Rookie Roughed Up In Phillies Loss

GAME RECAP: Padres Beat Phillies 9-7

The Padres didn't give Phillies starter Jake Thompson much of a warm welcome in his Major League debut. San Diego's first three batters reached safely to start the game, and four batters later Christian Bethancourt broke open the scoring with a bases-clearing double, with the Padres going on to win, 9-7. The Padres totaled 14 hits, with leadoff hitter Travis Jankowski continuing to serve as the team's spark plug, with three hits and a career-high four runs. "He's been outstanding," said Padres manager Andy Green. "Loving what he's doing, loving the quality at-bats, loving him shooting balls to left field. The walk in the last at-bat [in the eighth inning] when he recovered from being down, I think 1-2 in the count, to come back, walk, steal a base and then have enough feel on the [Yangervis] Solarte play to come flying across the plate to score. We needed that run." Thompson, the No. 69 prospect in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com, allowed four runs in the first inning and two more in the fifth, when Jankowski and Wil Myers led off with back-to-back doubles. He was taken out after 4 1/3 innings and struck out one batter while walking two and hitting one. "He's 22 years old," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "You can't judge him on this outing." San Diego starter Paul Clemens also threw 4 1/3 innings despite allowing just two earned runs. Green pulled Clemens after he got his first out in the fifth inning, just a half-inning after Clemens grounded into an inning-ending double play on a failed bunt attempt.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The best thing that can be said about Thompson's debut is that he will get plenty of opportunities to prove himself the rest of the season. He appeared to rush himself in the first inning as the Padres took a 4-0 lead. He settled down after that, retiring nine of 11 batters at one point. But there is no question he has room to improve after allowing six runs in just 4 1/3 innings. "I wasn't nervous," Thompson said. "I was kind of amped up, instead of being nervous. Especially in that first inning, I just wasn't able to spin the ball for strikes or be able to get fastballs down in the zone."
• Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has been relegated to bench duty since Tommy Joseph's emergence this season. But Howard quietly has been putting up some pretty solid numbers. He homered in the second and doubled in the fourth and is hitting .310 (18-for-58) with four doubles, six home runs, 10 RBIs and a .690 slugging percentage in 22 games since June 23.
• "He's making too many mental mistakes. We've got to keep working with him and talking to him about it. He's got so much talent. We have to corral it and figure out a way to get him on track. That's the one thing he's missing right now. He needs to be a little smarter on the bases, and all around baseball. He could be a helluva player." -- Mackanin, on Cesar Hernandez getting caught stealing third in the seventh inning. Hernandez has made 13 outs on the bases this season.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (6-12, 3.68 ERA) pitches the series finale against the Padres on Sunday at 4:40 p.m. ET at Petco Park. This is the second time Eickhoff will face the Padres. He threw seven scoreless innings against them in April at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

Looking Forward To Second Start – Jake Thompson expected better than this. But if there is any good news following his big league debut Saturday night in a 9-7 loss to the Padres at Petco Park it is that he will get more opportunities to prove why the Phillies coveted him last summer in the Cole Hamels trade and why MLBPipeline considers him the No. 69 prospect in baseball. He allowed seven hits, six runs, two walks and struck out one in just 4 1/3 innings. He became one of six Phillies pitchers since 1913 to allow six or more earned runs in fewer than five innings in his big league debut, according to Baseball Reference. Turk Farrell (1956), Rafael Quirico (1996), Ethan Martin (2013), Severino Gonzalez (2015) and Zach Eflin (2016) are the others. "I wasn't nervous," Thompson said. "I was kind of amped up, instead of being nervous. Especially in that first inning, I just wasn't able to spin the ball for strikes or be able to get fastballs down in the zone." Thompson allowed four runs in the first to hand the Padres a 4-0 lead. "He was overthrowing obviously," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He was pumped up. He's got good stuff. He just lacked command, the ball was up in the zone. Kind of typical for a guy making his debut." "I'm sure he had some nerves, a lot of adrenaline," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. "It makes it a little bit tougher to get the ball down, I think. You're probably feeling really fresh. It happens." Thompson settled down a bit after the first, retiring nine of 11 at one point, before he found himself in trouble again in the fifth. Thompson's debut garnered a little more interest than normal because he took a somewhat unusual route to the big leagues. The Tigers selected him in the second round of the 2012 Draft before trading him to Texas in July 2014 in the Joakim Soria trade. The Rangers then traded him to Philadelphia in July 2015 in the Hamels deal. Thompson also had been pitching incredibly well in Triple-A Lehigh Valley before his promotion. He went 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 21 starts, including an 8-0 record with a 1.21 ERA in his last 11 starts. "For me, I need to get back into the bullpen and work on spinning the ball," Thompson said. "I wasn't able to spin the ball very well tonight, curveball or slider. Just make sure I can spin those down in the zone consistently." He gets his next opportunity Friday night against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. "He's 22 years old," Mackanin said. "You can't judge him on this outing."

