PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME #85 RECAP: The Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 8-4, at the Trop in St. Pete … Starter Taijuan Walker went 7.0 innings and allowed 4 runs on 5 hits with 5 walks and 8 strikeouts … The Phils had 20 baserunners on the night (17 H, 3 BB) and put 19 balls in play over 95 MPH which matched a season high (also 7/2 and 4/16) … Bryson Stott went 4-for-5 and J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm each had three hits … The Phillies handed the Rays only their second series loss at home this season.
THE STREAK: The Phillies have won 11 straight games on the road which is the third-longest road winning streak in franchise history … The longest road winning streak in franchise history was a 13-game streak from April 17-June 2, 1976 – the second-longest road winning streak was a 12-game stretch that spanned two seasons from Sept. 15, 1887-April 25, 1888 … When this current streak started, the Phillies were 10 games under .500 on the road at 13-23 and they are now the first team in MLB history to be at least 10 games under .500 on the road before running off an 11-game winning streak to get over .500 … Philadelphia’s 11-game road winning streak is the longest in MLB this season and the longest since St. Louis won 11 straight on the road from Sept. 13-26, 2021 … Dating back to June 3, the Phillies have won 13 of 14 on the road which is tied for their best 14-game span on the road since at least 1901 (3x in 1976, 1x in 1975 & 1x in 1908).
AMERICA’S TEAM: The Phils have won 11 straight games against the American League which is their longest Interleague winning streak in franchise history (previous was 5 G, 2x: 6/21-29/03 and 9/1/97- 6/6/98) … The streak, which began on May 7, has included wins over BOS (1), TOR (2), DET (3), OAK (3) and TB (2) … Philadelphia’s current 11-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 … The Phillies are the only team in MLB history with a 10-game Interleague winning streak and a 10-game road winning streak in the same season.
I’M GIVING IT MY ALL: The Phillies have won eight of their last ten 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 & 2-0 at TB) … Over the last two months of June and July combined, the Phillies are 28 games over .500 at 55-27 (.671 win %).
ARMS RACE: Over the last 28 games (since 6/3), the Phillies’ starting rotation has gone 15-4 with a 2.67 ERA (49 ER, 165.1 IP) with 177 strikeouts to 44 walks (4.02 SO/BB ratio) – they have faced 663 batters and held them to a .611 OPS … The staff has gone at least 6.0 innings in 19 of those 28 games and at least 7.0 innings in nine of 28 … Further, the rotation has allowed 1 ER or none in 19 of those 28 games (68%) … Philadelphia’s starters lead the National League in fWAR at 9.8 (next: SD, 8.1) and they rank 2nd in MLB behind only MIN (10.5) … Philadelphia’s bullpen ranks 3rd in the NL and 6th in MLB with 3.2 fWAR … Philadelphia’s starters and relievers have combined for 13.0 fWAR which leads MLB (next: MIN, 12.8) and is more than two full wins clear of the next closest NL club (MIA, 10.8 fWAR).
SECOND TO NONE: Second baseman Bryson Stott had a career-high tying four hits last night (other: 6/8/22 at MIL) and raised his season average to .304 … The left-hand hitting Stott is slashing .325/.380/.434 off left-handed pitchers this year and his .325 AVG against southpaws ranks 6th among all left-handed hitters in MLB and 3rd in the NL behind Luis Arraez (.382) and Cody Bellinger (.333).
ON THE PLUS SIDE: The Phillies currently have seven players with an OPS+ (league average is 100) of 105 or greater (min. 200 PA): Nick Castellanos (134 OPS+), Bryce Harper (123), Brandon Marsh (119), Bryson Stott (110), Alec Bohm (109), J.T. Realmuto (107) and Kyle Schwarber (105) … Among all clubs, Philadelphia’s total of seven players with an OPS+ of 105 or better ranks T-3rd (with TB) and trails only Atlanta and Texas, who both have eight players with an OPS+ of 105 or better … For context, last season the Phillies had five players with an OPS+ of 105 or better: Harper (146 OPS+), Schwarber (131), Realmuto (130), Hoskins (123) and Segura (105) … The last time a Phillies team had seven or more players post an OPS+ of 105 or better was 2002 (also 7): Abreu, Burrell, Giambi, Ledee, Lieberthal, Polanco, Rolen.
