SAN DIEGO PADRES NOTES:
Padres finish 1st half on a positive notes
- The Padres finished the 1st half of the season winning 5 of their last 6 games and 6 of their 8 games since the start of July…on Sunday, Joe Musgrove bested Max Scherzer to win their 2nd straight series and the rubber match against the Mets…it was Musgrove’s 8th quality outing so far this year.
- Since July 1, the Friars have scored a MLB-most 6.50 runs per game and the 3rd most runs scored overall of any team in the Majors (52 runs), trailing just the Orioles and Brewers’ 53.
Padres have toughest 2nd-half schedule
- The Friars are scheduled to play a Major League-most 48 games to close the season against teams that have winning records (based on current records) per Sportstrader…the Phillies, meanwhile have the most remaining home games of any team in the 2nd half (42), and their 42 games against sub-.500 teams are the most of any team in baseball.
- The Padres have gone 25-27 (.481) against clubs who are currently over .500 and 18-20 (.474) vs. teams with a sub .500 record…that .007 difference in winning percentage is the 4th-highest of any club this year in record vs. teams above .500 (behind Mets’ .088, Red Sox’s .068, and Yankees’ .008).
Padres meet Phillies for 1st time since 2022 NLCS
- The last time the Padres saw the Phillies was back at Citezens Bank Park in Game 5 of the National League Championship series on October 23, 2022…the Padres fell 4-3 in the game after Bryce Harper homered off Robert Suarez in the B-8th.
We’re headed to Seoul!
- On Wednesday, MLB announced that the Padres will open the 2024 season against the Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea from March 20-21…the Seoul Series will be the 1st MLB regular-season games ever played in Korea, and it’ll be the 9th time that the season opened outside the 50 U.S. states and Canada (1st time in 5 years since the A’s vs. Mariners in 2019 in Tokyo, Japan)…it’ll be the Padres’ 2nd time opening a season abroad, having done so in 1999 in Monterrey, Mexico (Rockies vs. Padres).
Padres select CF Dillon Head with 25th pick in the 2023 Draft
- On Sunday, the Padres selected CF Dillon Head from Homewood Flossmoor High School (Ill.) with the 25th overall pick in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft.
Juan Soto is 4th player since ’33 to log 20 doubles and 80 BB before the break
- Juan Soto finished the half with 21 doubles and 83 walks, becoming the 4th player since 1933 to ever have a 20+ double and 80+ BB 1st half…joined Ted Williams (1949 & ’51), Frank Thomas (1994), & Bobby Abreu (2006), Sportstrader.
- He has 53 career RBI against the Phillies, 1 shy of his highest total against any opponent (54 vs. Marlins), and his 18 home runs vs. Philadelphia are 1 behind his 19 vs. the Braves.
STARTING PITCHER – #11 YU DARVISH
Darvish set for first start of 2nd half, 10th of career vs. PHI
Yu Darvish is quality in 7 of his 9 career starts vs. PHI, including each of his last 4, which all came in 2022 last season…he started Games 1 & 5 of the NLCS vs. PHI last season, allowing 2 ER in both starts, getting just 3 combined runs of support while limiting PHI bats to a .213 AVG.
Darvish returns to rotation after 16 day absence
Darvish battled flu-like symptoms and did not make a start during the PIT, CIN or LAA series, but he returned on Fri, July 7 with 5.0 innings of 3-run, 7-hit ball in SD’s 7-5 extra-inning defeat…he’s tossed at least 5.0 IP in 42 of his last 43 starts since April 17, 2022, and the 37 consecutive starts w/ at least 5.0 IP is the 2nd-longest streak in Padres history (Bruce Hurst’s 43 starts in 1990-91)…it’s T-3rd-longest such streak in the Majors since 2020 with Gerrit Cole, who had his streak snapped on June 20 this season, Darvish and Cole’s streak trail only Max Fried’s 50 straight starts (June 6, 2021-Sept. 30, 2022) and Alek Manoah’s 39 straight starts (August 23, 2021-Sept. 30, 2022).
First vs. Second half
Darvish is 57-42 in his 149 career first half starts and 35-36 in his 96 career 2nd half starts… he has nearly and identical career ERA in the first half (3.66) compared to 2nd half (3.65).
