 4 starts
- 2022: 6-3, 3.20 ERA (32 ER, 90.0 IP) in 16 starts
- Career: 12-10, SV, 3.03 ERA (64 ER, 190.0 IP) in 61 games (25 starts)
CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
Cubs vs. Phillies
The Cubs and Phillies face each other in six games this season … Chicago dropped two of three in Philadelphia May 19-21 … Chicago last year picked up the season sweep of the Phillies for the first time in franchise history … the Cubs have won four of the previous five season series against Philadelphia.
HAPPY TO BE HOME: Fresh off a 4-1 road trip through Pittsburgh (3-0) and across the pond in London (1-1 against the Cardinals), the Chicago Cubs tonight begin a seven-game homestand with the first of three games against the Phillies … following this three-game set, Chicago hosts Cleveland for a three-game weekend series.
The Cubs on Sunday had a four-game winning streak snapped in a 7-5 setback against St. Louis at London Stadium … still, Chicago is 11-3 in its last 14 games
since June 9.
After finding themselves a season-high-tying 7.5-games back in the N.L. Central Division following June 8’s loss at the Angels, the team has erased 4.5
games from the standings, currently 3.0 games behind the Brewers (41-37).
Chicago is six-games over .500 (15-9) in its last 24 games starting May 29.
Sunday’s game in London put a bow on a stretch that began June 2 in which the team played 15 of 21 games on the road … the team went 13-8 during the stretch.
The Cubs are the only N.L. Central Division club with a positive run differential (+32) … Pittsburgh is at -44, Cincinnati -22, Milwaukee -20 and St. Louis -16.
SERIES STUFF: The Cubs are unbeaten in their last five series, going 4-0-1 in that span starting June 9 at San Francisco (2-1), vs. Pittsburgh (3-0), vs. Baltimore
(2-1) at the Pirates (3-0) against the Cardinals in London (1-1) … the four-series winning streak prior to London matched the team’s season-high series winning streak, done April 7-19 vs. Texas (2-1), vs. Seattle (2-1), at Dodgers (2-1) and at Oakland (3-0).
EXTRA, EXTRA!: Nico Hoerner enters this evening’s tilt having recorded at least one extra-base hit in each of his last four games (five total), tying his career-high stretch first done July 8-12 of last season … moreover, Hoerner has a scored a run in each of his last five contests.
Hoerner aims to become the third Cub this season with at least five-consecutive games with an extra-base hit and run scored, joining Christopher Morel (8 games) and Patrick Wisdom (6 games).
WHEN LEFT IS RIGHT: Cubs batters have hit .261 (187-for-717) with a .774 OPS against left-handed pitching compared to a .243 average (448-for-1,842) and a .714 OPS against righties… Chicago’s .774 OPS against southpaws is fifth among N.L. clubs and eighth-highest among major league teams.
Seiya Suzuki owns a .333 average (20-for-60) with a .397 OBP against lefties while Yan Gomes has a .928 OPS and a .298 average (17-for-57).
Cubs pitchers have held left-handed hitters to a .237 average (248-for-1,047), the sixth-lowest average in the N.L.
RUN PREVENTION: Saturday’s 9-1 victory over St. Louis marked the Cubs 32nd game in which they allowed two or fewer runs – those are tied for second-most in the majors behind only Tampa Bay (35) … Chicago’s 29 victories while allowing two or fewer runs are tied for second-most in the majors behind only Toronto (31).
HE’S A WINNER!: Dansby Swanson’s 3.0 WAR is the most among N.L. shortstops and second among all shortstops, according to Fangraphs … Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco has a 3.5 WAR.
Swanson is hitting .301 (43-for-143) with a .367 OBP in 36 games at Wrigley Field … he has hit .273 (21-for-77) in June after batting .248 (28-for-113) in May.
STARTING STUFF: Cubs starting pitchers have posted a 3.77 ERA (170 ER/405.1 IP) this season, the top mark among N.L. starting rotations and fifth-best in the majors … the rotation’s 1.21 WHIP is seventh among major league teams.
