PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME #88 RECAP: The Phillies fell to the Miami Marlins, 5-3, on South Beach … Starter Ranger Suarez (L, 2-4) went 5.2 innings and allowed 4 runs (3 ER) on 8 hits with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts … Trea Turner put the Phils ahead 1-0 in the 1st inning with a solo homer before Miami scored 3 in the bottom of the frame … The Phillies rallied with 2 runs in the 2nd inning to tie it at 3-3 but could not score again as Miami scored runs in the 4th and 7th … Alec Bohm had 2 more hits to raise his average to .283.
HATS OFF TO YOU, THOMS: Today marks the 200th game of Rob Thomson’s managerial career … Through his first 199 games as skipper (since 6/3/22), Thomson is 27 games over .500 and has guided the Phils to a 113-86 record (.568 win %) … Regardless what happens today, Thomson, the 56th manager in Phillies franchise history, already has more wins through his first 200 games than all but four managers: Steve O’Neill (1952-54, 118 wins), Pat Moran (1915-18, 117 wins), Dallas Green (1979-81, 116 wins) and Bill Shettsline (1898-1902, 116 wins) … Following last year’s run to the World Series, Thomson will manage the National League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Seattle – he will be the first Canadian to ever manage in the All-Star Game … Last year, he became the fourth manager to take a team at least seven games under .500 and lead them to the postseason, joining Dick Howser (KC, 1981), Cito Gaston (TOR, 1989) and Jim Tracy (COL, 2009) … He also became only the eighth manager (9th time) to lead a team to a World Series after the club began the season with a different manager and the first since Jack McKeon in 2003 with MIA … Finally, he was the first Canadian-born skipper ever to manage a game in the postseason in NL Wild Card Series Game 1 on 10/7/22 at STL.
GO NOLES: Aaron Nola takes the mound today with 1,494 career strikeouts in 1341.1 innings pitched and looks to become only the sixth pitcher in Phillies franchise history to get to 1,500 … Should he get there this season, Nola will become the fastest to 1,500 strikeouts in club history – among the five previous pitchers to do it, here were their innings totals with the franchise at the time of their 1,500th strikeout with the Phillies: Cole Hamels (1588.0), Curt Schilling (1591.2), Steve Carlton (1944.2), Chris Short (2117.2) and Robin Roberts (3004.1).
NINE TIMES: Yesterday, MLB announced that Craig Kimbrel was selected for the 2023 All-Star Game, his ninth career selection … Kimbrel is only the 13th pitcher in MLB history to reach nine career selections to the ASG – of those 13 players, nine are enshrined in Cooperstown: Warren Spahn (14 ASG), Mariano Rivera (13 ASG), Tom Seaver (12 ASG), Tom Glavine (10 ASG), Randy Johnson (10 ASG), Steve Carlton (10 ASG), Goose Gossage (9 ASG), Juan Marichal (9 ASG) and Carl Hubbell (9 ASG) – the only four pitchers with nine+ ASG selections who are not in the HOF are Roger Clemens (11 ASG), Clayton Kershaw (10 ASG), Justin Verlander (9 ASG) and Kimbrel.
THE STREAK: Yesterday’s loss snapped the Phillies road winning streak at 13 games which was tied for the longest in franchise history with another 13-game road streak from April 17-June 2, 1976 … When the streak started, the Phillies were 10 games under .500 on the road at 13-23 and they are the first team in MLB history to be 10 games or more under .500 on the road before winning 11+ straight to get back over .500 … Philadelphia’s 13-game road winning streak is the longest in MLB this season and the longest since Atlanta won 13 straight on the road from July 29-Aug. 22, 2021.
SOUTHPAW SUCCESS: Over their last 31 games (427 plate appearances – since 5/25), the Phillies offense is slashing .282/.336/.490 with an .825 OPS against left-handed pitching … In that span among all MLB clubs vs LHP, they rank T-4th in AVG (with ATL), 5th in SLG & OPS and 10th in OBP … The Phillies are 16-13 in 29 games started by a left-hander this year (.552 win %).
I’M GIVING IT MY ALL: The Phils have won 8 of their last 10 series (since 6/2: 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, 3-0 at CHI, 1-2 vs WSH & 3-0 at TB) … Over the last two months of June and July combined, the Phils are 29 games over .500 at 57-28 (.671 win %).
