PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME #12 RECAP: The Phillies fell to the Miami Marlins, 3-2, in extra innings at CBP in South Philly … Starter Zack Wheeler (ND) went 6.0 innings and allowed only 1 run on 3 hits with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts … Jose Alvarado followed Wheeler and after striking out his 11th consecutive batter, he allowed a game-tying solo home run to Jorge Soler … Bryson Stott had another multi-hit game as did Trea Turner.
RE-START: Over their last eight starts (since 4/4), the Phillies’ starting rotation has posted a 2.81 ERA (13 ER, 41.2 IP) … The starting staff has allowed three runs or fewer in seven of those eight starts, two runs or fewer in six of eight, and one run or none in four of eight … Over their first four games of the season (3/30- 4/3), the rotation posted a 7.64 ERA (15 ER, 17.2 IP) … Overall, the rotation has combined for a 4.25 ERA (28 ER, 59.1 IP) which ranks 6th among all NL starting staffs.
RUNNING DOWN A DREAM: Through 12 games, the Phillies are a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts and they are one of three major league clubs with 10 or more steals without a caught stealing (others: CWS, 13-for-13 and OAK, 10-for-10) … Trea Turner and Bryson Stott lead the club with three steals each … Dating back to last season, Stott has swiped seven straight bases without being caught (last CS was 9/16/22 at ATL) and Turner has been successful in his last eight tries (last CS was on 9/5/22 vs SF) … As a club, the Phillies are 20 for their last 21 in stolen base attempts (since 9/30/22) – that single caught stealing was on Oct. 3, 2022 at HOU when J.T. Realmuto was nabbed for the first time all year after starting 21-for-21 in steals.
LAW OF AVERAGES: Through 12 games, the Phillies have a .282 AVG and 118 hits (9.8 per game) which are the most through the first 12 games of a season for a Phillies club since 2011 (129 hits through 12 G) … Among all Phillies clubs in the modern era (since 1900), 118 hits through 12 games ranks 21st … For context, last year’s club had 98 hits through their first 12 games (8.2 per game) and a .251 average … Philadelphia’s .282 AVG through their first 12 games ranks 16th in the modern era among Phillies clubs (best: .315 AVG in 1953).
GREAT STOTT!: INF Bryson Stott has hit safely in all 12 games this season and has multiple hits in nine of those 12 games, including each of the last five (since 4/8) … Stott is 8-for-19 off left-handers (.421 AVG) and 13-for-31 off right-handers (.419 AVG) … Stott is the first Phillies player to hit safely in 12 straight to begin a season since Puddin’ Head Jones (16 G) in 1950 … Additionally, Stott is the first MLB player with nine multi-hit games in his first 12 games of a season since Matt Carpenter did so in 2015 (also 9 of first 12) … Stott is the first Phillies player with nine multi-hit games in his first 12 games since Jeff Stone in 1984 (also 9 of 12).
SAINT NICK: Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos picked up his fifth outfield assist yesterday in his ninth game in right field this season … Per Elias, Castellanos is the first Phillies outfielder to reach five assists in so few games in the expansion era (since 1961) and he is the first MLB outfielder to reach five assists in so few games since MIL’s Matt Mieske in 1997 (also 5 OF assists in 9 games) … Castellanos leads MLB in outfield assists (next: Acuna, Teoscar Hernandez and James Outman T-2nd with 3) and he ranks T-6th among ML outfielders in defensive runs saved (DRS) with three, tied with TOR’s Kevin Kiermaier and MIL’s Christian Yelich … At the plate, Castellanos had seven doubles through his first 10 games played and became only the fourth Phillies player with seven or more doubles through 10 games in the modern era (since 1900), joining John Kruk in 1993 (7 2B), Bake McBride in 1981 (8 2B) and Puddin’ Head Jones in 1949 (7 2B).