Making Cuts – The Phillies decided Saturday that they needed to see Luis Garcia, Michael Mariot and other relief pitchers in the final two months of the 2016 season more than they needed to see Brett Oberholtzer. The Phils designated Oberholtzer for assignment to make room for right-hander Jake Thompson on the 25-man roster. "He's pitched pretty well lately," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said about Oberholtzer, "but overall, there's other people that need to be seen, given opportunities to make decisions on them. I think there are other people that are more important for us to see to make a determination about whether they fit. And that's what this year is about." Oberholtzer can be traded, claimed off irrevocable outright waivers, assigned to the Minor Leagues or released within the next 10 days. He first must clear waivers to be sent to the Minor Leagues or released. Oberholtzer posted a 2.88 ERA over 25 innings in 13 appearances since June 8 after he posted a 6.75 ERA in 25 1/3 innings in his first 13 appearances. But the Phillies look at Oberholtzer as a long man, while they think other relievers in the system can potentially play more critical roles in the future. The Phillies acquired Oberholtzer in December as part of the Ken Giles trade. He went 11-20 with a 3.94 ERA in 45 appearances (42 starts) with the Astros from 2013-15. Interestingly, Oberholtzer's departure leaves the Phillies without a left-hander on the entire pitching staff. It is unclear if that has ever happened before in franchise history, but it shouldn't hurt the Phillies too much -- Oberholtzer was not particularly effective against lefties. Right-handers have a .747 OPS against him in his career, while lefties have a .776 OPS. "There's not a lot of guys you can really count on," Mackanin said about the organization's left-handed relievers. The Phillies also asked for unconditional release waivers for right-hander Andrew Bailey.

Today In Phils History – In the last at bat of his career in 1893, Frank O’Connor hit a homerun off of Blatimore’s Bill Hawke. In 1942, the Phillies signed free agent Chuck Klein who would wind down his career over the next 3 seasons of his career. The following season, Utility man Glen Stewart hit the only 2 homeruns of his career (742 at bats) against the Giants. Frank Thomas joined the Phillies via trade on this day in 1964. Bob Skinner resigned as manager on this day in 1969 citing a lack of support from the front office regarding discipline of Dick Allen (George Myatt finished the season with his second stint as interim manager). Following a single by Greg Luzinski in the top of the 9^th against the Cardinals manager Danny Ozark replaced the slugger with Jim Kaat to pinch run who was later replaced after a double by Jay Johnstone with pinch runner Johnny Oates who scored the winning run. 10 years later, Juan Samuel scored on a 4 base error against the Cardinals but it wasn’t enough as Todd Worrell broke the NL Rookie record with his 23^rd save of the season. A decade later, Todd Ziele tied a MLB record by committing 4 errors in a single game while playing 1B against the Braves. 5 years later, Bobby Abreu connects in the 5^th inning against San Diego for the 10,000^th homerun in franchise history. In 2009, Harry Kalas was posthumously inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 51-61 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 52-51-0 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.

