The ebbs and flows of 162 games might drive fans crazy. However, the Philadelphia Phillies have somehow maintained a stranglehold on the National League East.
They’ve reached Labor Day Weekend with a chance to bury the Atlanta Braves. They’ll look to answer the final questions of the 2024 regular season with just over one month remaining until Red October.
Will they earn home field advantage all the way through the World Series? Will Ranger Suarez and other banged-up contributors finish the season healthy? What in the world can they do with Taijuan Walker?
Phillies vs. Kansas City Royals
- Friday 8/23: Loss 7-4
- Saturday 8/24: Win 11-2
- Sunday 8/25: Win 11-3
Phillies vs. Houston Astros
- Monday 8/26: Win 3-2
- Tuesday 8/27: Win 5-0
- Wednesday 8/28: Loss 10-0
All stats as of the beginning of play on August 29
Phillies Sink A Pair of American League Contenders
The early lead the Phillies built in the NL East afforded them a cushion that took off the pressure and essentially permitted them to slip into a slow stretch after the MLB All-Star Break.
They entered the weekend set against the Royals with a 2-8-1 record in their previous 11 series. Intense criticism about their lack of urgency seemed to fly from all angles, except within the clubhouse.
Two series victories against legitimate American League contenders put the Phillies back on a winning track in great shape entering the final month of the season.
They recovered from a rough loss at Kauffman Stadium on Friday and took two of three from the Royals thanks to an offensive outburst. The lineup smacked 45 hits off the Royals in three games.
J.T. Realmuto carried the load in an 11-run slugfest on Saturday, and Nick Castellanos took the wheel on Sunday to duplicate the performance.
The rematch of the 2022 World Series came next at Citizens Bank Park. Bryce Harper bested Josh Hader with a walk-off single in the tenth inning of the series opener on Monday.
Aaron Nola sparkled in seven shutout innings in a 5-0 victory to clinch the series. Wednesday’s forgettable blowout helped Houston avoid the sweep, but the Phillies will happily take a series win over a franchise that’s reached the ALCS in seven consecutive postseasons.
Photo by Heather Barry/Getty Images
Ranger Suarez Solidifies Playoff Rotation
Much-needed reinforcements showed up in Kansas City. Ranger Suarez pitched on August 24 for the first time in over one month, and he looked poised to regain his footing as a key starter for a World Series contender.
The smooth lefty landed first-pitch strikes and showed good movement on his breaking pitches immediately. He faced somewhat of a jam in his fifth and final inning, but he punched out Kyle Isbel and Maikel Garcia to finish the night with only 72 pitches and one run allowed in a refreshing victory.
The Phillies slipped into malaise around the same time Ranger Suarez started dealing with back problems in late June and early July.
Their starting rotation didn’t carry them with the conviction that helped them to such a comfortable lead in the NL East early in the season.
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Cristopher Sanchez and Aaron Nola have also rebounded from minor midseason downturns. The Phillies know they can count on supreme competitor Zack Wheeler as their battle-tested ace.
If the strongest unit on the team runs four deep in Red October, the Phillies are as good as any team they’ll face.
A healthy Ranger Suarez significantly improves their World Series odds, and at least through one start, it appears they have their loveable lefty set for a long postseason run.
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
The Taijuan Walker Albatross
Rob Thomson and the Phillies faced an awkward decision this trip through the starting rotation. Taijuan Walker had given up six runs in just three innings in the only loss of the weekend at Kauffman Stadium.
Would they designate the 32-year-old for assignment and eat the remainder of his lucrative free agent deal with over $36 million in salary still left to pay?
Spot starters like Kolby Allard, Tyler Phillips, and Michael Mercado didn’t present realistic options. The Phillies decided to bump Walker up one day and give Cristopher Sanchez extra rest to take the ball in the series opener against the Braves.
The Astros absolutely pelted Walker for 13 hits in six innings on Wednesday. He left what could be his final outing with the Phillies in a 6-0 hole.
The veteran righty looked frustrated when the home broadcast showed him in the dugout, but there was no sense of anger at anyone but himself. He and the Phillies can continue public messaging with small positives, but they know his performance hasn’t been good enough.
Tyler Phillips will become eligible for a call-up after September 1. MLB rosters expand to 28 men the same day. The Phillies could also consider another try with Allard after September 10 or a few spot starts for Kyle Tyler.
They need at least one starter behind Wheeler, Nola, Suarez, and Sanchez to finish the regular season. If they used a regular five-man rotation, a fifth starter would pitch on September 3, 8, 14, 19, and 24.
Rob Thomson acknowledged that a conversation needs to take place about the plan for Walker’s spot in the rotation. He didn’t, however, commit to a decision.
The Phillies know Taijuan Walker isn’t suited for an MLB mound right now, and the organization faces a difficult and possibly expensive decision.
