At Some Point You Just Can’t Watch…

GAME RECAP: Marlins Mash Phillies 11-1

Giancarlo Stanton sparked a big day for the Marlins with a spectacular catch and his 22nd home run as Adam Conley continued his dominance at home in the Marlins' 11-1 win over the Phillies on Wednesday afternoon at Marlins Park. Stanton robbed Tommy Joseph to end the top of the first with a leaping grab at the wall in right field, then capped a three-run bottom of the first with a homer to left-center. The Marlins cruised from there, collecting 16 hits, including three from Don Kelly, who had two triples and two RBIs. "It was awesome," Kelly said of his first three-hit game since August 2014. "This game is tough when you're struggling a little bit at the plate and you're up there grinding it out. You feel that potentially it's going to bust open for you." The Marlins, who lead the National League with 954 hits, put their leadoff hitter on base in every inning and had four players collect three hits each. Conley worked 6 2/3 scoreless innings, scattering eight hits. He struck out six, walked three, and helped his cause with two RBIs. The lefty escaped bases-loaded, one-out jams in both the third and sixth innings while improving to 3-0 in his last five starts at home with a 1.41 ERA (32 IP, 5 ER) over that span. "There was great defense behind me and I was able to execute pitches," Conley said. "Even though we found ourselves in some jams, we were able to pitch out of those." Phils starter Zach Eflin pitched into the sixth inning and was touched up for seven runs on nine hits as the Phillies are 4-9 since the All-Star break. They entered the break hoping to make a run at .500, but they would have to play 35-24 (.593) the rest of the way to accomplish that. "It's disappointing because we haven't gotten there yet," Joseph said about hitting the .500 mark, "but we've got just over two months to play. That's easily an attainable goal for this team."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Eflin had a 2.08 ERA in his last seven starts, which included a shutout Friday against the Pirates and a complete game earlier this month against the Braves. But the Marlins jumped on Eflin early. His ERA jumped from 3.40 to 4.23. "You can't go out there and dominate every outing," Eflin said. "I just think it's a mindset thing. I always have a positive mindset, not really ever negative. I think it's a big thing as a starting pitcher, especially when you have four days off between starts. I'm going to work my tail off the next four days and really focus on the next outing."
• The top three hitters in the Phillies' lineup (Cesar Hernandez, Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco) combined to reach base nine times, but they never scored. Hernandez's two-out double in the ninth prevented the Phillies from suffering back-to-back shutout losses for the first time since July 8-9, 2015, when Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw pitched in shutouts at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. "What do you think?" manager Pete Mackanin said, when asked if the Phillies' lineup needs a shakeup.
• "You have to stay even-keeled. You have to stay consistent. At least I have to. I have to try to stay consistent, emotionally." -- Mackanin, on the Phillies' recent struggles.
• Home-plate umpire Pat Hoberg ejected Phillies bench coach Larry Bowa in the fourth inning for arguing balls and strikes after Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp was called out on strikes. It was Bowa's first ejection of the season. "He was mad at the umpire," Mackanin said. "He couldn't control himself. He had to let it out."
• The win clinched the Marlins' fourth consecutive winning month for the first time in franchise history.
• Three hits shy of reaching 3,000 career Major League hits, Ichiro Suzuki did not play on Wednesday. "It's a little uncomfortable as you get this close with [Ichiro] because you don't want to just put him in there to try to do this," Mattingly said. "We've been playing with him in the context of the team the whole year long; it's worked out perfectly. I know people want to see it and see it at home but I don't want to force it. [He'll play] when it's best for the team."