Marcus Stroman is second in the N.L. with a 2.47 ERA while Justin Steele’s 2.62 ERA ranks third.
Chicago has recieved 35 quality starts, tied for the most in the N.L. with San Diego and Pittsburgh, and tied for sixth-most in baseball.
BULLPEN BITS: Adbert Alzolay has posted a 0.93 ERA (2 ER/19.1 IP) in his last 16 games since May 6, walking three, striking out 18 and posting a 0.78 WHIP … Julian Merryweather since April 17 has pitched to a 0.98 ERA (3 ER/27.2 IP) with one win and allowed 22 hits and 14 walks with 41 strikeouts in 28 appearances.
Mark Leiter Jr. has averaged 13.22 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (48 SO/32.2 IP), the sixth-best mark among N.L. relievers (min. 25 appearances).
Michael Fulmer has allowed one earned run in his last 13 appearances since May 28, tossing 13.2 innings with a 0.95 WHIP (0.66 ERA) … he has walked six and struck out 15 in the span.
MULTIPLICITY: Ian Happ on Saturday recorded his 11th career multi-homer effort and extended his franchise mark of most home runs by a switch-hitter, reaching 111 career blasts since making his major league debut with Chicago in 2017.
Prior to going deep in his first two plate appearances Saturday, Happ had one homer in his previous 42 games spanning 150 at-bats (June 13 vs. Pittsburgh).
PUTTING UP SOME NUMBERS: Since his first game of the season in Chicago on May 9, Christopher Morel’s .631 slugging percentage ranks third in the majors behind the Angels Shohei Ohtani (.712) and the White Sox Luis Robert Jr. (.631), while his 13 home runs are tied for fifth, his .969 OPS ranks sixth.
BASEBALL SAVANT POINTS OUT…: Cubs rightfielder Seiya Suzuki ranks in the 92nd percentile of average exit velocity this season at a 92.5 mph mark … Suzuki’s 50.6 percent hard-hit rate ranks in the 90th percentile of all players … on the other side of the ball, Suzuki’s outfielder jumps rank in the 94th percentile of players.
Starting Pitcher – #50 RHP Jameson Taillon (2-5, 6.71)
Last Time Out Jameson fell to 2-5 in his last outing June 18 vs. Baltimore (4 ER/5.1 IP) … completed more than 5.0 innings for the fourth-straight start after failing to do so in his first eight starts of 2023 … has walked two or fewer batters in 10 of his 12 starts this season … tied his season-low by striking out one batter for the third time in 2023.
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
6/18 BAL L, 3-6 5.1 8 4 4 2 1 81-57 3-3, 1 on
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 1-3 7.16 6 6 27.2 38 23 22 9 24
Road 1-2 6.23 6 6 26.0 26 20 18 10 21
AVG vs. LHB: .311 (33-for-106) / AVG vs. RHB: .282 (31-for-110)
Jameson will make his 13th start of the 2023 season today, his seventh at Wrigley Field … … has walked 19 batters, tied for the seventh-lowest mark among N.L.
starters (min. 12 GS) … has walked two or fewer in 10 of his 12 starts this season … has posted a 4.84 ERA (12 ER/22.1 IP) in four starts in June after pitching to a 10.90 ERA (21 ER/17.1 IP) in five starts in May.
Made his first quality start as a Cub June 13 vs. Pittsburgh (3 ER/6.0 IP).
Earned his first win as a Cub June 2 in San Diego (1 ER/5.2 IP) … had previously gone eight-straight starts without a win, the third time in his career that he had failed to win in at least eight-straight starts in the same season (last 9 G, April 14-May 27, 2018).
Walked two or fewer batters in 16-straight starts from Aug. 14, 2022-May 9, 2023 … at the time, marked the fifth-longest active streak among major league starting pitchers.
Began his stint on the 15-day injured list April 20 (retroactive to April 17) with a left groin strain … was activated on May 4.
Went 2-0 with a 3.93 ERA (8 ER/18.1 IP) with 23 strikeouts, compared to no walks, during Spring Training … was the only pitcher in the Cactus League with at least 10.0 IP to not walk a batter
