Phillies Continue Playing Down To Expectations

GAME RECAP: Crew Crushed Phils 4-1

Chris Carter and Jonathan Villar homered, Chase Anderson delivered another effective start and the Brewers continued a winning streak at Citizens Bank Park that began long before that trio's tenure. It reached eight games over three seasons with Thursday's 4-1 win over the Phillies in the opener of a four-game series. Maikel Franco continued to torment Brewers pitchers with two hits, including his ninth home run, but he flied out in a critical at-bat against Milwaukee reliever Will Smith in the sixth as the teams traded late-inning threats. The Brewers left the bases loaded in the sixth and the eighth -- the latter inning ending with a disputed strikeout -- but Villar's two-run home run in the ninth provided insurance on the way to Milwaukee's seventh victory in 10 games. "The one thing [Villar] hasn't done is hit home runs, and then he goes and hits a home run," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "It's a complete game, for sure." The Phillies have lost seven straight games while scoring three runs or fewer in all of them. They have scored three runs or fewer in 34 of 54 games this season. Anderson lowered his ERA over his past five starts to 2.97 by allowing a run on three hits and no walks in 5 2/3 innings. Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff pitched into the seventh before leaving the game when a comebacker struck his foot.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies fell behind in the top of the second, but it could have been a lot worse. Eickhoff gave up a single and two doubles, but only one run, because right fielder Paredes, making his first Phillies start since being acquired from the Blue Jays, hit cutoff man Andres Blanco, who threw out Lucroy trying to score on Kirk Nieuwenhuis's two-bagger.
  "I look at the first two months we played, and I know we're better than the last 10 days. Things just haven't been working for us, and the main culprit has been our offense. We need more offense." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on his team losing 11 of its last 13.
• The Phillies' magic number is four. When they've scored at least four runs this season, they're 14-6. But they've scored three or fewer far more often -- 34 times -- and are 12-22 in those games.
• Franco is 9-for-17 (.529) with a 1.235 slugging percentage in four games against the Brewers this season. Four of his nine homers and nine of his 29 RBIs have come against Milwaukee.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Vince Velasquez will try to get back on track after two tough outings when the Phillies host the Brewers at 7:05 ET. Velasquez, who dazzled in his second start of the season with 16 strikeouts, has a 10.38 ERA in his last two outings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Eickhoff OK – Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff has turned in seven quality starts in his first 11 outings this season. That's pretty good. He also has just two wins. That doesn't seem fair. Once again, the 25-year-old kept his team in the game Thursday night, holding the Brewers to two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Once again, it wasn't enough as Philadelphia ended up with a 4-1 loss at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies have lost seven straight. It was the sixth time this season the Phillies have scored two or fewer runs in a game Eickhoff has started. To calculate it another way, the Phillies have averaged 2.58 runs per nine innings while he's been on the mound. "It's really as simple as that I'm trying to focus on my job, which is to keep hitters off the bases and keep runners from scoring," the pitcher said. "I honestly just try to focus on what I have to do. If we score runs, great. If we don't, I have to keep pitching. It doesn't change how I go at hitters and attack the zone." Adding injury to insult, Eickhoff left the game after a hot shot back up the middle by Keon Broxton caromed off his left ankle in the seventh. He had X-rays after the game, but preliminary indications are that he should be ready to make his next start. "It's going to be a little swollen, but I can walk on it fine," Eickhoff said. "I think it will be all right. They don't think it's anything serious right now, so that's good news." Manager Pete Mackanin said he was planning on making a pitching change at that point anyway. "Eickhoff did a good job. He didn't really have his best command, but he made pitches when he had to, and he really battled to get us into that seventh inning," he said. "Nothing's really going right for us these days."