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a four-game series Thursday against the Braves at Turner Field at 7:10 p.m. ET. Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola hopes to turnaround his recent struggles. He went 5-4 with a 2.65 ERA in his first 12 starts this season, looking like a potential National League All-Star, but is 0-5 with a 10.61 ERA in his last seven starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Just A Bump – The further Phillies rookie Zach Eflin distanced himself from his big league debut in Toronto in June, the more people marveled at how well he had pitched since. He entered Wednesday's 11-1 loss to the Marlins at Marlins Park with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts since allowing nine runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays on June 14. His recent success included a shutout Friday against the Pirates and a complete game earlier this month against the Braves. But Eflin struggled against the Marlins, allowing nine hits, seven runs and four walks in five-plus innings as the Phillies dropped to 4-9 since the All-Star break. "You can't go out there and dominate every outing," Eflin said. "I just think it's a mindset thing. I always have a positive mindset, not really ever negative. I think it's a big thing as a starting pitcher, especially when you have four days off between starts. I'm going to work my tail off the next four days and really focus on the next outing." Eflin, whose ERA jumped from 3.40 to 4.23, allowed a leadoff double to J.T. Realmuto in the first inning. He scored on a fielder's choice to make it 1-0, but Giancarlo Stanton followed and crushed a two-run home run to left field to make it 3-0. Stanton hit a 1-0 fastball, which left his bat at 112 mph and traveled a projected 435 feet, according to Statcast™. "He hit it pretty well," Eflin said. Eflin allowed another run in the fourth and three more runs in the sixth before leaving the game. "Eflin wasn't the same pitcher he was in Pittsburgh," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He just left the ball up. I didn't like the mix of pitches he used. We were hoping he'd use his curveball a little bit more. I thought he made some good pitches that the umpire missed. But that wasn't the reason. He just wasn't the same guy." It was a disappointment that Eflin could not replicate his success in Pittsburgh, particularly because he grew up in Orlando, Fla. He had family and at least 20 friends in attendance. "It's just the experience they got to have," Eflin said. "It's really cool knowing where I came from, all my friends being able to be here and supporting me." But the early returns for Eflin are encouraging, especially considering he was one of the first pieces acquired in the Phillies' rebuild. He joined the Phillies in December 2014, as part of the Jimmy Rollins trade with the Dodgers. He makes his next start Tuesday against the Giants at Citizens Bank Park.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies acquired Chuck Klein on this day in 1928. Russ Meyer continued the Phillies shutout streak (4^th in a row) against the Cubs in 1951. Harry Kalas was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame on this day in 2002 as the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award. 5 years later, Tadihiro Iguchi became the 1^st player born in Japan to start for the Phillies when he was put in the lineup at 2B. Dominic Brown made his MLB debut in 2010. The Phillies lost 2 straight games on this day in 2011 for the first time in 46 contests. Finally, happy 30^th birthday to Darin Ruf.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 46-57 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 47-65-0 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.

Ugly. Just Plain Ugly.

GAME RECAP: Blue Jays Obliterate Phillies 13-2 

The Blue Jays' offense proved to be too powerful for the Phillies to handle this week. They bashed five home runs in a 13-2 victory Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park. They outscored the Phillies, 31-7, in the last three days. But Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ did his job Thursday, too. He allowed just three hits and one unearned run in seven innings as Toronto improved to 19-8 since May 18. Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola suffered the shortest start of his career, allowing eight runs in three-plus innings. Odubel Herrera capped an ugly night when he threw a ball into the stands with two outs in the eighth inning, allowing Edwin Encarnacion to advance from first to third. "Oh man, that was an outburst," Happ said of his club's offensive performance. "It was fun to watch in our dugout. It was a good time. Hopefully we can carry some of that momentum into a big series in Baltimore."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Nola would love to forget his last two starts. He lasted just 3 2/3 innings Saturday against the Nationals and just three-plus innings against the Blue Jays. Nola's ERA jumped from 2.65 to 3.51 in that span. "I mean, it's tough for the team when I can't get out of the fourth inning," Nola said. "It's unacceptable for my part. I felt like it's a letdown for the team. It's unacceptable for me to go that short in a game. My job is to go deep in a game and save the bullpen and keep the game as close as I can."
• "There's a choice to be made. You either cave in or you fight your way back out. I don't want to see guys pouting or feeling sorry for themselves. If you want to prove you belong here you've got to fight." - Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, who called a team meeting after the game.
• Encarnacion has at least one RBI in seven consecutive games. He also has now homered in five consecutive games at Citizens Bank Park dating back to 2014.
• The Phillies challenged Pillar's slide into second base in the third inning, which broke up a double play and allowed a run to score. The replay official determined Pillar failed to engage in a bona-fide slide. Additionally, Pillar's actions hindered and impeded the fielder.
• After Aaron Nola allowed eight runs in three-plus innings on Thursday, Phillies' starting pitchers have posted a 5.93 ERA since May 23. The D-backs offense will be a welcome sight for a team that's faced the Cubs, Nationals, Blue Jays and Tigers in 19 of their last 23 games.
• Neither Ray nor Morgan has faced their respective opponent. No Phillies player has had a plate appearance against Ray, though Michael Bourn (0-for-2) and Jean Segura (1-for-3, RBI) previously faced Morgan on other teams.
• Ray has never pitched against the Phillies and has never faced any player on their roster.
• This is the start of a three-city, 10-game road trip with no off-days for the D-backs, who played their past nine at home. This is the last series of a six-game homestand for the Phillies after two games against the Blue Jays. 