CASTY’S BACK, TELL A FRIEND: In 109 career games at Great American Ball Park, Nick Castellanos is slashing .315/.371/.644 with a 1.015 OPS in 456 plate appearances … He has 64 extra-base hits (27 2B, 2 3B, 35 HR) in those 109 games … There have been 49 major league players with at least 400 plate appearances in the history of Great American Ball Park (since 2003), and of those 49, Castellanos’ .644 SLG ranks 1st (next: Rich Aurilla, .559 SLG) and his 1.015 OPS ranks 1st (next: Shin-soo Choo, .960 OPS) … Among all active players in MLB (min. 400 PA) in any single ballpark, Castellanos’ OPS in this building ranks 6th behind Mike Trout at T-Mobile Park (1.143), Corey Dickerson at Coors Field (1.081), Aaron Judge at Yankee Stadium (1.029), Joey Votto at Wrigley Field (1.025) and Trout at Angel Stadium (1.023) … Castellanos’ .644 SLG at GABP ranks 3rd among all active players in any ballpark (min. 400 PA) behind only Trout at T-Mobile (.708 SLG) and Dickerson at Coors (.669 SLG) … Castellanos has hit safely in seven straight games at GABP (since 9/24/21) and over his last 60 games (since 5/2/21), he is slashing .363/.410/.686 in 251 plate appearances at GABP.
STRIKE ONE, STRIKE TWO, GOOD LUCK: Yesterday, LHP Jose Alvarado became the first major league relief pitcher in the expansion era (since 1961) to strike out 11 consecutive batters in a single season … Eric Gagne (2003) and Chad Green (2019) were the only two to reach 10 straight, prior to Alvarado … Alvarado extended his career-best scoreless streak to 18.2 innings yesterday before Jorge Soler hit a solo home run to end the scoreless streak (began on 8/26/22) … Alvarado has multiple strikeouts in each of his last 12 appearances (since 9/13/22), and in that span, has 29 strikeouts to just one walk in 13.0 total innings pitched with a 64.4% strikeout rate (45 batters faced) … Alvarado has faced 19 batters this season – he has struck out 13 of them without allowing a walk.
NEW TONIGHT, AT (THE) 6: On 12/8/22, the Phillies signed SS Trea Turner to an 11-year contract, taking him through the 2033 season … Last year with LAD, Turner was selected as an All-Star for the second time in his career, was named All-MLB First Team and won his first career Louisville Silver Slugger Award after slashing .298/.343/.466 with a 121 OPS+ and 27 steals in 30 attempts … Per Statcast, his average sprint speed of 30.3 feet per second ranked 5th out of 582 qualified players … In 2021, Turner led the majors in AVG (.328) and hits (195), led the NL in stolen bases (32) and total bases (319) and posted a career-best 6.8 fWAR (FanGraphs) which ranked 3rd among all ML position players.
TONIGHT’S STARTER – BAILEY FALTER • LHP #70
LAST START: 4/8 vs CIN: 5.0 IP, 4 H, R, ER, 2 SO, HR … Falter vs Lodolo … The Phillies defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 3-2, in walk-off fashion at Citizens Bank Park … The Phillies entered the 9th inning down 2-0 with 15 strikeouts on the day … They proceeded to rally for 3 runs, capped by a Bryson Stott walk-off single that scored Brandon Marsh.
TONIGHT’S START:
• Walk It Out: Falter has not walked a batter in 2 starts this season, with his last start marking the 8th time in his last 10 starts he has not issued a walk (since 8/26/22) … In that span, he has walked only 4 of the 196 batters he has faced (2.0% walk rate), the lowest in MLB (min. 175 BF), and his 9.75 SO/BB ratio (39 SO) trails only Jacob deGrom (10.38) and Drew Rasmussen (10.25)… There have been only 5 other unique Phillies pitchers since at least 1901 to walk 4 or fewer in a span of 10 starts: Cliff Lee (8x, last: 9/6/13-4/21/14), Jon Lieber (4x, 2006-07), Rick Wise (3x, 1967-68), Snipe Hansen (1932-33) and Bill Duggleby (2x, 1921) … Michael Pineda (7/26/21-4/27/22) was the last ML starter to do so … Dating back to 6/17/22, Falter has issued 2 or fewer walks in 16 straight starts, including 1 or 0 in 11 of those