One K Won’t Get You A W – The Phillies intentionally loaded the bases in the eighth inning of a one-run game -- and it worked, thanks to a quirky play to end the frame. The Brewers won, 4-1, but not before watching a promising rally fizzle in the eighth. After the Phillies opted to intentionally walk Jonathan Lucroy, reliever Hector Neris retired Chris Carter on a swinging strikeout, Alex Presley on a fielder's choice grounder (with the out at home) and Aaron Hill on a check-swing called strike three. Hill immediately protested to plate umpire Jim Reynolds, saying he had fouled off the baseball. Slow-motion replays appeared to show Hill had a case, and Brewers manager Craig Counsell joined the argument. To no avail. The umpires conferred briefly on the infield before declaring the inning over. "It's not reviewable," Reynolds said. "It's not under the guidelines for plays that are reviewable. Foul balls, any of that stuff is not reviewable." So what was Counsell's argument? "He wanted us to check," Reynolds said. "I didn't have a foul ball. I didn't hear, I didn't see anything. He wanted us to check, and we did. Nobody else on the crew had a foul ball on that." The Brewers still held on for their seventh victory in 10 games. Tyler Thornburg and Jeremy Jeffress each pitched a scoreless inning, with a Jonathan Villar two-run home run in the ninth giving Jeffress some breathing room. "We kind of squandered a big opportunity there to get some insurance runs," Counsell said. "But our bullpen pitched pretty well, regardless."

Returning To Form? – The Phillies had a lot of questions coming into this season. One thing they were counting on, though, was that third baseman Maikel Franco would be a big bat in the middle of their lineup. But Franco has struggled. He was given Wednesday night off in part because he was hitting .220 with three home runs and a .620 OPS since April 23. And it may have helped. He singled sharply to left in his first at-bat against the Brewers on Thursday night and drilled his ninth home run of the season into the seats in left his second time up. He had two of the Phillies' five hits as they fell, 4-1, for a seventh straight loss. "I felt pretty good," Franco said. "It [the day off] was good for me. It made me feel relaxed at the plate. I was just trying to be positive every single day. I came in every day and tried to do my job. "I know when I've got my rhythm at the plate and can see more pitches. This game was much better." Manager Pete Mackanin said, with the Phillies struggling offensively, the 23-year-old may be trying to do too much. "Possibly. He might be trying to carry the team," Mackanin said. "We're counting on him quite a bit, and he knows that. But it's all part of playing at this level. You've heard that before. This guy is young. This guy is putting too much pressure on himself, trying to do too much. "But that's part of the business here. You've got to understand that. You've got to overcome it. You've got to understand that you shouldn't try to do too much. Just like when a guy throws hard, the more you muscle up, the worse you make it for yourself. So you've got to know that: don't muscle up, and take the ball the other way." Part of the problem, the manager added, is that the Phillies have scored three or fewer runs in 34 of their 54 games this season. "Day after day, where the offense was scuffling and we weren't producing runs, and guys like Franco started trying to do too much," Mackanin said. "Had the weight of the world on his shoulders. But you have to fight that urge. Or be reminded of it. Just do what you can do. If you're not a home run hitter, don't try to hit home runs. If you're striking out too much, you've got to work on that." So was it the night off that led to his big night? "It's hard to say," the manager said. "You like to think you move a guy in the lineup, you give him a night off, a couple days off, clear their heads. You try everything to get a guy back on track. And I hope so. I know Maikel's a better hitter than he's shown so far." Trying to inject some offense into the lineup, Mackanin batted newly acquired outfielder Jimmy Paredes third. He struck out his first three times up before doubling in the ninth. Cody Asche, just off the disabled list, started in left and was hitless in his two at-bats. "We didn't have a good night," Mackanin said. "[Brewers starter Chase] Anderson had a good changeup. He made everybody look bad. But we need to make some pitchers start looking bad. I think we're capable of it. I believe these guys are going to get better. "We've just got to get it going. Our hitters have to step up. It was nice to see Franco step it up a little bit. He looked a little better at the plate. But everybody else has to start looking better at the plate."