NEXT GAME:

The D-backs and the Phillies open a four-game series in Philadelphia on Friday night with a battle of left-handed starters in Robbie Ray and Adam Morgan. Ray (3-5, 4.57 ERA) is coming off his best start of the year for Arizona. He pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings in a win over the Marlins last time out, his first victory since May 16. It was only the second time in his past 10 starts that Ray lasted at least six innings. Morgan (1-5, 6.33 ERA) had lost five straight starts until his last outing against the Nationals. He gave up three earned runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision. The lefty also set a season high with eight strikeouts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Today In Phils History – On this day in 1930, Chuck Klein set the modern franchise record by recording a hit in his 26^th straight game. Milt Thompson was always an intelligent baserunner and it was never more evident than in a game against the Mets on this day in 1988 when he prolonged the double play (ball was hit by Steve Jeltz) long enough to allow 2 runners to score before the inning was retired. 4 years ago, Jim Thome earned another mention in the history books when he became the 4^th player in MLB history to hit at least 100 homeruns for 3 different teams joining Reggie Jackson, Darrell Evans, and Alex Rodriguez.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 30-37 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 48-60-0 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!

This Could Be The Ugliest Series Of The Year

GAME RECAP: D-Backs Crush Phils 13-1

The D-backs' bats remained hot on Tuesday night, as they orchestrated an historic 11-run second inning featuring a grand slam by David Peralta and pounded the Phillies, 13-1, at Chase Field. The D-backs smacked a club-record 10 hits in the second, sending 15 batters to the plate. Aaron Hill hit a two-run homer and starter Jeremy Hellickson drove in three runs in the frame. Over the past three games, the D-backs have scored 30 runs on 47 hits. They've scored 13 or more runs in consecutive games for the second time in club history, the other time being Sept. 26-27, 2001. "We came out and really swung the bats, very impressive," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "Good game plan and they executed it and just kept it going, even the pitcher. It's good to see." Phillies starter David Buchanan didn't make it through the second, lasting just 1 2/3 frames. But before he left, Buchanan became the first Phillies pitcher to allow 11 or more runs in a single inning since Hal Kelleher allowed 12 in the eighth in a relief appearance against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 5, 1938. Buchanan also became the first Phillies starter to allow 11 or more runs in a start since Al Jurisch allowed 14 over eight innings against the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds on June 28, 1947. "There's not a lot to talk about," Philadelphia interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We were out of it after the second inning."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco has been one of the team's best stories as he has played himself into National League Rookie of the Year consideration. But he left the game in the first inning with a bruised left wrist after Hellickison drilled him with a pitch. Fortunately for Franco and the Phillies, X-rays were negative. He is not sure how much time he will miss. "I was scared," Franco said. "The only thing that I think about when the ball hit me was it was broken."
• Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera went 0-for-4 to snap his hitting streak at 13 games. It was the longest hitting streak by a Phillies rookie since Marlon Byrd had a 15-gamer in 2003.
• "In these situations, you've got to man up and get out of it yourself. [Mackanin] gave me a chance. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get out of there." – Buchanan.
• According to Elias Sports Bureau, Buchanan is the first pitcher in Major League Baseball to allow 11 or more runs in a single inning since the Astros' Jason Jennings allowed 11 in the first inning against the Padres on July 29, 2007. It is the first time the Phillies have allowed 13 or more runs in consecutive games since July 8-9, 1993.
• The Phillies entered Tuesday with four players 25 or younger hitting .270 or better: Franco (23 years old, .277), Freddy Galvis (25, .271), Cesar Hernandez (25, .290) and Odubel Herrera (23, .290). No other team has more than two players like that on their roster.
• Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera looks to start a new hitting streak after he went 0-for-4 on Tuesday, snapping his streak at 13 games. It was the longest hitting streak by a Phillies rookie since Marlon Byrd had a 15-gamer in 2003.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin planned to rest Chase Utley in Wednesday's series finale against the D-backs at Chase Field, but following Maikel Franco's left wrist bruise Tuesday, Utley might play. Utley is being showcased this month for a potential trade. He cleared waivers Tuesday, which gives the Phillies until the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline to move him. If Franco is out after being hit with a pitch, Andres Blanco or Cesar Hernandez could play third base. No matter who plays in the Phillies' infield Wednesday, they will be facing Arizona right-hander Chase Anderson, who is 5-4 with a 4.10 ERA. Anderson will be making his second start since coming off the disabled list. Last time out, Anderson tossed seven scoreless innings in a win over the Reds. He's faced the Phillies once before in his career, allowing one run in 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision on May 15. Coming off a quality outing against the Padres, Phillies rookie righty Aaron Nola (2-1, 3.65 ERA) starts Wednesday's series finale at 3:40 p.m. ET. He'll try to cool off the D-backs, who scored 26 runs in the first two games of the series.

PHILS PHACTS:

Franco Goes Down – It looked bad, but it could have been much worse. Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco suffered a bruised left wrist in the first inning of Tuesday night's 13-1 loss to Arizona at Chase Field. D-backs right-hander Jeremy Hellickson drilled Franco with a fastball, and Franco collapsed to the turf behind home plate, grabbing his wrist before being helped off the field. Fortunately for Franco and the Phils, X-rays came back negative. "I was scared," Franco said. "The only thing that I think about when the ball hit me was it was broken." Franco entered the night hitting .277 (82-for-296) with 22 doubles, 13 home runs, 48 RBIs and 43 runs scored. If he had enough plate appearances to qualify, he would lead NL rookies with an .828 OPS and a .490 slugging percentage. Franco does not know how much time he will miss. "I mean, it's pretty sore," he said. "It's pretty bad, in the beginning when the ball hit me, I was just worried -- the only thing I was thinking about was that something bad was going to happen. I have to come in [Wednesday] and we'll see if I'm feeling better. I don't know how long it will take." Said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin: "It looked bad. It sounded bad. I thought for sure it was broken."

Utley Clears Waivers – Chase Utley has cleared waivers. FOXSports.com reported the news Tuesday afternoon, which means the Phillies have until the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline to trade the second baseman. It is a distinct possibility, based on the interest Utley has received from teams since he returned from the 15-day disabled list Friday. But trading Utley will not be easy. First, Utley has 10-and-5 no-trade rights, which means he can reject a trade to any team. Second, Utley is owed about another $4.5 million in salary this season, plus a $2 million buyout on a 2016 club option worth $15 million. The fact nobody claimed Utley on waivers -- including the teams scouting him in San Diego and Phoenix -- showed nobody wanted Utley at that salary. That means the Phillies will need to pay some of Utley's contract to move him. The Cubs and Angels have been interested in Utley. CSNPhilly.com reported the Giants, Yankees and Cubs had scouts at Monday night's game against the D-backs at Chase Field. Utley is playing well as the Phillies showcase him to prospective teams. Entering Tuesday night's game, he was hitting .385 (5-for-13) with three doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored in four games since being activated from the DL. Would Utley accept a trade? He might. The Phillies are not expected to pick up his club option for next season, which would make him a free agent. The club figures to enter 2016 with Cesar Hernandez as its second baseman. So if Utley sees the end of his Phillies career just a few weeks away, he might decide it makes sense to go somewhere he has a chance to win a second World Series championship than play out the season in Philadelphia. Utley seems to have softened his stance about being traded. "I would be more than happy to listen to them," Utley told MLB.com on Saturday. "I do love Philadelphia. I've had a great time playing here, but out of respect for them I would definitely listen to them." Asked Sunday if he expected to be with the Phillies at the end of the season, Utley told reporters, "Who knows?"