Free passes
Darvish’s 7.9 walk rate is highest since his 8.1 walk rate in 2014 vs. TEX, and his 2.96 BB/9 IP ratio is his highest since 2018 w/ CHC (4.73), but he made just 8 starts that season… this season is his highest BB/9 IP ratio in a season with 22+ starts since his first 3 Major League seasons with TEX in ’12 (4.19), ’13 (3.43) and ’14 (3.06).
Limit the long balls
After not allowing any HRs through his first 4 starts of the season, he has allowed 11 across his 11 most recent starts since April 30 vs. SF in Mexico City…among the 44 ML hurlers who have tossed at least 60.0 IP since April 30, his 1.62 HR/9 IP ratio is 9th-highest in NL.
Darvish making SD history with the punchouts
Darvish has struck out 485 batters through his first 75 games pitched with Padres, the most ever by any pitcher by this milepost for the franchise….1 of tomorrow’s 2 starters, Blake Snell, has fanned 473 through 69 career games with San Diego.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
- FIRST HALF RECAP: The Phillies open the second half tonight at home with a four-game series against the Padres … This season, the Phillies got off to a 25-32 start and were seven games under .500 following play on June 2 … But since June 3, they have gone 23-9 and enter the second half seven games over the .500 mark at 48-41 … The Phillies went 16-11-2 in series play in the 1st half and were over .500 both at home (22-16) and on the road (26-25) for the 14th time in franchise history (last: 2022) … The first half included a franchise-record-tying 13-game road winning streak (6/13-7/7) and a franchise record 12-game Interleague winning streak (5/7-current).
- AMERICA’S TEAM: On Tuesday in Seattle, Rob Thomson became the first Canadian to ever manage an All-Star Game … Thomson was joined by right fielder Nick Castellanos, right-hander Craig Kimbrel and his entire coaching staff (minus infield coach Bobby Dickerson whose son was drafted in the 8th round by KC) … Castellanos went 1-for-2 with a walk and scored on Elias Diaz’s game-winning pinch-hit home run in the 8th … Kimbrel, selected as an All-Star for the ninth time in his career, picked up his first career save in an ASG … For the National League, it marked their first win over the American League since 2012 – in fact, the NL had been just 4-21-1 against the AL since 1996 … During their day jobs, Thomson and the Phillies have won 12 straight games against the American League (since 5/7: 1 G vs BOS, 2 G vs TOR, 3 G vs DET, 3 G at OAK and 3 G at TB) … Philadelphia’s current 12-game Interleague streak is the longest by a National League club against American League opponents since 2017 when the Dodgers won 13 straight against the AL … Their next Interleague matchup will come next weekend in Cleveland when they face the Guardians for three games.
- ARMS RACE: Over the last 15 games (since 6/23), the Phillies bullpen has combined to post a 0.98 ERA (5 ER, 46.0 IP) with 54 strikeouts to 8 walks (6.75 SO/BB ratio) and only 1 home run allowed (6/25 vs NYM, Alonso off Alvarado) … The bullpen has faced 168 batters in this stretch and limited them to a .443 OPS … From June 29-July 8, the bullpen combined for a 25.2-inning scoreless streak which was the 5th-longest for the Phillies in in the Expansion Era (since 1961) … This year, the Phillies bullpen has a 26.1% strikeout rate which ranks 2nd among NL bullpens and 5th in MLB … Per FanGraphs, the bullpen has combined for 3.6 fWAR which is 3rd-best among all MLB relief corps behind only BAL (4.5) and ATL (3.9) – Philadelphia’s starters have combined for 9.8 fWAR which ranks 2nd in MLB (best: MIN, 10.7) … Combined, Phillies pitchers have 13.4 fWAR this year which is tops in MLB (next: MIN, 12.8).
- HATS OFF TO YOU, THOMS: Sunday in Miami marked the 200th game of Rob Thomson’s managerial career … Through his first 200 games as skipper, Thomson guided the Phillies to 113-87 record (.565 win %) and was 26 games over .500 with a +70 run differential (918-848) … Thomson, the 56th manager in Phillies franchise history, 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).