ARMS RACE: Over the last 31 games (since 6/3), the Phillies’ starting rotation has gone 15-5 with a 2.75 ERA (56 ER, 183.0 IP) with 190 strikeouts to 48 walks (3.96 SO/BB ratio) – they have faced 737 batters and held them to a .625 OPS … The staff has gone at least 6.0 innings in 21 of those 31 games … Philadelphia’s starters and relievers have combined for 13.5 fWAR which leads MLB (next: MIN, 13.2) and is more than two full wins clear of the next closest NL club (MIA, 11.1 fWAR).
SEE YOU IN SEATTLE: Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos was selected as an All-Start for the second time in his career (other: 2021 with CIN) … Castellanos, in his second season with the Phillies, has raised his OPS 151 points from .694 last year to .845 entering play today … With his home run Wednesday night in Tampa (108.2 MPH/437 feet), Castellanos has already matched his total of 40 extra-base hits and 13 home runs from a season ago – he is one double shy of matching his total of 27 in 2022.
THE VIBES ARE BACK: 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 23-8 (.742 win %) with a +59-run differential (161-102) and enter today eight games over .500 at 48-40 … 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 31 games with him as manager (6/3-7/6/22), they went 21-10 (.677 win %) with a +54-run differential (168-114) … Since Thomson was hired on June 3, 2022, the Phillies are 113-86 and their .568 winning percentage ranks 5th in MLB, behind only ATL (.687), LAD (.640), HOU (.612) and BAL (.579).
TODAY’S STARTER – AARON NOLA RHP #27
2023: 8-5, 4.30 ERA Career: 86-67, 3.66 ERA
LAST START: 7/4 at TB: W, 7.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 12 SO, 1 HR, (104 p, 77 s) … Nola vs Eflin … Phils beat the Rays at the Trop, 3- 1 … Won his 3rd straight decision … Recorded a career-high-tying 12 SO for the 2nd time in 2023 (6th career) … Allowed a solo HR to Wander Franco with 1 out in the 8th and exited with a 3-1 lead … Pitched into the 8th inning for the 2nd time in 2023 … Was the 1st time since in MLB since 2009 that 2 teammates for at least 7 seasons faced each other the next season as starting pitchers (CLE: Sabathia/Lee).
TODAY’S START:
1,500: Nola enters today’s start 6 SO shy of 1,500 for his ML career … With 6 more SO, he would become the 6th pitcher in Phillies history to eclipse that number, but in terms of innings pitched, he would achieve the feat the fastest … Here are the IP totals for the 5 Phillies pitchers when they reached 1,500 SO with the club: Cole Hamels (1,588.0), Curt Schilling (1,591.2), Steve Carlton (1,944.2), Chris Short (2,117.2) and Robin Roberts (3004.1)
\UpticK: Over his last 9 starts since May 20 (57.1 IP), Nola has posted a 29.4% whiff rate and a 30.6% SO rate (71 SO, 232 BF) … All 3 of Nola’s double-digit SO games this season – which are T-5th most in the NL this year – have come over this 9-game span … Over his first 9 outings of the season (55.2 IP), Nola had a 21.4% whiff rate with a 19.2 SO rate (43 SO, 224 BF)
1st Half W’s: Entering this afternoon’s start, Nola’s 8 wins are tied for his 2nd most prior to the All-Star break … He also turned in 8 wins prior to the ASB in 2019 and his 12 wins prior to the break in 2018 remain the most for a Phillies pitcher since Curt Schilling won 13 games prior to the All-Star break in 1999.