Rotation Shuffle Coming Soon – This is one reason why Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. acquired so much pitching over the past year. Phillies right-hander David Buchanan allowed 11 runs in the second inning in Tuesday night's 13-1 loss to the D-backs at Chase Field. He is the first Phillies pitcher to allow 11 or more runs in one inning since Hal Kelleher allowed a franchise-record 12 runs in the eighth inning against the Cubs on May 5, 1938. Buchanan also is the first Phillies pitcher to allow 11 or more runs in a start since Al Jurisch allowed 14 runs over eight innings against the New York Giants on June 28, 1947. A roster move could be coming soon, if for no other reason than the Phillies might want a fresh arm in the bullpen. But the Phillies also might want to have Buchanan, who has allowed 18 runs in 5 2/3 innings in his last two starts, work on a few things in Triple-A. If that happens, the Phillies could see one of the prospects they acquired in July a little earlier than anticipated. "We're probably going to discuss it [Wednesday]," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We'll figure something out." Amaro sat in the GM box at Citizens Bank Park a little more than a week ago to discuss the July trades that sent Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman to Texas, Jonathan Papelbon to Washington and Ben Revere to Toronto. The Phillies received eight prospects in those deals. Six of them are pitchers, and four of them are starting pitchers. Add them to the four hurlers they acquired in December for Jimmy Rollins, Marlon Byrd and Antonio Bastardo. "One of the biggest things that has affected us these past few years is we've lost Doc [Roy Halladay] and we've lost Cliff [Lee]," Amaro said. "When you lose top-of-the-rotation guys like that, they have to be replaced with quality, so that you can put yourself in a position to win every game. If you have quality starting pitching that can make up for a lot of deficiencies you have. That's one of the reasons why the Mets are outstanding. They're playing well. They're not a great offensive club, but they're doing enough defensively and have outstanding young pitching. That's something we're trying to focus on." Triple-A Lehigh Valley right-hander Alec Asher is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts since joining the organization. Lehigh Valley right-hander Jerad Eickhoff is 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in his first two starts in the system. Philadelphia acquired Asher and Eickhoff in the Hamels deal. They are legitimate candidates for a promotion. Of course, not all of the pitchers the Phillies acquired will pan out. They know this. But they hope a few will. Maybe one of them will take that first step in the near future.

Looking For Answers – Phillies right-hander Justin De Fratus watched video of himself pitching for at least an hour Tuesday afternoon at Chase Field. He is searching for answers. He entered Tuesday night's game against the D-backs with a 5.69 ERA in 49 appearances. It is a troubling jump from last year, when he posted a 2.39 ERA in 54 appearances, and from his first four seasons in the big leagues, when he posted a 3.08 ERA in 130 appearances. "You know what? Maybe it's my year to wear it," De Fratus said. "Baseball has its way of doing things. I don't know. Every bad outing is one closer to the next good one, I guess. I'm trying to stay positive. I'm doing badly, but the team is doing well. I've got to stay positive. It'll turn around. I know what type of pitcher I am. And I think a lot of people do know. It's just a matter of weathering the storm." "I don't see a tight slider," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackan said Monday, after De Fratus allowed four hits and three runs in 1 1/3 innings. "That makes a big difference." De Fratus had thrown 61 2/3 innings entering Tuesday, more than any reliever in baseball. Could he be struggling because of the workload? Is he healthy? "I feel healthy," De Fratus said. "I don't think there's any excuse for it." But De Fratus had identified one thing that might help. He said he needs to throw his sinker more frequently. "I've been throwing pitches that are flatter through the zone," he said. "Other than that you've got to chalk it up to, 'Hey, it's my turn.'"

