PHILADELPHIA PHLLIES NOTES:
GAME #67 RECAP: The Phillies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 15-3, in Phoenix … Starter Zack Wheeler (W, 5-4) went 6.0 innings and allowed only 1 run on 4 hits with 1 walk and 7 strikeouts … 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.
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 8-2 in 10 games with a +24-run differential (62-38) … When Thomson took over last year on June 3, the Phillies were also seven games under .500 at 22-29, and in their first 10 games with him as manager (6/3-13/22), they went 9-1 with a +28-run differential (62-34).
HOTTER THAN A DESERT: Over their last three games in Phoenix (since 8/31/22), the Phillies have scored 41 runs (13.7 runs per game) on 57 hits and are slashing .432/.500/.659 as a team … The Phillies, who have reached base safely in 76 of their 152 plate appearances during this stretch, are the first major league club to reach base safely in half of their plate appearances (min. 150 PA) over a three-game span in any visiting ballpark since the Minnesota Twins in August of 2006 at Kauffman Stadium against the Royals (.510 OBP) … The Phillies are the first team with 57 or more hits over a three-game span in a visiting ballpark since the New York Mets had 57 hits in June of 1990 at Wrigley Field against the Cubs … The Phillies are also the first team with 41 or more runs in a three-game span in a road ballpark since the Toronto Blue Jays scored 44 runs over a three-game span in September of 2021 at Camden Yards against the Orioles.
I’M GIVING IT MY ALL: The Phillies have won their last three series (2-1 at WSH, 3-0 vs DET & 2-1 vs LAD), eight of their last 10 games (6/3-current) and just took two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers who have the second-best run differential in the National League at +66 (best: ATL, +68) … Over the last three seasons (2021-23), the Phillies are 39-24 in the month of June and their .619 winning percentage ranks 4th among all MLB clubs behind only BOS (.642) and ATL (.631) & HOU (.631) … Over the last two seasons (since 2022), the Phillies are 27-12 in June and their .692 winning % ranks 3rd in MLB, trailing only ATL (.757) and NYY (.711).
TOOLS OF BRILLIANCE: Catcher J.T. Realmuto currently is tied for the major league lead in triples with five … Only one catcher in the Modern Era (since 1900) has led the majors in triples in a season: Tim McCarver for the Cardinals in 1966 (13 triples) … Since 2021, Realmuto has 14 triples which ranks T-3rd among all MLB players (also Jake Cronenworth and Bryan Reynolds), trailing only Amed Rosario (19 3B) and Shohei Ohtani (17 3B) … Realmuto’s 14 triples as a catcher are 10 better than Elias Diaz who ranks 2nd among MLB catchers with four … Also, since 2021, Realmuto is 44-for-51 in stolen base attempts – his 44 steals rank T-19th among all MLB position players since 2021 (T-7th in NL) and his 86.3% success rate ranks 5th among all players with at least 50 attempts (best: Trea Turner, 89.7%) … Last postseason, in Game 4 of the NLDS against ATL at CBP, Realmuto became the first catcher in MLB history with an inside the park home run in the postseason – he sprinted around the bases in 15.4 seconds … Realmuto’s sprint speed of 28.6 feet/second this year ranks in the 85th percentile among all MLB players.
A REAL UNICORN: Per Elias, J.T. Realmuto is only the 10th player in MLB history to have a 20-home run/20 stolen base season and then hit for the cycle in the next season – he is the first player to do so since Mookie Betts, who did so from 2017-18 … Others: Wil Myers (2016-17), Alex Rios (2012-13), Mike Trout (2012-13), Vladimir Guerrero (2002-03), John Valentin (1995-96), Kevin McReynolds (1988-89), Eric Davis (1988-89) and Chuck Klein (1932-33).
REMEMBER THE FIGHTINS: In the month of June, the Phillies have scored 71 runs (most in MLB) in 12 games (5.9 runs per game) and are slashing .293/.359/.486 with an .845 team OPS (2nd in MLB) in 468 combined plate appearances … The Phillies have a 90.9 MPH average exit velocity on balls in play during the month which ranks 3rd among all clubs in MLB, trailing only STL (92.5) and ATL (91.3) and they are running a 45.4% hard hit rate which ranks 6th in MLB during June … As evidenced in the chart below, the Phillies have seen their offensive numbers and quality of contact increase from May to June.