Asche Returns – The Phillies activated outfielder Cody Asche from the 15-day disabled list on Thursday and designated outfielder David Lough for assignment. Asche, who was immediately inserted into the starting lineup, understands that the Phils' season-long offensive troubles have created an opportunity for him. "It's pretty cut-and-dried," Asche said. "I've got to earn everything I want. There's no silver platter here with my name on it. I've got to earn it, and that's what I'm here to do. "That's all you can really ask for as a player is opportunity. They're few and far between in this game, so you've got to take advantage when you're given them." Asche missed all of Spring Training and the season's first two months with an oblique injury. He hit .169 with four home runs and eight RBIs in 15 games while rehabbing at three Minor League levels. The 25-year-old batted .245 with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs in 129 games for Philadelphia last season. Lough, 30, was hitting .239 with three doubles and four RBIs in 30 games for the Phillies this season. He is a .254 career hitter in parts of five seasons with the Royals, Orioles and Phils. Manager Pete Mackanin said Asche, who was converted from third base last year, will be used strictly in left. That means Tyler Goeddel will be moved to right for the time being. "Nothing's set in stone," Mackanin added. "I hope [Asche] can add some offense to what we've got. We've got to get on track and win some games." Going into play Thursday, the Phillies had lost six straight, scoring three or fewer runs in each of those games. When Asche was first sidelined, it was thought he might be ready by Opening Day. "It feels like an eternity," he said. "I didn't expect it to take this long, but I think I've done a good job of forgetting about that and kind of just staying on a path of looking forward. This is Day One for me. The past is in the past, so I'm just going to move forward from here." The Phils also activated left-hander Mario Hollands from the 15-day DL and optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Preparing For The Draft – Last fall, it seemed a safe bet the Phillies would select Florida left-hander A.J. Puk with the first overall pick in the 2016 Draft. But with the Draft beginning at 7 p.m. ET next Thursday (with coverage on MLB Network and MLB.com beginning at 6), things are less certain. Sources have indicated the Phillies are leaning toward a hitter, but ruling out Puk would be a mistake. In fact, MLBPipeline.com has the Phils taking Puk in its latest mock Draft. Phillies fans should keep an eye on these seven amateurs as the Draft approaches: Barnegat (N.J.) High School left-hander Jason Groome, Mercer University outfielder Kyle Lewis, La Costa Canyon (Calif.) High School outfielder Mickey Moniak, Puk, Louisville outfielder Corey Ray, Chaminade (Calif.) College Prep outfielder Blake Rutherford and Tennessee third baseman Nick Senzel. Everybody who has followed the Draft knows there is no Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg available, meaning there is no consensus No. 1 pick. Therefore, the Phils have more to consider. Not only must they consider talent, they must consider price. In other words, if the Phillies consider Players A, B and C similar in talent, but Player C can be signed for less, it could push him to the top because the Phils could use the money saved there to select more talented (and pricier) picks in the second round and beyond. It makes sense for a rebuilding team like the Phillies to build the deepest, most competitive Draft class possible. The Phils have $13,405,200 in their bonus pool. The No. 1 pick is valued at $9,015,000. Last year, the No. 1 pick was valued at $8,616,900, and the Diamondbacks signed Dansby Swanson for $6.5 million. Bet on the Phillies trying something similar, which would allow them to select what they consider first-round talent with the first pick (42nd overall) in the second round. Of course, the Phils are still trying to learn what each player's price might be on Draft day. Their representatives are not tipping their hands, but if somebody like Puk thinks the Reds will select him with the No. 2 pick, he might be less inclined to take a lesser signing bonus, knowing he can cash in at No. 2. Scott Boras represents Senzel, so he also might be less inclined to take a lesser deal. But if somebody like Lewis, Moniak, Rutherford or Ray thinks he could fall to sixth or seventh, he might agree to take less as the No. 1 pick because he still would make much more than the No. 6 or 7 pick. Got all that? The Phillies' amateur scouts flew to Philadelphia last week to present their regions. The organization began its national meetings Wednesday, and they will continue to meet until the Draft begins next week. It has been an all-hands-on-deck affair with Pat Gillick, Charlie Manuel and others scouting the country's top talent. Puk will get his share of time in these meetings. MLBPipeline.com and Baseball America both rank him as the top amateur player in the country. Puk just dominated LSU in the SEC tournament, which helps his cause. But Phillies amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz has always loved hitters. Could the Phils' pitching talent in the upper levels of their farm system color their thinking next Thursday? It might, but not even the Phillies know exactly which way they will go.