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies season has taken an unexpected turn for the better as they have officially climbed out of the bottom of the NL East with a record of 45-69. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 48-49-0 on this day.

Phillies Take Huge Step Back In Opener Against Diamondbacks

GAME RECAP: D-Backs Demolish Phils 13-3

Welington Castillo homered, tripled and drove in a career-high four runs to lead the D-backs' offensive attack in a 13-3 win over the Phillies in Monday night's series opener at Chase Field. Nine different players collected a hit for the D-backs, who hit nine extra-base hits, including three triples, and won for the 11th time in 16 games to move to one game under .500. Starter Rubby De La Rosa won for the fourth time in five outings, giving up three runs in six innings. "We just came with everything like we do, got the big hit, got a lot of hits," D-backs left fielder David Peralta said. "We're just going to keep doing the same thing, having fun and playing ball the right way, and good things will happen." Maikel Franco went 2-for-4 with a home run for the Phillies, who had their three-game win streak snapped. Starter Aaron Harang took the loss, suffering his 10th defeat in his past 11 outings. "Well, that was the first bad game we've had in a long time, so it's bound to happen sooner or later," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, whose team is 16-6 since the All-Star break. "It happens to every team, so tonight it was us."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Harang's chances of being traded to a contender before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline are likely minimal at this point. He allowed 12 hits and eight runs in 5 1/3 innings against the D-backs. He has allowed 12 runs in 10 2/3 innings in his past two starts, and he has an 8.10 ERA in his past nine starts dating to June 4. He has allowed four or more runs in eight of those starts. "They were too comfortable up there," Harang said. "I've got to establish in and I didn't do that early enough. When they start getting comfortable at the plate it makes for a long day."
• Franco is making his case for National League Rookie of the Year. He crushed a home run to center in the sixth that traveled an estimated 455 feet. "I just used my hands and stayed through to the middle, try to use the whole field, and I put a good swing on that," Franco said.
• Phillies left-hander Adam Loewen replaced Harang in the sixth. It was his first appearance as a pitcher in the big leagues since July 6, 2008, a span of 2,589 days. He allowed one hit and two runs in one-third of an inning.
• Phils second baseman Chase Utley has been placed on revocable waivers, according to FOXSports.com. He has to be claimed by 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday. If he is claimed, Utley has the right to refuse a trade because he has 10-and-5 no-trade rights, meaning he's a 10-year veteran with at least the past five years on the same team.
• Philadelphia center fielder Odubel Herrera has a 13-game hitting streak, the longest by a Phillies rookie since Marlon Byrd's 15 in 2003.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies have been the hottest team in baseball since the All-Star break. They hope to get back to their winning ways Tuesday night against the D-backs at Chase Field. Phillies right-hander David Buchanan hopes to get back on the right track. He allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings last week against the Dodgers. He posted a 3.38 ERA in three starts in July, when he picked up wins against the Braves and Rays. Buchanan has never faced the D-backs. D-backs right-hander Jeremy Hellickson has never faced the Phillies, but more important than that he is hoping to turn around his luck. He is 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA in his past two starts after posting a 1.88 ERA in four starts in July.