SCHWARBERFEST IS ON: Since being inserted back into the leadoff spot on June 2 at WSH, Kyle Schwarber has posted a 1.059 OPS in 52 plate appearances – he has 7 extra-base hits (2B, 3B, 5 HR), 9 walks to 11 strikeouts and has scored 12 runs in that span – the Phillies are 8-3 in those 11 games … Winner of each of the last two NL Player of the Month Awards in June (2021 with WSH, 2022 with Phils), Schwarber has 33 home runs (67 total hits, 49%) and is slashing .268/.371/.700 in 66 games (294 PA) … He has an even 250 at bats over the last three Junes combined and is averaging a home run every 7.58 at bats.
CASTY’S BACK, TELL A FRIEND: Right fielder Nick Castellanos ranks T-2nd in MLB with 23 doubles, trailing only Freddie Freeman (24) and is four doubles away from matching his total of 27 last year … Castellanos has gotten ahead 1-0 in 98 plate appearances this season – after taking ball one, Castellanos has 14 extra-base hits and is slashing .412/.490/.682 with a 1.172 OPS – his .412 AVG after taking ball one ranks 2nd out of 227 qualified hitters in MLB … Last season, Castellanos got ahead 1-0 in 174 plate appearances and tallied only 10 extra-base hits as he slashed .197/.276/.299 with a .575 OPS – his .197 AVG after taking ball one last year ranked 197th out of 203 qualified hitters.
TONIGHT’S STARTER – 8 RANGER SUÁREZ • LHP #55
2023: 1-2, 4.70 ERA Career: 26-17, 3.25 ERA
LAST START: 6/9 vs LAD: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO … Suárez vs Gonzalez … The Phillies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-4, at a sold out Citizens Bank Park … With the game tied at 4-4 in the 9th, Kyle Schwarber connected on his 4th career walk-off home run and first with the Phillies … It marked Philadelphia’s second consecutive game with a walk-off win (first time since three straight in June of 2021)
TONIGHT’S START:
- Last Time Out: Suárez struck out 8 Dodgers in his last start … It was the 5th time in his career he struck out 8 or more in a game and the first time since 8/17/22 at CIN … It marked the 7th time in his career that he tossed at least 6 innings while allowing 4 or fewer hits (last: 9/16/22 at ATL) … The Phillies are 5-2 in those starts
- Quality Control: Suárez earned his third consecutive quality start, which marks the 3rd time he has had a streak of at least 3 quality starts … It was also the 20th of his career … Since 2002, he ranks 5th among Phillies lefties for quality starts, behind Cole Hamels (196), Cliff Lee (84), Jamie Moyer (62) and Randy Wolf (61)
- Left In The Dust: Suárez has held the 27 LHH he has faced to a .160/.192/.280 slash line this season, with 3 XBH (3 2B) … Among all left handed pitchers in the National League with at least 20 lefties faced, Suárez’s .160 OPP AVG ranks 9th (best: Taylor Rogers, .081)
- Trouble With the Curve: Suárez has thrown his curveball 98 times in 30.2 IP this season after only throwing it 198 times in 155.1 IP last year … He is holding batters to a .087 average (2-23) and with his curveball and has struck out 10 batters with a whiff rate of 33.3%
- Start Your Engines: Since transitioning to a starter full-time on 8/2/21, Suárez is 14-11 with a 3.22 ERA (90 ER, 251.2 IP) in 47 regular season starts … His ERA in that span is T-11th-lowest among all NL starters with at least 230.0 IP (best: Max Fried, 2.18)
ROAD:
- 2023: 1-1, 3.06 ERA (6 ER, 17.2 IP) in 3 starts
- 2022: 6-3, 3.20 ERA (32 ER, 90.0 IP) in 16 starts
- Career: 12-10, SV, 3.15 ERA (64 ER, 183.0 IP) in 60 games (24 starts)
ARIZONA DOIAONDBACKS NOTES:
BEST IN THE WEST
♦ The D-backs are first place in the NL, ahead of the Braves (40-26, .606) and Dodgers (38-29, .567), and have the Majors’ fourth-best record, behind the Rays (48-22, .686), Orioles (42-24, .636) and Rangers (41-25, .621).
- Arizona has spent 36 days in/tied for first place in the NL West this season.
♦ Entering this series, Arizona is 7-2 in their last 9 series.
♦ The D-backs are 24-13 vs. Phillies since 2017 (not 2020).