Today In Phils History – The current funk that the Phillies find themselves in is nothing in comparison to the 22^nd straight loss that the team was handed by Boston on this day in 1884. Of course, even at an advanced age, it would be nice to have a pitcher like Grover Cleveland Alexander who, after 373 career victories (tied with Christy Mattehwson for most in NL history) was released on this day in 1930. However, the most surprising stat of the day happened in 1957 when Richie Ashburn turned in the only 5 hit game of his career in a win over St. Louis. 15 years later, Phillies general manager abruptly announced his retirement during the 9^th inning of a game against the Reds with Paul Ownes, the team’s farm director at the time, immediately being named his successor (1972 was that kind of season). Finally, Davey Johnson became the first player to have multiple grand slams in a single season when he connected against the Dodgers in a 5-1 win.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 26-28 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 46-56-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Franco And Phillies End The Losing Streak!

GAME RECAP: Phillies Shock Reds 5-4

Darin Ruf took advantage of a rare opportunity Tuesday night when he singled to right field to score Odubel Herrera from third base in a 5-4 walk-off victory over the Reds at Citizens Bank Park. It snapped the Phillies' seven-game losing streak, which was the organization's longest since an eight-game streak July 20-28, 2013. "We've been battling for a while now," said Ruf, who has just four plate appearances since May 24. "It just seemed like for the last week and a half or so, we were just missing that big hit." Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto had not pitched since May 19 because of a sore elbow, but he pitched well in his return. He allowed five hits, two runs (one earned run) and struck out four in six innings. He left with a 4-2 lead, but Maikel Franco's two-run homer in the eighth against Jumbo Diaz tied the game. "He was really, really good," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Cueto. "My guess is he's going to continue to feel good. I don't suspect there being any lingering issues after today's game."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Phillies second baseman Chase Utley's batting average dropped to .099 on May 8, and it has been a slow climb since. But he went 3-for-4 with a home run Tuesday to raise his batting average to .207, his highest average of the season. "Obviously, the first month didn't go as planned," Utley said. "But you can't really change that. You've got to continue to move forward. The last month or so has been a little better. You just try to build on it."
• Reds left fielder Marlon Byrd was hit on the right arm by an O'Sullivan pitch leading off the top of the sixth inning. Byrd was out of the game in the seventh to get X-rays on his right wrist, which revealed a fracture. It is not known how long he might be out of action. "We're going to wait until we hear from the doctors and they read the X-rays and they make that decision," Price said. "I would not anticipate having him available, not in this series, and there's a possibility he could be DL'd here, too."
• Papelbon has struck out 27 of the 83 batters (32.5 percent strikeout rate) he has faced this season. It is his highest strikeout rate since 2011, when he struck out 34.1 percent of the batters he faced while with Boston.
• With two outs in the top of the second inning, Hamilton bunted to the left side and was called out at first base after appearing to beat Franco's throw. The Reds challenged umpire Dan Bellino's call, and it took only 42 seconds for it to be overturned upon replay review. Hamilton was credited with a single but soon ended the inning anyway when he was caught stealing.
• "You're lucky you're getting to pinch-hit for me." -- Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon, according to Ruf. Papelbon stood in the on-deck circle in the bottom of the ninth inning before manager Ryne Sandberg sent Ruf to the plate instead.