• Mark of Consistency: Since 7/29/22, Falter has gone 6-2 with a 2.94 ERA (20 ER, 61.1 IP), 1.06 WHIP (7 BB, 84 H) and an OPP slash line of .249/.277/.403 … He ranks 13th among all NL pitchers in ERA (min. 60.0 IP) in that span, percentage points behind today’s counterpart Nick Lodolo (2.93) … Removing his 6 ER in 3.2 IP on 9/24 vs ATL, he has a 2.18 ERA (14 ER, 57.2 IP) and 0.95 WHIP in that span • The Stopper: Made 8 starts for the Phillies after a loss in 2022 and in those starts had a 2.39 ERA (10 ER, 37.2 IP), allowing one or no runs in six of them, including each of his last five
• CIN City: Falter is facing CIN and Nick Lodolo for the second consecutive start … He has allowed just 2 ER in 10.2 IP against CIN in his career (1.69 ERA)
• Left Lost: Falter has allowed 7 hits to the last 51 LHH he has faced (dating to the middle of 7/7/22 vs WSH), a .137 OPP AVG
• vs NL Central: 1-1, 4.75 ERA (19 ER, 36.1 IP) in 11 games (5 starts)
ROAD:
• 2023: 0-1, 3.38 ERA (2 ER, 5.1 IP) in 1 start
• Career: 5-2, 3.77 ERA (31 ER, 74.0 IP) in 23 games (11 starts)
2023 SEASON:
• Made his second career and consecutive Opening Day roster
CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
RED HOTS
• The Reds today returned from a rehabilitation assignment & reinstated from the 10-day injured list IF/OF Nick Senzel (#15) and optioned to Louisville OF Will Benson.
• Senzel is coming off a rehabilitation assignment with Louisville that began on 4/4 (7g, 2gs in CF, 2gs in LF, 2gs at 3B, 1gs at DH, 6-25, .240, 2 2b, 1hr, 3rbi, 1sb, 6bb, 7k, 1hbp, .846ops).
• On 11/14/22, Senzel had surgery to repair a sesamoid fracture in his left great toe.
TONIGHT’S GAME
• Is MLB.TV’s Free Game of the Day.
• Is Game 1 of a 4-game series vs Elyssa Kaplan’s Phillies and Game 1 of a 7-game homestand that includes an upcoming 3-game series vs the
American League East Division’s Tampa Bay Rays, who will play here for the second straight season.
• The Reds are coming off their first road trip of the season (1-5; 1-2 at Phi, 0-3 at Atl)…included Thu’s rainout of the Phillies’ home opener.
SERIES NOTES
• The Reds and Phillies are meeting for the second consecutive weekend.
• The Reds are 34-40 all-time vs Phi at Great American Ball Park, including 1-2 last season.
• Last weekend at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies earned a 2-1 series win in their first home games of the season.
• With a minimum of 50 games played, the Reds’ .328 winning percentage at Phi’s Citizens Bank Park (21-43) is their lowest at any road ballpark.
• The Reds went 3-14-2 in their 19 previous series vs the Phillies at CBP, their only series wins there in August 2006, May 2017 & August 2021.
• Since May 2014, the Reds have lost 19 of their last 27 games at CBP.
RAYS UP NEXT
• The Reds are 13-5 all-time vs the Rays, including 3-0 here last season and 7-2 overall in Cincinnati.
• The Reds’ 18 games vs the Rays are tied for their fourth-fewest vs any opponent in the American League (Orioles 15, Angels 16, Red Sox 17, Mariners 18, Rangers 19).
• Overall the Reds won 4 of the previous 6 series vs the Rays, including 3-game series sweeps in June 2003 at Tropicana Field, June 2005 at Great American Ball Park and July 2022 at GABP.
• Dating back to the 2014 season, the Reds have won the last 4 games vs TB at GABP, including last season’s 3-0 series sweep here in July.
REHABBING
• 1B Joey Votto is with Louisville on a rehabilitation assignment (9g, 8gs at 1B, 1gs at DH, 5-33, .152, 1 2b, solo HR, 4rbi, 6bb, 20k)…began his rehab on 4/1 at Nashville and hit a solo HR off Caleb Boushley on the first pitch he was thrown… on 8/19/22 had surgeries to repair the left biceps and torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder.
• RHP Tony Santillan is with Louisville on a rehabilitation assignment (3g, 0-1, 10.13, 2.2ip, 2h, 3er, 2bb, 4k, 1hr, .200baa)…Tue at Toledo suffered a blown save and the 7-3 Bats loss (0.2ip, 2h, 3er, 1bb, 1k, Jonathan Davis solo HR, 5bf, 22 pitches)…is recovering from a low back Pars stress fracture.