Some Debuts Don’t Go As Planned

GAME RECAP: Jays Jack Phils 11-3 

Josh Donaldson hit a grand slam and Ezequiel Carrera and Edwin Encarnacion added a pair of two-run shots as the Blue Jays scored early and often against rookie Zach Eflin in an 11-3 victory over the Phillies on Tuesday afternoon at Rogers Centre. Donaldson went 3-for-4 with five RBIs and three runs scored. It was his second five-RBI game of the season and the fourth of his career as the reigning American League MVP Award winner also extended his on-base streak to 19 consecutive games. "We watched a little bit of film on him," Donaldson said of Eflin. "I was paying very close attention to Jose [Bautista's] at-bat, and it looked like he wanted to throw his heater early on. In my first at-bat, he threw me a fastball that I could hit, and I was able to hit it pretty well to right field. That kind of started me on the right track. I was able to get some pitches to hit, and I was able to take advantage of it." Kevin Pillar also enjoyed a three-hit game with a homer and a pair of runs scored. Carrera went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. The offensive outburst came less than 24 hours after Toronto was shut out by Philadelphia, but the club has now scored at least 10 runs in three of its past four games. Eflin was making his Major League debut, but it did not go as planned. He allowed nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits and three walks while striking out two. Eflin became the first rookie Phillies pitcher to allow eight earned runs or more in a start since Gavin Floyd on April 19, 2005. "You've got to forget about it," Eflin said about his first Major League start. "Obviously, I'll remember it for the rest of my life, but from a pitching standpoint, I've got to bounce back. I've got to throw quality strikes and get ahead of the hitters." Right-hander Marcus Stroman picked up the victory for Toronto. He entered Tuesday having allowed 25 runs over his previous 29 2/3 innings, but Stroman was much better in this one. Stroman scattered six hits and one walk with six strikeouts over seven strong innings. The one big blow was a solo home run by Cesar Hernandez in the seventh. "I felt a lot better out there," Stroman said. "I think the work that we've been putting in between the last few starts is starting to take shape. Not exactly where I want to be, but definitely made strides and looking forward to the next one."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Playing in his first game against the Blue Jays since being traded from Toronto to Philadelphia for cash considerations on June 1, Jimmy Paredes finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Paredes brought home the Phillies' first run of the afternoon with a double down the left-field line in the sixth inning, before notching a single and scoring on Andres Blanco's sacrifice fly in the eighth. The 27-year-old switch-hitter entered the game in the bottom of the fifth inning for center fielder Odubel Herrera. Paredes played right, with Peter Bourjos moving to center. "I feel good being back in Canada," Paredes said. "We had a bad game, but we'll see what we can do tomorrow. What I've learned in the National League is that you have to be ready every inning with all the double switches. You never know what's going to happen, and I try to make the most of my opportunities."
• The eight earned runs allowed by Eflin was the highest total given up by a Philadelphia starter since Jerome Williams surrendered eight on Aug. 20, 2015.
• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco missed his second straight game on Tuesday with a right knee sprain he sustained Sunday, and he is considered day to day. If Franco is unable to go Wednesday, Andres Blanco could make his third consecutive start at the hot corner.
• After spending the past two games at designated hitter, Jose Bautista could make his return to right field on Wednesday. Bautista exited Thursday's game against the Orioles with right thigh tightness, and he missed three consecutive contests before returning to the lineup on Monday.
• Edwin Encarnacion is expected to get the start at first base in Philadelphia, with Justin Smoak coming off the bench for the Blue Jays. Encarnacion has seen a majority of his at-bats as the DH, but he started at first base on Tuesday.

