WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
No team release available.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME #81 RECAP: The Phillies fell to the Nationals, 2-1, in front of 44,261 on Fireworks Night in South Philly … Starter Cristopher Sanchez (L, 0-2) turned in a quality start as he went 6.0 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 ER) on 7 hits with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts … 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 Sanchez.
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 18-6 (.750 win %) with a +38-run differential (117-79) and enter today five games over .500 at 43-38 … 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 24 games with him as manager (6/3-28/22), they went 17-7 (.708 win %) with a +32-run differential (125-93) … Since Thomson was hired on June 3, 2022, the Phillies are 108-84 and their .563 winning percentage ranks T-6th in MLB (with NYY), behind only ATL (.681), LAD (.641), HOU (.611), BAL (.577) and TB (.577).
I’M GIVING IT MY ALL: The Phillies have won seven of their last eight series (since 6/3: 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 vs CHI) … Over the last three seasons (2021-23), the Phillies went 49-28 in the month of June and their .636 winning percentage is 2nd among all MLB clubs, behind only ATL (.688) … Over the last two seasons (since 2022), the Phillies went 37-16 in June and their .698 winning % is 2nd in MLB, trailing only ATL (.808).
LUCK BE A BALL IN PLAY TODAY: Phils starter Zack Wheeler has a 2.77 FIP this year which ranks 3rd among all pitchers in MLB, trailing only Kevin Gausman (2.54 FIP) and Zac Gallen (2.74 FIP) … However, Wheeler carries a 3.86 ERA into play today which ranks 35th in MLB – Wheeler’s 1.08 discrepancy between ERA and FIP is the fifth largest of any pitcher in MLB this season … Wheeler has allowed the most hits (26) of any starter in MLB with an exit velocity of 80 MPH or less … On balls in play 80 MPH or less against Wheeler this season, opponents are hitting .342 which is the second highest of 77 starters who have allowed at least 50 balls in play at 80 MPH or less … The league average on balls in play under 80 MPH is .228.
LEADING THE CHARGE: Thursday night, on the first pitch of the game, Kyle Schwarber blasted his 25th career leadoff home run and his fifth in the month of June – he is the first player in Phillies franchise history with five leadoff home runs in any single month during one season – he is also the first MLB player with five or more leadoff home runs in any single month since he did so himself in June of 2021 with WSH (7 leadoff HR) … Since joining the Phillies, Schwarber has hit 12 leadoff home runs in the regular season – the Phils are 10-2 in those games (.833 win %) and they have won each of the last seven when he has done so (since 10/1/22 at WSH, gm 2) … Schwarber was inserted back into the leadoff spot on June 2 at WSH – since then, he has posted an .886 OPS in 117 plate appearances and the Phillies have gone 18-7 (.720 win %).
BEDLAM AT THE BANK: The Phils are 21-15 in 36 games at Citizens Bank Park this year and their .583 winning percentage at home ranks 8th in MLB and 4th in the NL, behind ATL (.651), LAD (.615) and MIA (.610) … Philadelphia’s 36 games played at home so far this year are the fewest in MLB … Through 36 games at CBP, the Phillies are averaging 39,445 in attendance per game which ranks 5th among all clubs in MLB behind only the Dodgers (48,082), Cardinals (41,197), Yankees (40,836) and Padres (39,925) … Of Philadelphia’s first 36 games at home, 19 have been sellouts (53%) and 27 have been over 35,000 (75%) … Among all clubs in MLB, the Phillies have the largest year-to-year increase in attendance per game this season at +11,233 (up from 28,212 per game through 36 home games in 2022) … The Guardians rank 2nd behind the Phillies with a +5,835 jump in attendance per game and the Pirates are the closest NL club with a +4,932 spike in attendance per game.
SAVING GRACE: Right-hander Craig Kimbrel is 12-for-12 in save opportunities this season and he has struck out 53 of the 133 batters he has faced (39.8%) … Kimbrel (1,151 SO) is in sole possession of 8th place in strikeouts among relievers since at least 1893 – Next up is Lindy McDaniel who is in 7th place with 1,164 … On May 26, Kimbrel earned the 400th save of his ML career and became only the eighth player in the history of MLB to reach 400 saves.
HOLIDAY BONUS: This Tuesday, the Phillies will play on July 4th in Tampa against the Rays … It will be their first summer holiday at work since Memorial Day 2022 (5/30/22 vs SF at CBP) … Prior to this July 4th, the Phillies had been off for three straight summer holidays: July 4th, 2022, Labor Day 2022 (9/5/22) and Memorial Day 2023 (5/29/23) … Last year marked only the sixth time in franchise history the Phillies did not play a game on July 4th and the first since 1916 (not counting 2020 pandemic season or 1981 strike season) … The Phillies are scheduled to play the Padres in San Diego on Labor Day 2023 (9/4/23).
