Phillies’ upcoming schedule filled with difficult pitching matchups
The Phillies’ up-and-down offense is about to begin a challenging two-week stretch in which nearly every starting pitcher they face is a good one.
In Wednesday’s middle game against the Mariners, they draw 25-year-old right-hander Logan Gilbert, who was moved back a day after feeling spasms in his shoulder. Gilbert has a 3.24 ERA in 36 starts since 2022. His slider, curveball and splitter have held opponents to a .179 batting average this season, and he’s walked just four in four starts.
Thursday, the Phils face another 25-year-old righty in George Kirby. Like Gilbert, he has a 95 mph average fastball with a deep mix of secondary stuff. He has a quick, compact delivery and his control is already among the best in baseball.
After the homestand ends, the Phillies have three games in Houston and three at Dodger Stadium. In Houston, they’ll see Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier. Valdez beat them twice in the World Series, including the Game 6 clincher. Javier no-hit them for six innings in Game 4.
In Los Angeles, the Phils are scheduled to see Julio Urias and Dustin May. Urias (3.33 ERA) is doing what he normally does, limiting runs and baserunners while rarely being extended beyond six innings by the Dodgers. May (3.07 ERA) has stayed out of the middle of the plate and induced a lot of weak contact.
After Houston and L.A., the Phillies have a quick five-game homestand against the Red Sox and Blue Jays. They line up to face another ace in the Toronto series, Kevin Gausman.
This is a far cry from the pitching staffs the Phillies just faced. The Rockies, Reds and White Sox all rank in the bottom six of baseball in ERA.
It’s a stretch of games that will provide an indication of where the Phillies are offensively. Through 24 games, they’ve collected hits but not necessarily runs, beginning the series against Seattle with seven regulars hitting at least .290 and ranking third as a team in batting average and OPS but middle of the pack in runs scored.
Bryce Harper might return in Los Angeles or when the Phillies return home if he is medically cleared by Dr. Neil ElAttrache during the first few days of May. When Harper does rejoin the team, it will elongate a lineup that could go nine-deep on some nights with lefties and righties alternating. One potential batting order would be:
1. Bryson Stott, 2B (L)
2. Trea Turner, SS
3. Bryce Harper, DH (L)
4. Nick Castellanos, RF
5. Kyle Schwarber, LF (L)
6. J.T. Realmuto, C
7. Brandon Marsh, CF (L)
8. Alec Bohm, 1B
9. Edmundo Sosa, 3B
Sosa, who homered Tuesday off of left-hander Marco Gonzales, seems to have carved out an everyday role for now. Wednesday was the fifth consecutive game he started and his third straight against a right-handed pitcher. He’s hit .313/.340/.586 with 10 doubles, a triple and five home runs in 107 plate appearances as a Phillie.