2023 SEASON:
2023 NL Ranks: IP (5th; 113.0), opp. OBP (4th; .275), BABIP (6; .260), WHIP (6th, 1.10), and SO (8th; 114)
Innings Eater: Since the start of the 2018 season, Nola’s 984.2 IP are tied for the most in the majors with Gerrit Cole … This season, Nola ranks 5th among NL pitchers in IP (113.0; 8th in MLB) and has gone at least 6.0 IP in 15 of his 18 starts in 2023 (83%) … His 15 instances of 6.0 or more innings are tied or the most in the majors with SF’s Logan Webb
Philly Value: Since 2018, Nola is the only pitcher in baseball to accrue more than 20.0 fWAR (23.6) and pitch for only one team In that span, he ranks 5th overall in fWAR behind only Jacob deGrom (27.1), Max Scherzer (26.6), Gerrit Cole (25.7) and Zack Wheeler (25.6) … His 32.0 fWAR as a Phillie is 7th most in franchise history trailing Curt Simmons (33.5) for 6th place
What Is It Good For: Additionally, since the start of the 2022 season, Nola’s 8.3 fWAR is the best among all NL starters with ARI’s Zac Gallen (8.0) and MIA’s Sandy Alcantara (7.6) trailing
Road Scholar: Since the start of the 2022 season, among all ML pitchers in road games, Nola has recorded the most SO (189) and ranks 2nd in IP (176.0) and SO/BB ratio (6.52) … Nola’s 27 starts on the road in that span are T-4th most
Phils’ Ranks: Recorded the 30th double-digit SO game of his career and 3rd of 2023 on 7/4 at TB … Is now in sole possession of 3rd place in club history (Curt Schilling is 2nd with 48)
Pitch Usage: Curveball (31.9%), 4-seam fastball (27.5%), sinker (19.1%), Changeup (12.1%), cutter (9.4%)
vs NL East: 36-35, 3.52 ERA (253 ER, 646.2 IP) in 107 starts
ROAD:
2023: 5-3, 4.90 ERA (37 ER, 68.0 IP) in 11 starts
Career: 39-41, 4.13 ERA (307 ER, 668.2 IP) in 113 starts
loanDepot Park: 4-4, 2.69 ERA (19 ER, 63.2 IP) in 10 starts … Has posted 8 quality starts here and his 2.69 ERA is the 2nd lowest for any visiting pitcher in this park (min. 60.0 IP) behind Max Scherzer’s 2.54 ERA (25 ER, 88.2 IP)
MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today conclude their final series before the All-Star Break with the rubber match of three games against Philadelphia. Are coming off a four-game set vs. St. Louis (3-1). Miami comes out of the break with a two-city road trip that begins with three games in Baltimore (July 14-16) and a three-game set in St. Louis (July 17-19).
FISH BYTES
- At 52-39, Miami has set a franchise record for the most wins prior to the All-Star Break. The previous record was 50 wins, done in 2008 (50-45) and 1997 (50-36).
- Is the second-best start to a season through the club’s first 91 games in franchise history.
- The Marlins are tied with Arizona for the second-most wins in the NL, behind Atlanta (60) .
- Have won 10 of their last 16, 23 of 34, and 28 of 43.
- The Marlins have won their last 5 games with 15,000 fans or more at the ballpark, including 6 of their last 7.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
The Marlins are 29-18 at home this season. Miami ranks 4th in MLB in win percentage at home (.617) this season and is t-3rd overall in wins at home. Lost five straight home games from May 2-4 (Braves sweep) and May 12-13 (first two against Cincinnati). Since then, have gone 17-6 including winning 15 of the last 19.
- Own the best record at home through this many games since the team moved to Miami and is the 4th-best record in Marlins history, behind 1996 (30-17), 1997 (30-17), and 2001 (30-17).
WINNING WAYS
Miami sits at 13 G over .500, 1 shy of matching its season-high mark. Marks just the 3rd season the Marlins have been at least 14 games over .500 at any point (also ’97 and ’03).
A GOOD PHIGHT
Miami took their series (2-1) in Philly back in April including the first cycle in Marlins history, by Luis Arraez on April 11 and an extra-innings victory on April 12. The Marlins are 56-47 all-time against the Phillies at loanDepot park. Miami has dropped 7 of its last 10 vs. the Phillies at home, but was 10-5 over the previous 15 games.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami held on for a win in game two over the Phillies, 5-3, evening the series. RF Jorge Soler (1×2) hit his 23rd home run to open a 3-run first inning for Miami, including a pair of hits from 1B Garrett Cooper (2×4) and CF Dane Myers (2×4). Soler added a go-ahead RBI with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and 2B Luis Arraez tacked on insurance with a pinch-hit RBI-single in the seventh. LHP Braxton Garrett, who battled to allow 3 earned runs over 5.0 innings, was backed by 4.0 shutout innings from the bullpen. LHP A.J. Puk bounced back to record his 15th save on the year.
SOLER POWER
DH/OF Jorge Soler ranks 4th in the NL with 23 home runs this season. Marks the most home runs by a Marlins player prior to the All-Star break since 2017 – Marcell Ozuna (23) and Giancarlo Stanton (26). Mike Lowell owns the club record for most home runs before the All-Star break, with 28 in 2003.
ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF
With his third multi-hit game and a 2-RBI single in yesterday’s game, INF/OF Dane Myers became the second player in Marlins history to collect at least 7 hits and 5 RBI through his first 5 career games, joining Kevin Millar in 1998.
- Myers, who Miami claimed off waivers from Detroit on Dec. 7, 2022, started the year with Double-A Pensacola but earned a June promotion to Triple-A where he hit .440 (33×75) in 20 G with 2 2B, 6 HR, and a 1.201 OPS.
- Since having his contract selected by the Marlins on Monday, is batting .389 (7×18) with 3 R, 1 2B, and 5 RBI in 5 G.
LA REGADERA
2B Luis Arraez leads MLB with his .388 AVG (126×325), .439 OBP, and 125 hits. Has struck out just 19x in 358 PA, a .053 K/PA, the lowest mark in MLB among qualifiers.
- His 35 multi-hit games rank 2nd in MLB (Ronald Acuña Jr. – 37) and is one shy of the club record for most multi-hit games prior to the All-Star Break set by Miguel Cabrera in 2006.
- His .388 AVG is the highest by any Major Leaguer through a team’s first 91 games of a season since Larry Walker (.402) and Tony Gwynn in 1997 (.398).
- Arraez has reached base safely in 22 consecutive games, marking the longest streak by a left-handed Marlins hitter since Christian Yelich also did so in 22 games from Aug. 20-Sept. 10, 2017.
MÁS HISTORIA
With 1 game left before the All-Star Break, we’re keeping an eye on these records:
- 2B Luis Arraez is on pace to post the highest AVG of any Marlins player prior to the All-Star Break. The current record is owned by Luis Castillo, who was hitting .369 at the Break in 2000.
- The Marlins pitching staff, who leads the National League with 857 strikeouts, have also made their mark in the club record books: starters have set a club record with their 500 strikeouts prior to the Break, while relievers have struck out a combined 357 batters, the second-best mark in club history behind only 2018 (365).
SOUTH BEACH TANNER
LHP Tanner Scott has set a Marlins record for most strikeouts as a reliever prior to the All-Star Break with 64, beating the previous record held by Kyle Barraclough in 2016 (60). Surpasses his 55 first-half strikeouts in 2022, which ranked fourth in club history. His 64 strikeouts are the most by any lefty reliever prior to the All-Star break since Brad Hand with San Diego in 2018.
- His 64 strikeouts lead all National League relievers in 2023 (t-2nd in MLB), and his 20 outings of 2 or more strikeouts are the most among NL relievers (t-3rd in MLB).
TODAY’S STARTER – #44 JESUS LUZARDO
- Jesus Luzardo, 25, will make his 19th start of the 2023 season and fifth career start against the Philadelphia Phillies today.
- Last faced Philadelphia on April 11 at Citizens Bank Park. Earned the win, throwing 6.0 innings and allowing 3 runs on 8 hits with 5 strikeouts. The performance marked a special night as Luis Arraez collected the first cycle in Marlins history.
- His most recent start on July 4 vs. St. Louis marked his third consecutive scoreless outing. Earned the win, allowing 5 hits and 2 walks over 6.0 innings. Struck out 8.
- His 120 strikeouts in 18 starts lead all Marlins’ pitchers; ranks 5th among NL pitchers, 11th in MLB.
- 10 of his 18 outings this year have been quality starts, the most among Marlins starters and is tied for the fifth-most among left-handed pitchers in all of MLB (last, July 4 vs. St. Louis).
- Has 7 starts of 8+ strikeouts; tied for the fourth-most among NL pitchers this season.
- Has a streak of 22.1 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to June 18 at Washington. Streak is a team season-high and career-high for Luzardo.
- Is 3-2 this season at loanDepot park with a 2.39 ERA (60.1 IP/16 ER) in 10 starts and 4-3 with a 4.64 ERA (42.2 IP/22 ER) in 8 starts away.
- Is 13-12 in his career with a 3.85 ERA (212.2 IP/91 ER) in 37 starts (44 apps.) at home and 7-11 with a 4.76 ERA (157.0 IP/83 ER) in 26 starts (35 apps.) away.
- Left-handed batters are hitting .185 (15×81) vs. Luzardo in 2023 with only 1 home run and a .498 OPS while right-handed batters are hitting .255 (78×306) with 10 home runs and an .754 OPS.