NATITUDE PROBLEM: Since 2020, the Phillies are 38-14 (.731 win%) in 52 games against the Nats with a +111-run differential (325-214) … Philadelphia’s .731 winning percentage against the Nats since 2020 ranks 2nd among all MLB teams against any single opponent in that span (min. 50 G) – only the Dodgers have a better win % against the Diamondbacks (41-15, .732) … Since July 29, 2021 (game 2), the Phillies have won 26 of their last 31 games against Washington (.839 win %) -that includes a 10-2 record here at CBP and a 16-3 record at Nats Park … In those 31 games, the Phillies are slashing .286/.363/.538 with a .901 OPS – they have hit 66 home runs (2.1 HR per game) and have scored 215 runs (6.9 runs per game) … The Phils haven’t lost a series to the Nationals since June 22-23, 2021, at CBP (0-2) and they haven’t lost a series in the nation’s capital since Sept. 21-23, 2020 (1-3).
TODAY’S STARTER – ZACK WHEELER RHP #45
2023: 6-4, 3.76 ERA Career: 80-61, 3.45 ERA
LAST START: 6/25 vs NYM (ND, W, 7-6): 5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, HR, 2 BB, HB, 8 SO … The Phillies defeated the New York Mets, 7-6, in a wild one at Citizens Bank Park as they took two of three from their division foe … Down 6-3 in the 8th, the Phillies scored four runs in the frame on 1 hit, 3 walks, 2 hit batters and an error … Per Elias, it marked the first time in the Expansion Era (since 1961) any MLB team won a game after trailing by 3+ runs in the 8th inning or later, by scoring the tying and go-ahead runs on hit by pitches.
TODAY’S START:
Chasing the Cy: Wheeler ranks 2nd in the NL among pitchers this year in fWAR at 3.2 and he trails only ARI’s Zac Gallen (3.3 fWAR) … Per Statcast, Wheeler has a 3.31 xERA (expected ERA) which ranks T-3rd in the NL (also Strider), compared to Gallen’s 3.80 xERA which ranks 13th in the NL … The chart below shows Wheeler through the first 16 starts of 2023 and 2021, when he fell a few votes shy of winning his first ever Cy Young Award.
WHEELER – 2023 vs 2021 Through First 16 Starts
Season fWAR K% BB% ERA FIP SO/BB WHIP OPS
2023 3.2 26.8% 5.6% 3.86 2.77 4.82 1.18 .651
2021 3.8 31.2% 6.0% 2.20 2.40 5.20 0.97 .550
Luck Be A Ball In Play Today: Wheeler has a 2.77 FIP this season which is lower than his mark last year (2.89) when he posted a 2.82 ERA … This season, Wheeler has a 3.86 ERA and his 1.08 discrepancy between ERA and FIP is the 5th-largest of any pitcher in MLB … Wheeler’s 2.77 FIP ranks 3rd among all pitchers in MLB, trailing only Kevin Gausman (2.54 FIP) and Zac Gallen (2.74 FIP) … Wheeler’s 2.77 FIP would be the second lowest of his career, short of only a 2.59 FIP he posted in 2021 when he finished 2nd in National League Cy Young voting
Whiffs: Wheeler is running a whiff rate of 30% or greater on three different pitches this year: Sweeper (42.9%), 4-seam fastball (31.8%) and Curveball (31.5%)
The Gift That Keeps on Giving: Since he signed with the Phillies as a free agent, Wheeler ranks 1st among all pitchers in MLB in fWAR (since 2020) at 16.5 and he leads Kevin Gausman who ranks 2nd at 15.6 by almost a full win – Corbin Burnes ranks 3rd (15.5), Aaron Nola 4th (14.4) and Max Scherzer 5th (12.8)
Statcast Rankings: 97th percentile in extension, 88th percentile in walk rate, 87th percentile in fastball spin & average exit velocity, 82nd percentile in barrel rate and fastball velocity, 79th percentile in xSLG, 77th percentile in curve spin and 71st percentile in SO rate
Pitch Usage: 4-seam fastball (40.8%), Slider (17.8%), Sinker (17.1%), Sweeper (12.9%), Curveball (11.3%), Changeup (0.1%) CBP
2023: 1-2, 3.72 ERA (20 ER, 48.1 IP), 53 SO, 14 BB in 8 GS
Career: 21-11, 2.57 ERA (97 ER, 340.1 IP), 347 SO, 75 BB in 53 GS
As a Phil: 18-10, 2.46 ERA (81 ER, 296.1 IP), 309 SO, 60 BB in 46 GS
2023 SEASON:
Took a no-hitter into the 8th inning on 6/8 vs DET which was the longest no-hit bid of his career (previous: 6.1 innings on 7/30/13 vs MIA)
Reached 10 years of ML service on Sunday (6/11) vs LAD
Recorded his 18th career double-digit strikeout game and 10th as a Phillie on 5/27 at ATL
Racked up a career-high 23 swings and misses on 4/23 vs COL
Made his 200th career start on 4/23 vs COL
