Matt Strahm pitches five more scoreless innings in Phillies win over Marlins
All right, if there had been a prop bet to pick the two Phillies starting pitchers with the lowest earned run averages after the second time through the rotation this season, who would have rolled with Matt Strahm and Bailey Falter?
Besides, maybe, Strahm himself.
Asked after pitching five more shutout innings in Monday night’s 15-3 whupping of the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park, keeping his ERA at 0.00, if he had surprised even himself, he didn’t hesitate.
“I guess not. No,” he said with a grin.
No offense, but he might be the only one. He hadn’t started a game in the last two years. The Phillies are his third team in three seasons. He’s 31 years old and in the rotation only because Ranger Suarez is on the injured list.
Yet, here he is, having not given up a run in nine innings over two starts so far. Against the Marlins, he allowed four hits, walked one and struck out six in five innings.
“He was really good,” said manager Rob Thomson. “He still had pitches left, but that was the first time he’s gotten up five times in a game and because of the length of the innings, how much we were hitting, we didn’t want to risk sending him out for the sixth time.”
The fact that he could have pitched even deeper into the game was important because the Phillies’ bullpen has been taxed in the early going. The arms that have been carrying the load so far needed a night off. And they got it because Strahm pitched so well and because the lineup produced five runs in the third and four more in both the fifth and sixth. That meant the manager was able to navigate the last four innings using just McKinley Moore, who made his major-league debut, and Andrew Vasquez.
“I’m aware of that,” Strahm said. “I’ve been down in the bullpen when you have a starter who’s on a pitch count and I know how frustrating that can be. So just attack the hitters, throw the ball over the plate and get them out because our bullpen has been working a lot.”
Falter’s ERA is 2.61. Of the Big Three — Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker — the lowest is Wheeler’s 5.59. Of course, because it’s so early, one or two good starts can improve those numbers dramatically. As a matter of fact, both Wheeler and Nola were markedly more successful in their second starts than their first.
Asked for his takeaway after two times through the rotation, Thomson said: “I think we’re still building pitch counts. We’re still building velocities. Still building command. But I think we’re heading in the right direction.”
Suarez is scheduled to begin his rehab assignment Tuesday night for Triple A Lehigh Valley and pitch three innings. If he has no setbacks, the Phillies may have to make a decision soon about who he’ll replace in the bullpen.
Strahm insisted he isn’t worrying about that. “I love pitching. It doesn’t matter when. I just love pitching,” he said.