• RHP Luke Weaver (right elbow flexor strain) is with Louisville on a rehabilitation assignment…started and threw 4.0 hitless innings in Sun’s 8-1 loss vs Indianapolis (2bb, 4k, 14bf, 61 pitches)…is scheduled to pitch 5.0 innings tomorrow at Toledo.
• RHP Lucas Sims (low back spasms) is with Louisville on a rehabilitation assignment (2g, 0-0, 0.00, 2ip, 1h, 0r, 1bb, 3k, .143baa)…threw a scoreless fifth inning in Sun’s 8-1 loss vs Indianapolis (1h, 0bb, 1k, 4bf, 12 pitches)…threw a hitless fifth inning in last night’s 7-1 loss at Toledo (1bb, 2k, 4bf, 21 pitches).
Tonight’s Pitcher – #40 Nick Lodolo, LHP
• Tonight is making his third start of the season…will be his second straight start and fourth career apppearence vs the Phillies…also made last season’s 2 apps vs Phi in consecutive starts.
• Left Sat’s 3-2 loss at Citizens Bank Park with a 1-0 lead but became the victim of a blown save when the Phillies scored 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth off Alexis Díaz and Ian Gibaut…Lodolo’s career-high 12 strikeouts were the most by a Reds lefthander since Amir Garrett had 12 strikeouts on 4/19/17 vs Bal…was Lodolo’s third career game with at least 10 strikeouts…Lodolo became only the fourth Reds lefthander to record at least 7.0 scoreless innings with at least 12 strikeouts (Tom Hall on 5/14/72/g2 vs StL, Johnny Vander Meer 5 times, Rube Benton on 6/11/1915 vs Dodgers).
• Started the second game of the season and earned the 6-2 win vs the Pirates.
• In his 2022 Major League debut season received 2 third-place votes in the BBWAA’s Jackie Robinson Award voting for National League Rookie of the Year.
• In 2022 ranked among the National League rookie pitching leaders in ERA (4th, 3.66), wins (T5th, 4), strikeouts (3rd, 131), starts (T3rd, 19), innings pitched (5th, 103.1), opponents’ BA (4th, .235) and WHIP (3rd, 1.25).
• Led all Major League pitchers in hit batters (19), 4 shy of Jake Weimer’s 1907 single-season franchise record.
• Went 1-2, 5.52 in his first 3 career starts, but then from 4/28-7/4 missed 69 days and 61 games while on the injured list with a lower right back strain…was transferred from the 15- to the 60-day injured list on 6/21, when IF Donovan Solano came off the 60-day IL.
• Following 4 rehabilitation starts from 6/13-6/29 at ACL Reds (1gs) and Louisville (3gs), came off the injured list on 7/5 and finished the season 3-5, 3.35 over 16 starts.
• In his last 9 starts of the season beginning 8/17 went 1-3, 2.75 (55.2ip, 35h, 17er, 15bb, 67k, 6hr, .182baa, 0.90whip)…the Reds went 3-6 in those 9 starts.
• Beginning 8/17, finished the season ranked among the National League leaders in that span in starts (T3rd), innings pitched (T5th), ERA (8th), strikeouts (7th), opponents’ BA (4th) and WHIP (5th).
• On 9/9 at Mil (8ip, 0bb, 11k) and 9/14 vs Pit (6.1ip, 0bb, 11k) became only the second rookie since 1893, the year the pitching mound was moved to its current distance, to record in consecutive apps 0 walks and at least 11 strikeouts, joining Dwight Gooden (9/12 & 9/17, 1984, 16k vs Pit, 16k at Phi).
• Is only the third Reds rookie since 1900 to record in consecutive apps at least 11 strikeouts, joining Gary Nolan (6/1 & 6/7, 1967, 12k vs Cubs, 15k vs SF) and Bruce Berenyi (8/24 & 8/29, 1981, 12k vs NYM, 11k at NYM).
• Was selected by the Reds in the first round (7th overall) of the June 2019 first-year player draft…was signed by Paul Scott…was Texas Christian University’s highest-ever baseball draft pick.