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 21-7 (.750 win %) with a +58-run differential (151-93) and enter tonight a season-best seven games over .500 at 46-39 … 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 28 games with him as manager (6/3-7/2/22), they went 19-9 (.679 win %) with a +40-run differential (151-111) … Since Thomson was hired on June 3, 2022, the Phillies are 111-85 and their .566 winning percentage ranks 5th in MLB, behind only ATL (.684), LAD (.635), HOU (.616) and BAL (.572).
TONIGHT’S STARTER – CRISTOPHER SÁNCHEZ • LHP #61
2023: 0-2, 3.26 ERA Career: 3-4, 4.88 ERA
LAST START: 6/30 vs WSH: L, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 1 BB, 6 SO … Sánchez vs Gray … The Phillies fell to the Nationals, 2-1, in front of 44,261 on Fireworks Night in South Philly … Down 2-1 in the 6th, the Phillies had their chances … 1st and 3rd nobody out in the 6th and then again in the 7th following Alec Bohm’s leadoff double but both times they could not bring the tying run across … Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm and Andrew Vasquez made scoreless appearances in relief of Sánchez.
TONIGHT’S START:
- Pitch Usage: Sinker (53.4%), Changeup (24.0%), Slider (22.6%).
- Tonight: Will be making his 5th start of the year, a new career-high, surpassing his 3 starts during the 2022 season.
- Strangers: Sánchez has never faced the Rays. 2 of the 4 opponents he has already faced this season were also for the first time in his career (COL & OAK).
- Trust: Sánchez has thrown more than 2.0 IP in 18 of his 26 career ML appearances, with all but 7 of the multi-inning appearances in relief … He has a 3.82 ERA (27 ER, 63.2 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 AL East: 1-0, 6.75 ERA (3 ER, 4.0 IP) in 2 games.
ROAD:
- 2023: 0-0, 0.00 ERA (4.0 IP) in 1 start.
- Career: 1-1, 1 SV, 5.81 ERA (17 ER, 26.1 IP) in 10 games (1 start).
TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:
TROP FLOPS — The Rays lost their season-high fourth straight game on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field, falling to the Phillies by an 8-4 final…it marked just their second time this season dropping back-to-back home games (also 4/25-26)…the Rays jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a two-run double off the bat of 2B Brandon Lowe (2-for3, 2 2B, 2RBI, BB)…C Francisco Mejía added an RBI-single to snap an 0-for-13 skid and 1B Luke Raley (1-for-3, HR, RBI, R, BB) lauched his 15th homer to give the Rays a 4-3 lead after three innings, but the Phillies pushed across five runs over the fifth through seventh frames to take a commanding 8-4 lead.
RHP Zack Littell (2.0IP, 4H, 2ER, 2SO) made his second start of the season as an opener before giving way to RHP Yonny Chirinos (2.2IP, 8H, 3ER, SO), who matched his shortest appearance of the season (also 4/18 at CIN)…the Rays fell to 10-9 in games when they use an opener.
The Rays suffered just their second series loss at home (also 4/24-26 vs. HOU), snapping a streak of nine consecutive unbeaten home series (7-0-2)…they are the only team in the majors that has not suffered a home losing streak of 3+ games.
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY — Tampa Bay is on its first losing streak of 4+ games since a five-game skid to conclude the 2022 season (10/1-5, 2022)…the Rays have lost seven of 12, eight of 14, and 10 of their last 16 games…their 6-10 (.375) record since 6/17 is tied with Oakland for fourth worst in the majors in the span, ahead of only Colorado (4-12, .250), Los Angeles-AL (6-12, .294) and Pittsburgh (6-12, .333)…the Rays are batting .321 with runners in scoring position in that stretch (since 6/17), third best in the majors behind Miami (.344) and Houston (.322), but their rotation has registered a 6.12 ERA (75.0IP, 51ER), the worst mark in the AL over that timeframe.
The Rays are one of three teams, along with Arizona and Baltimore, that have not been swept in a series in 2023…there have been two instances in which the Rays dropped the first two games of a three-game set (4/14-15 at TOR; 5/29-30 at CHC), but they won the series finale both times…with a loss today, Tampa Bay would be swept for the first time since 10/3-5, 2022 at Boston…it would mark their first sweep at the hands of an NL club since 8/9-10, 2022 at Milwaukee (2G).
After winning 30 of its first 36 games at Tropicana Field to open the season, Tampa Bay has gone just 4-6 over its last 10 home games dating back to 6/10 despite recording a positive run differential (+1, 52-51) in that span.
