- The Phils salvaged a game in their weekend series with Milwaukee, beating the Brewers 4-3 on Sunday afternoon. The team finally played a little small ball, which paid dividends. In the 5th inning alone, when Philadelphia scored three runs, there was a bunt, a stolen base, a sacrifice fly and walk. When your'e not clutch with runners on base, as the Phillies have been all season, manufacturing runs is important. The team did it successfully on Sunday- will it continue?
- Even though things worked out yesterday I still think Siranthony Dominguez should be the closer, pitch one inning, which would be the 9th inning. I get it that Kapler is using Dominguez- his most reliable reliever- in key situations, a she did against Milwaukee. Dominguez pitched the 7th and 8th innings Who closes in the 9th? On Sunday it was Luis Garcia, who got the first two outs before almost choking and allowing the next two runners on base. Second and third, two outs, with Christian Yelch up.
Kapler brought in Tommy Hunter, who got Yalch to ground out to end the game. It worked, plus Kapler didn't walk the always-dangerous Yelch to get to Agholor, who had struck out four times before the 9th. I just think if Kapler continues on this slippery slope he will get burned sooner or later. Right now, the Phillies don't have a closer or a set-up guy. Hopefully when Pat Neshek returns he will be the set-up guy, and Dominguez will emerge as the closer.
- Zach Eflin again pitched well, striking out a career-tying 9 in six innings. He continues to hold onto one of the rotation spots, as both Valasquez and Pivetta struggle.
- It's really simple why the Phillies' defense is the worst in baseball. Too many guys out of position, expected to play new positions on a major league level. It's all analytics. Hoskins should be at first; Kingery at second; and Crawford at short. The catchers have been surprisingly bad. including six catcher's interference calls. This won't change until the do-nothing general manager makes some trades and gets guys back in their normal, more comfortable spots.
- It looks like, at least for now, Franco is benched and no longer in the future plans. He is only 25, yet Franco has had numerous chances to be the everyday third baseman. For the most part he has failed, and maybe a change of scenery is needed. If the Phillies sign Manny Machado after the season, he will probably play third. They drafted Alec Bohm, a third baseman from Wichita State, as their long-term future. So it looks like Franco is trade bait, either in July or during the off-season.
The club gained a game on both Atlanta and Washington, who lost on Sunday. The Phils are 3 games back as they begin a 3-game series with Colorado.
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