NEXT GAME:

Left-hander Cole Hamels has had an incredible career against the Reds. He is 10-0 with a 1.36 ERA in 13 career starts against Cincinnati, which includes a shutout in Game 3 of the 2010 National League Division Series. Hamels has not allowed more than six hits or three runs in any start against the Reds. Mike Leake will start the second game of the series for the Reds, with a 7:05 p.m. ET first pitch scheduled on Wednesday. Leake has struggled lately and is 0-3 with a 12.86 ERA his last three starts with 20 earned runs and 27 hits, including six homers, over 14 innings. His track record vs. the Phillies isn't strong either. He is 1-3 with a 7.41 ERA in six starts lifetime vs. Philadelphia.

PHILS PHACTS:

Ruf Gets The Pie – The opportunities have been few and far between for Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf, but he took advantage Tuesday. He hit a 1-1 fastball to right field in the bottom of the ninth inning against Reds left-hander Tony Cingrani to score the winning run in a 5-4 victory. It was the first walk-off hit of Ruf's big league career. "He was trying to come in all three times, I think," said Ruf, who pinch-hit for Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon. "The first one he missed away. The second one I just missed. The third one was pretty much the same as the second one. I just tried to stay a little shorter [with my swing] and use the middle of the field. Just trying to barrel it up, or get jammed and break my bat, like I did." It was Ruf's fourth plate appearance since May 24. His playing time has dwindled recently, especially with Cody Asche back in the big leagues and playing every day in left field. That is a spot where Ruf had played occasionally, but with Asche in left, Ryan Howard at first base and the Phillies uninterested in Ruf in right, playing time is expected to remain limited. "That's where he's settled into right now," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said about Ruf's role on the team as a part-time player. "The potential is there. I had a lot of confidence in that spot with him, and he came up big. But I still view him as a guy that can swing the bat from the right side." Ruf is hitting .225 (20-for-89) with six doubles, three home runs, 10 RBIs and a .669 OPS in 37 games. He had been 1-for-10 as a pinch-hitter this season, and .091 (3-for-33) as a pinch-hitter in his career. "It definitely feels good," Ruf said about coming through with a clutch hit. "I haven't had the best numbers pinch-hitting. I feel like I've had some good at-bats in some situations, but it was good to be there in that situation and still have the confidence from the manager and from myself to be able to get the job done."

Franco Comes Through Under Pressure – The Phillies knew a game-changing hit had to come sooner or later. They just didn't know from whom it would come. In the midst of an 11-game slump, rookie third baseman Maikel Franco seemed as unlikely a candidate as any. The 22-year-old Dominican entered play Tuesday 5-for-42 since May 20 and started Tuesday's 5-4 win by reaching base on errors in back-to-back at-bats, dropping his batting average below .200. It didn't stay there for long. Franco laced a double in the sixth inning to break his seven-game streak without an extra-base hit, but he was stranded at second by a Cody Asche strikeout and an Odubel Herrera groundout. But his biggest contribution to the game came two innings later. Franco came to the plate with two outs and a runner on second base with his team trailing by two. Reds pitcher Jumbo Diaz slung an 85-mph slider over the plate, and Franco turned on it. Showing shades of Sammy Sosa, Franco hopped a couple of times and started running the bases. There was no doubt in his mind he had tied the game up. "When I hit it, I knew the ball was gone because I hit the ball good," Franco said. "It got a good fly, and I knew the ball was gone." That home run energized the team. The Phillies came into Tuesday's game with one hit in their past 28 opportunities with runners in scoring position, and that one hit didn't even plate a runner. Franco's two-run job, along with Darin Ruf's pinch-hit walk-off single, broke the Phillies out of not only that funk, but a seven-game losing streak that was the team's longest of the season. Despite the importance of his hit, Ruf acknowledged that it was Franco's home run that even made his walk-off possible, not just in terms of the score, but in terms of morale. "We knew a big hit would come at some point for us," Ruf said. "For him to do it, it was just electric in the dugout." Franco has now played 17 games this season since his mid-May callup. In games in which he has recorded a hit, the Phillies are 5-4. In games in which Franco has gone hitless, the Phillies are 2-6. To manager Ryne Sandberg, Franco's night was different from his 16 other 2015 outings for one reason: It was better. "I thought he looked as good tonight as he has since he's been here," Sandberg said. "I think it started with that double down the line. He really kept his front shoulder in there and reacted to a pitch aggressively. Once again, I think he built on that hit being able to come up and have the confidence to be able to hit the big two-run home run."