- THE GHOSTS OF RED OCTOBER: The Phillies welcome the Padres to South Philly and Citizens Bank Park for the first time since the 2022 National League Championship Series which the Phillies took, four games to one … With the series tied 1-1 following two games in San Diego, the Phillies won Games 3, 4 and 5, all in Philadelphia, to clinch the eighth pennant in club history and first since 2009 … Three different Phillies posted an OPS over 1.000 during the series (min. 20 PA): Kyle Schwarber (1.571), Bryce Harper (1.250) and Rhys Hoskins (1.189) … On the mound, Zack Wheeler made two starts and posted a 1.38 ERA (2 ER, 13.0 IP) as the Phillies won both games started by Wheeler, including Game 5 … In Game 5, Harper hit one of the most iconic home runs in franchise history as he put the Phillies ahead 4-3 in the 8th inning with a 2-run home run off Padres reliever Robert Suarez that spawned Bedlam at the Bank … Ranger Suarez was summoned for the final two outs and picked up the save.
- BEDLAM AT THE BANK: The Phils are 22-16 in 38 games at Citizens Bank Park this year and their .579 winning percentage at home ranks 7th in MLB and 4th in the NL, behind ATL (.667), LAD (.644) and MIA (.625) … Through 38 games at CBP, the Phillies are averaging 39,588 in attendance per game which ranks 5th among all clubs in MLB behind only the Dodgers (48,201), Cardinals (41,439), Yankees (41,033) and Padres (40,379) … Of Philadelphia’s first 38 games at home, 20 have been sellouts (53%) and 29 have been over 35,000 (76%) … Among all clubs in MLB, the Phillies have the largest year-to-year increase in attendance per game this season at +11,457 (up from 28,131 per game through 38 home games in 2022) … The Guardians rank 2nd behind the Phillies with a +6,428 jump in attendance per game and the Reds are the closest NL club with a +4,570 spike in attendance per game … Per Baseball Reference, the last time a team saw a +10,000 spike in attendance from one year to the next was in 2010 when the Twins moved to Target Field from the Metrodome and saw a +10,332 spike from 2009 … The last team to see a spike of at least +11,000 in attendance from year to year was in 2005 when the Washington Nationals moved from Montreal and averaged 33,708 per game at RFK Stadium – The Expos averaged 9,357 per game in 2004 at Olympic Stadium (+24,351 spike from 2004 to 2005) … For reference, the Phillies saw a +12,224 spike in attendance in 2004 when CBP was opened (40,125 per game) after averaging 27,901 per game during the last year at Veterans Stadium in 2003.
TONIGHT’S STARTER – CRISTOPHER SÁNCHEZ • LHP #61
2023: 0-2, 2.84 ERA Career: 3-4, 4.62 ERA
LAST START: 7/6 at TB: ND, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 2 SO …
Sánchez vs Armstrong … The Phillies capped a 3-game sweep over the Rays in St. Pete with a 3-1 extra-inning win … Darick Hall put the Phils up early with a solo HR in the 5th … Tied at 1-1 in the 11th, the Phils scored twice on a pair of singles by Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner … Matt Strahm (W, 5-3) was credited with the win after 2.0 scoreless innings and 3 strikeouts to finish the game.
TONIGHT’S START:
- Pitch Usage: Sinker (49.9%), Changeup (27.8%), Slider (22.4%).
- Tonight: Will be making his 6th start of the year, a new career-high, surpassing his 3 starts during the 2022 season.
- Strangers: Sánchez has never faced the Padres. 3 of the 5 opponents he has already faced this season were also for the first time in his career (COL, OAK & TB).
- Trust: Sánchez has thrown more than 2.0 IP in 19 of his 27 career ML appearances, with all but 8 of the multi-inning appearances in relief … He has a 3.62 ERA (28 ER, 69.2 IP) in appearances of 2.0 IP or more.
- Comeback: Was recalled from Lehigh Valley (AAA) prior to his start on 6/17 at OAK. Sánchez is in his 2nd stint with the Phillies this season. He was reinstated from the 15-day IL (left triceps strain) prior to his start on 4/22 and was optioned postgame.
- Underdog: In 8 games (6 starts) for the IronPigs since 4/30, Sánchez has gone 3-2 while posting a 5.05 ERA (23 ER, 41.0 IP) with 26 walks and 33 strikeouts.
- Games: Made 2 rehab starts for Lehigh Valley (AAA) in Durham from 4/11-16 and combined to allow 1 run on 3 hits with 11 strikeouts against 3 walks in 8.2 IP.
- vs NL West: 0-1, 7.59 ERA (9 ER, 10.2 IP) in 5 games (1 start).
HOME:
- 2023: 0-2, 4.11 ERA (7 ER, 15.1 IP) in 3 starts.
- Career: 2-3, 4.34 ERA (22 ER, 45.2 IP) in 16 games (7 starts).