NEXT GAME:

After playing a pair of games in Toronto, the Blue Jays and Phillies shift over to Citizens Bank Park for two games beginning on Wednesday. Marco Estrada (4-2, 2.57 ERA) gets the ball for Toronto having allowed five hits or fewer in nine consecutive starts. Estrada's .168 batting average against is the lowest mark among American League starters, and the 32-year-old has limited the opposition to two runs or fewer in seven of his 12 starts this season. In his last outing against the Orioles, Estrada went six innings and allowed three earned runs. The right-handed finesse pitcher has won his past three decisions, and he has not been defeated since a 4-0 loss to the White Sox on April 27. The Phillies will counter with Jeremy Hellickson (4-4, 4.34 ERA), who will look to rebound after one of his worst starts of the season. The 29-year-old right-hander allowed nine hits and seven earned runs -- including three home runs -- over six innings in a loss to the Nationals on Friday. Prior to his start against Washington, Hellickson had allowed three runs or fewer in six consecutive outings. Hellickson made 15 starts against Toronto from 2010-14 during his time with the Rays, going 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA. However, he is 1-10 with a 6.69 ERA in 15 Interleague starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Dreadful Debut – Zach Eflin experienced both the highs and lows of life in the Major Leagues during his debut on Tuesday. Eflin was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start in place of the injured Vince Velasquez, and he struck out two of the first three batters he faced -- Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion -- on hard sliders. After that, however, things took a turn for the worst for Eflin, the Phillies' No. 13 prospect. The 22-year-old right-hander lasted just 2 2/3 innings, giving up nine runs (eight earned) in an 11-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Three of the nine hits Eflin allowed were home runs, and he also walked three. He became the first Phillies rookie to allow eight earned runs in a game since Gavin Floyd on April 19, 2005. "This was his Major League debut, and I suppose he was a little nervous," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He just made a lot of bad pitches. He normally locates a lot better than he did. He was just up in the zone with all his pitches and got hit. Sorry to see his debut turn out that way, but this is a good lineup, and he can't make mistakes to them." The big blow from Toronto came in a six-run third inning, when reigning American League MVP Award winner Josh Donaldson took Eflin into the second deck with a grand slam for a 9-0 Blue Jays lead. Known for his ability to keep the ball down and command his fastball, Eflin didn't display those tendencies in Toronto. "You've got to forget about it," Eflin said. "Obviously, I'll remember it for the rest of my life, but from a pitching standpoint, I've got to bounce back. I've got to throw quality strikes and get ahead of the hitters." "You just got to keep him calm, don't let him get to himself, don't let him get down about himself," added catcher Cameron Rupp. "Just tell him, 'Come on, you can do it, you got one pitch left, you got two outs, you're one pitch away.' And then it was tough for him not to get it. He battled, he never gave in to those hitters, and that's a good lineup, too. You can't make mistakes to that lineup and those guys, and they got him when he did." Acquired from the Dodgers as part of the Jimmy Rollins deal in 2014, Eflin's Major League debut came in front of a packed house at Rogers Centre. In the first row behind the Phillies' dugout were Eflin's father, grandparents, two sisters, girlfriend and her brother. "It was very special," Eflin said about having his family on hand. "Especially because they had their passports and everything ready for whenever and whatever happened, so it was awesome to have them here." While the Phillies are unsure of what the season holds for Eflin as far as a permanent spot in their rotation, they do expect him to get another outing. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound right-hander knows he'll have to make some tweaks in order to have a better performance his next time out. "Really make sure I limit my pitches up in the zone," Eflin said. "I need to make sure that I focus on every pitch and work down in the zone and really don't give them anything to hit, and go from there."

Today In Phils History – It was on this day in 1945 that Ben Chapman was acquired from the Dodgers… his history with that team did not stop there. 4 years later, Eddie Waitkus is shot in a Chicago hotel by 19-year old Ruth Steihagen. 3 years later, Granny Hamner demonstrated why it is always important to cover home plate when he scored on a foul pop up which was fielded by the Pittsburgh catcher. In 1960, the Phillies said goodbye to Wally Post and Sparky Anderson but also welcomed Tony Gonzalez to the team. 2 year later, the Phillies made a smart acquisition (which they would later negate) when they signed minor-league free agent Ferguson Jenkins. Long time Phillies manager Gene Mauch was fired on this day in 1968 and replaced by Bob Skinner. In 2001, the Phillies honored 2 players from 2 very different eras when Gary Maddox and Gavvy Cravath were inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame. It is also the birthday of Bab Dahlgren (1912) and Lance Parrish who turns 60 today.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 30-35 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 42-57-0 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!