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley Placed On Waivers – Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has been placed on revocable waivers, according to FOXSports.com. The news is not surprising, but it is noteworthy. It is not surprising because teams place most of their players on waivers in August. If they clear waivers teams can trade them before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline. Teams like to have the flexibility. But it is noteworthy because the Phillies would trade Utley for the right deal. The report had Utley placed on waivers Sunday, which means he has until 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday to be claimed. If he is not claimed, the Phillies can try to trade him anywhere before the end of the month. If he is claimed, the Phillies have until 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday to assign him to the claiming team or pull him back. If they pull him back at that point, he cannot be traded anywhere. Of course, Utley has 10-and-5 no-trade rights, meaning he's a 10-year veteran with at least the past five years on the same team, so he does not have to go anywhere if he does not want to. But there are indications Utley is more open to a trade than he has been in the past. "I would be more than happy to listen to them," Utley said Saturday. "I do love Philadelphia. I've had a great time playing here, but out of respect for them, I would definitely listen to them." Asked Sunday if he expected to be with the Phillies at the end of the season, Utley said, "Who knows?" The Angels and Cubs have expressed interest in Utley. The Giants had a scout watching Utley this weekend in San Diego, according to CSNPhilly.com. Besides Utley's 10-and-5 rights, a deal could be complicated. He is making $15 million this season, which means he still is owed about $4.5 million. He also has a $15 million club option for next season, which includes a $2 million buyout. The option automatically vests with 500 plate appearances this season, but Utley has only 259, so that is no longer an issue. But the Phillies would seem likely to eat some of that money to facilitate a deal. In the meantime, Utley continues to play. He hit leadoff and played first base Monday night against the D-backs.

Another Trade With The Rangers – The Phillies added some infield depth on Monday, when they acquired shortstop Tyler Pastornicky from the Rangers for cash considerations. Pastornicky, 25, was batting .283 with one home run and 19 RBIs in 53 games for Triple-A Round Rock this season. Pastornicky has played in 124 games in the big leagues, all with the Braves, for whom he posted a .243 batting average with a .295 on-base percentage and a .314 slugging mark. He was released by Atlanta in March and signed by Texas as a Minor League free agent. Pastornicky's season started at Double-A Frisco, where he hit .276 with 29 hits in his first 28 games prior to his promotion to Round Rock. He also played for Team USA in the Pan Am Games in July, leading the team with a .450 batting average and 9 RBIs in 11 games. Pastornicky was selected by the Blue Jays in the fifth round of the 2008 MLB Draft, and he was traded to the Braves in 2010 as part of the return for shortstop Yunel Escobar.

Rookie Of The Year? – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco continues to make a strong case for National League Rookie of the Year. Home runs like the one he crushed in Monday night's 13-3 loss to Arizona at Chase Field should get a few more people to notice him. He ripped an 0-1 slider from D-backs right-hander Rubby De La Rosa in the sixth inning a projected 455 feet to center field, according to Statcast™. It left his bat at a scorching 107 mph. "It had a good sound to it," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "I mean, yeah," Franco said, asked if it was one of the hardest hit balls of his career. "I just used my hands and stayed through the middle, try to use the whole field, and I put a good swing on that." Franco is not getting the attention of NL rookies like Matt Duffy, Joc Pederson and Kris Bryant, but he is worthy of comparisons. Franco does not officially rank among NL rookies in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage or OPS, but that is only because he did not join the Phillies until May 15. He is 25 plate appearances short of the 350 plate appearances he needs to qualify among them. But Franco would have the highest OPS (.828) and slugging percentage (.490) among NL rookies, if he qualified. He also entered Monday second in doubles (21), fourth in home runs (12), third in RBIs (47) and tied for fourth in walks (25) and extra-base hits (34). "It's not on my mind right now," Franco said of a potential Rookie of the Year candidacy. "I just try to come in and do my job and try to do the best I can to have a good game and help my teammates." But that doesn't mean he isn't following other NL rookies, either. "I mean, yeah, because most of the time I watch TV, I see what they're doing," he said. "But for me, just be happy for everybody, try to have a good game, a good season. Whatever happens, I'll take it." ESPN said Franco's home run was the longest by a Phillies player since 2012, when Jim Thome hit one over the batter's eye at Target Field in Minneapolis. "I remember that home run," Mackanin said. "That was a bomb." Franco's was nearly as impressive. And it could get a few more people talking about him, too.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies season has taken an unexpected turn for the better as they have officially climbed out of the bottom of the NL East with a record of 45-68. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 52-50-0 on this day.