Slowly Rising – Chase Utley finally has his head above the Mendoza line. It has been a long climb since his batting average dropped to .099 on May 8, which was the lowest batting average among qualified hitters through a team's first 30 games since 1914. But Utley went 3-for-4 with a home run in Tuesday night's 5-4 victory over the Reds at Citizens Bank Park to raise his average to .207. It was the first time his batting average had hit .200 since April 14. "Obviously the first month didn't go as planned," Utley said. "But you can't really change that. You've got to continue to move forward. The last month or so has been a little better. You just try to build on it." Utley has hit .347 (25-for-73) with six doubles, one triple, one home run, eight RBIs and an .908 OPS in 22 games since May 8. Perhaps Utley's luck has finally turned in his favor. His batting average on balls in play had been .079 through May 8, which was easily the worst BABIP in baseball. But his .393 BABIP since seems to be evening things out. "It became a little frustrating at times," Utley said, "because you know you're putting some decent at-bats together hitting balls, maybe not perfect, but well enough where you feel like you may deserve a hit here and there. For whatever reason, they weren't really falling. You try not to change too much, but mentally it can be tough." Utley started Tuesday's game with a bunt single down the third-base line. Cincinnati had employed the defensive shift with Reds third baseman Todd Frazier essentially playing shortstop. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg had been begging his hitters to drop a ball down the line to beat the shift, and Utley finally did it. "I figured I'd try it," he said. "I think over the course of a year, guys should try it. Whether it works out or not, at least it'll get the defense thinking a little bit." Utley singled to left in the third before homering in the sixth. It was his first homer since May 1 in Miami. "They say they all even out," Utley said. "We'll see if that happens."

Once Again, Phillies Offensive Falters – The Phillies will have at least one player appear at next month's All-Star Game in Cincinnati, but he is almost certainly going to come from the pitching staff, according to the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot update. Cole Hamels (5-4, 2.91 ERA), Aaron Harang (4-5, 2.02 ERA) and Jonathan Papelbon (1.25 ERA, 11-for-11 in save opportunities) each could make cases for themselves to make the team. The case is more difficult to make for Phillies position players. Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis looked like a candidate in April, but he is fading after a hot start. He is hitting .211 with a .514 OPS since May 8. Ryan Howard had been on a roll, but he has just two hits in his past 23 at-bats. No Phillies player is among the highest vote getters in MLB.com's second National League All-Star voting update. Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on their computers, tablets and smartphones -- using the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, July 2, at 11:59 p.m. ET. For the first time, voting is exclusively online, where fans may submit up to 35 ballots. Fans may also receive the ballot by texting VOTE to 89269 (USA) or 101010 (Canada). Or text VOTA for a ballot in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply. Up to five messages. No purchase required. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for info. Following the announcement of the 2015 All-Stars, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player for each league's All-Star roster. On Tuesday, July 14, watch the 2015 All-Star Game live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2015 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of All-Star Week festivities. The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Minor Awards – The Phillies named Aaron Nola and Rhys Hoskins their Minor League pitcher and player of the month, respectively, on Tuesday. Nola, who turns 22 on Thursday, went 4-1 with a 1.35 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in six starts with Double-A Reading. He struck out 32 and allowed just five walks in 40 innings. Nola, who the Phillies selected in the first round of the 2014 Draft, is the organization's No. 2 prospect and the No. 34 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. Hoskins, 22, hit .342 (38-for-111) with six doubles, two triples, two home runs, 23 RBIs and a .908 OPS in May with Class A Lakewood. The Phillies selected the 6-foot-4 first baseman in the fifth round in 2014.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 20-33. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 46-56-0 on this day.