You Don’t Mess With The Hoff, Eh!

GAME RECAP: Phillies Shutout Blue Jays 7-0 

Ryan Howard and Odubel Herrera each homered while Jerad Eickhoff tossed six scoreless innings in the Phillies' 7-0 victory over the Blue Jays on Monday night at Rogers Centre. Herrera finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored in his third multi-hit game of the month. Howard went deep in his first start since June 8, and he now has two home runs over his last three games. "He's fun to watch," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Herrera. "You just never know. He can look so bad for two pitches and then hit a home run; he can look so bad for two at-bats, and then all of a sudden, come through with a big hit off a lefty. He's amazing." Eickhoff tamed a Blue Jays lineup that came into this game red-hot. Toronto scored 30 runs over a recent four-game series against the Orioles, but it managed to put just two runners in scoring position when Eickhoff was on the mound. The 25-year-old scattered three hits and four walks while striking out five. "We have a game plan," Eickhoff said about shutting down the Blue Jays. "We kind of deviate from that or change from that as the game progresses or how I'm feeling. Especially having that fastball command, it wasn't the best that I've had, but it was enough to keep them off balance and throwing that slider was huge in those fastball counts." Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey was charged with the loss despite a strong night on the mound. He surrendered the two solo shots and left with one out and a man on base in the seventh inning. When Dickey departed the game it was 2-0, but the Phillies tacked on five more runs to snap their four-game losing streak. "It's a tough place to pitch for anybody," said Dickey, who dropped to 0-5 at home. "Both Howard's ball and Herrera were wall-scrapers here, and you usually don't lose when you give up solo home runs. I was OK with that. The pitch to Herrera was a poor pitch, the one to Howard not so much. He hit it off the end and it top-spinned over the wall."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies opened up a 4-0 lead in the top of the seventh after stringing together three hits and adding three runs. Howard led off the seventh inning with a solo shot, Peter Bourjos added a two-out RBI double and Herrera brought home his second run of the game with a single. Howard, who recently lost his first-base job to Tommy Joseph, started at designated hitter on Monday and hit just his second home run since May 11.
• Herrera gave the Phillies an early 1-0 lead with his sixth home run of the season in the top of the third inning. Herrera took a 2-1 knuckleball from Dickey and sent it just over the right-field wall. According to Statcast™, Herrera's blast left the yard at 109 mph while traveling a projected 345 feet.
• Gibbons lost his challenge in the bottom of the eighth inning. Toronto had runners on first and second with nobody out when Kevin Pillar hit a grounder to third. Philadelphia's Andres Blanco stepped on third for the first out, and then threw across the diamond for a double play. Pillar felt he beat the throw to first and the Blue Jays decided to challenge, but following a review of one minute and 19 seconds, it was ruled that the call on the field stands.
• Tuesday's 7-0 victory was the Phillies' first shutout against an American League opponent since blanking Oakland, 3-0, on Sept. 20, 2014.
• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco missed Monday's series opener with a right knee sprain he sustained in Philadelphia's 5-4 loss to the Nationals on Sunday. Franco is day to day, and he could make his return to the lineup on Tuesday.
• With a single in the first inning on Monday, Toronto outfielder Michael Saunders extended his hitting streak to seven games. Saunders has been a welcome addition to the Blue Jays' right-handed-heavy lineup after missing a majority of the 2015 season and leads the team with five three-hit games.
• Edwin Encarnacion missed Monday's contest after sustaining a jammed right index finger in Toronto's 10-9 win against the Orioles on Sunday. Encarnacion is expected to play Tuesday and is also considered day to day.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies starter Zach Eflin was all smiles as he walked into the visiting clubhouse at Rogers Centre in anticipation of his Major League debut. The 22-year-old right-hander was recalled to start Tuesday against the Blue Jays. Eflin was acquired by the Phillies as part of the deal which sent Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers in 2014, and he put together a 5-2 record with a 2.90 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. "It's been unbelievable," said Eflin, who had seven family members make the trip up north. "Obviously, it's a dream come true. I've always wanted this to happen ever since I was a kid, and for it to finally happen and come true is something special. I'm just really looking forward to getting out there on the mound tomorrow." The Blue Jays will counter with Marcus Stroman (5-2, 4.94 ERA), who will look to get back on track after three consecutive disappointing outings. Stroman has has not made it out of the sixth inning in each of them, while also allowing a total of 17 earned runs. Toronto's Opening Day starter has seen his ERA climb over a full run higher in that span. In seven career Interleague games (three starts), Stroman is 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA. The 25-year-old graduate of Duke University is also 10-3 with a 3.59 ERA all time at Rogers Centre.