MIGHTY MERRILL
♦ Merrill Kelly, who has won each of his last 5 starts (5-0, 2.56 ERA) is seeking his sixth straight win… he is 1 of 5 MLB starters this season to reach the feat (also: Marcus Stroman/CHC, Cristian Javier/HOU, Jon Gray/TEX and Joe Ryan/MIN)… no MLB starter this season has reached 6 straight)…the last MLB starter to reach 6+ straight wins was Yu Darvish/SD from Aug. 27-Sept. 24, 2022 (3 others in 2022: Julio Urías/LAD, Justin Verlander/HOU and Shohei Ohtani/LAA).
♦ Kelly would become the first D-back to win 6+ straight starts since Zack Greinke in 2016 (7).
CORBIN BARRELS
♦ Since June 1, Corbin Carroll’s 5 home runs are tied for the most in the Majors with Gary Sánchez/SD, Kyle Schwarber/PHI, Shohei Ohtani/LAA and Gunnar Henderson/BAL while his 11 extra-base hits are also tied for the most (also: Ohtani)…in the span, Carroll also ranks in SLG (1st, .932), OPS (1st, 1.422), triples (T-2nd, 2), hits (6th, 18) and AVG (7th, .409).
♦ On the season, Carroll leads all qualified MLB rookies in homers (14), slugging percentage (.599) and OPS (.997).
OFFENSE AMONG THE BEST
♦ The D-backs rank in the Majors in triples (T-1st, 16), average (3rd, .264), sac hits (3rd, 13), strikeouts (3rd fewest, 502), doubles (4th, 136), OPS (5th, .770), SLG (5th, .440), stolen bases (5th, 63), extra-base hits (T-5th, 229), total bases (6th, 999) and OBP (8th, .330).
ACTION WITH 2 OUTS
♦ The D-backs offense have totaled 8 RBI with 2 outs over their last 2 games…among NL teams with 2 outs, Arizona ranks third with a .255 average, .429 slugging pct., 187 hits, fourth with 129 runs and fifth with 27 home runs.
FOR THE TAKING
♦ The D-backs’ 52 pct. extra bases taken percentage leads the Majors, ahead of the Braves (48%), Reds (48%), Padres (48%) and Rays (48%).
Pct. runner advanced more than 1 base on single or 2+ bases on a double.
EXTRA! EXTRA!
♦ The D-backs’ 41 straight games with an extra-base hit is tied for the Majors’ second-longest active streak (also: Dodgers), behind the Angels (42)…it is tied for the third longest in a season in club history (also: 2005)…the franchise high is 69 games; July 18-Oct. 7, 2001).
STARTING PITCHER – RHP MERRILL KELLY ♦ #29
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: In his last 5 starts (4 quality), is 5-0 with a 2.56 ERA (9 ER in 31.2 IP), .200 opponent average and 36 strikeouts.
- The D-backs are 7-1 in his last 8 starts.
- His .202 opponent average ranks third in the NL behind Marcus Stroman/CHC (.191) and Spencer Strider/ATL (.193).
LAST START: Earned his fi fth consecutive win on June 9 @ Tigers (3 ER in 6.1 IP, 5 K).
VS. PHILLIES: Is 1-1 with a 1.98 ERA (3 ER in 13.2 IP) in 2 starts… last faced the Phillies on Aug. 5, 2019 @ Chase Field…allowed 4 runs (3 earned) in 6.0 IP.
NL RANKINGS: Ranks among NL starters in wins (T-1st, 8), ERA (4th, 2.92) and WHIP (10th, 1.10).
PITCH TRACKING: Opposing batters are hitting .129 (9-for-70) with 23 strikeouts on his changeup, .171 (7-for-41) with 13 strikeouts on his cutter and .188 (3-for-16) with 7 strikeouts on his slider.
LEAD OFF SUCCESS: When leading off an inning, holding batters to a .187 average (14-for-75) with 22 strikeouts.
VS. LEFT AND RIGHT: Limiting lefties to a .181 average (25-for 138) with 41 strikeouts and righties to a .224 average (30 for-134) with 41 strikeouts.
KEEP ‘EM CHASING : His 33.6 out-of-zone swing percentage is a career-high.
RUN SUPPORT : Is 4-1 with a 3.05 ERA (13 ER in 38.1 IP) when the D-backs score 3-5 runs and 4-0 with a 2.70 ERA (7 ER in 23.1 IP) when they score 6 or more runs.