SOUTHPAW SUCCESS — The Rays are an MLB-best 12-4 (.750) against left-handed starters, ahead of Atlanta (13-5, .722) and Baltimore (17-10, .630)…this includes a 9-1 mark at Tropicana Field, with the lone loss coming on 5/27 vs. LAD Clayton Kershaw…as a team, Tampa Bay ranks among MLB leaders vs. southpaws in OPS (3rd, .814), SLG (3rd, .477), AVG (5th, .278), homers (T6th, 29) and OBP (8th, .336)…Tampa Bay has won four of its last five games against left-handed starting pitchers dating back to 5/31 vs. Chicago-NL.
Harold Ramírez is batting .389 (21-for-54) against left-handed pitchers, the highest mark in the majors (min. 50AB), ahead of ATL Ozzie Albies (.395)…since the beginning of 2022, his .373 (63-for-169) batting average vs. LHP leads MLB (min. 150AB), outpacing STL Paul Goldschmidt (.352).
Yandy Díaz is batting .522 (12-for-23) against southpaws over his last 22 games dating back to 6/9, the highest mark in the majors in that span (min. 20AB), ahead of CLE Amed Rosario (.426).
NUKE RALEY — Luke Raley has reached base safely in 35 of his last 39 starts since 5/6, slashing .308/.396/.600 (40-for-130) with 10 doubles, two triples, 8 HR and 20 RBI…his .993 OPS overall in that span ranks fourth in the AL (min. 150PA) behind LAA Shohei Ohtani (1.117), TEX Corey Seager (1.025) and CWS Luis Robert Jr. (1.019)…he has recorded an RBI in six of his last seven games, going .333/.448/.792 (8-for-24) in that span with two doubles, three homers and 8 RBI.
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING — The Rays concluded June with the most home runs (128) and stolen bases (102) in the AL…they became the 10th team all-time to lead the AL in both categories at the end of June, including the first since the 2015 Houston Astros (Elias).
Tampa Bay is now looking to become just the sixth team in AL history to lead the league in homers and steals at the All-Star break since the Midsummer Classic’s inception in 1933…they would join the the 2015 Astros, 1984 Oakland Athletics, 1962 Detroit Tigers and both the 1955 and 1956 New York Yankees.
THE GANG VISITS THE TROP — The Rays and Phillies wrap up their 13th all-time series tonight at Tropicana Field…the Rays had won a club-record seven straight games over the Phillies dating back to 9/25/20 prior to the current series…their 22-14 (.611) all-time record against Philadelphia marks their second-best winning pct. against any opponent, trailing only San Diego (15-9, .625)…yesterday’s loss dropped the Rays to 8-5-0 all-time vs. the Phillies in series play…this marks Tampa Bay’s first series defeat to Philadelphia since 4/13-15, 2018 at Tropicana Field.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP SHAWN ARMSTRONG (0-0, 1.15)
UNFAMILIAR ROLE — RHP Shawn Armstrong will make his fifth career start, including his second this season…in his lone start this year on 6/7 vs. Minnesota, Armstrong threw 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with no walks and one strikeout.
In his previous four career starts, Armstrong has posted an 0.93 ERA (9.2IP, 1ER), striking out seven batters against one walk while holding opponents to a .182 (6-for-33) average.
STRONG START — Since his activation from the 60-day injured list on 6/3, Armstrong has pitched to a 1.15 ERA (15.2IP, 2ER), holding opponents to a .211 (12-for-57) AVG across 12 appearances (one start).
FACING THE ‘PHILS — Armstrong has made four career relief appearances against Philadelphia, going 1-0 with a 3.18 (5.2IP, 2ER)…in his last outing against the Phillies on 4/16/22, Armstrong allowed two runs (none earned) on one hit and one walk with zero strikeouts.
PITCH MIX — Armstrong utilizes his four-seam fastball 24.3 pct. of the time and has yet to allow a hit on the offering, limiting opponents to an 0-for17 mark…11 of his 15 strikeouts have come on the four-seamer this year… in 2022, he threw his four-seam fastball 28.9 pct. of the time and held opponents to a .197 (15-for-76) clip….
His sinker, which he uses 27.9 pct of the time, has also been an effective offering, as he is holding opponents to a .111 (1-for-9) clip.
Batters have found the most success on Armstrong’s cutter, a pitch he utilizes 36.8 pct. of the time…opponents are batting .348 (8-for23) with a double and a home run off the cutter.