PHILS PHACTS:

Did He Turn The Corner? – Looking at the numbers, you'd be hard-pressed to find much fault in Jerad Eickhoff's outing against the Blue Jays. But the right-hander didn't see it that way, relying heavily on the usage of his slider to fire his second consecutive dominant performance and third straight quality start in the Phillies' 7-0 rout of the Blue Jays on Monday. In total, Eickhoff threw 30 sliders, using it to set up his fastball and as an out-pitch to silence Toronto's lineup, which came into the night having scored 21 runs in the last two games. The 25-year-old needed 26 pitches to get out of the first before modifying his approach to go deep into the game. "We have a game plan," Eickhoff said. "We kind of deviate from that or change from that as the game progresses or how I'm feeling. Especially having that fastball command, it wasn't the best that I've had, but it was enough to keep them off balance and throwing that slider was huge in those fastball counts." In total, Eickhoff managed five strikeouts and walked four over six innings, overcoming the command issues in the early frames. The Evansville, Ind., native managed to put up his 16th quality start in 21 big league outings and allowed an opponent to score one earned run or fewer for the fourth time in 13 outings this season. "I think I knew when my fastball wasn't kind of drifting off the plate a little bit, and I knew that I had to get a pitch to get them off," Eickhoff said about the deviation from his regular approach and going to his breaking stuff. "I knew it wasn't where it needed to be. This is a great team, they hit fastballs really well and I knew that coming in, so I've got to be precise with that offspeed stuff." Eickhoff's slider was also a big part of his seven-inning performance against the Cubs on Tuesday, in which he limited Chicago to a single run on two hits. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound righty heavily relied on the the pitch when initially called up to the Major Leagues last season, and he has once again found a way to integrate it aggressively into his arsenal. "I threw the slider a lot when I first came up last year, because I didn't have my curveball yet," Eickhoff said. "I was still trying to figure out that new baseball at the big league level. I reverted to that quite a bit, and I think these past couple starts have been kind of an eye-opening transition."

Taking Precautions – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin updated the status of recently injured starter Vince Velasquez and third baseman Maikel Franco prior to Philadelphia's home-and-home series opener against the Blue Jays on Monday. Velasquez left his Wednesday afternoon start against the Cubs after just two pitches, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday with a right biceps strain. "He'll be re-evaluated tomorrow and then we'll determine when he'll start throwing," Mackanin said. "He's here [in Toronto]." The 24-year-old is 5-2 with a 3.65 ERA after coming over in a trade with Houston for Ken Giles in December, and he has been a major bright spot for the Phillies' rotation this season. While no timetable has been set for a return, Mackanin insisted the team will be cautious with their young starter. "Everything's in pencil," Mackanin said. "I'm anxious to see him tomorrow." Franco, who was out of the starting lineup for Monday's contest, suffered a right knee sprain in the Phillies' 5-4 loss to the Nationals on Sunday and is day to day. Franco hurt himself in a rundown play during the fifth inning, but he stayed in the game and finished 2-for-4 with a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning. "I didn't want to chance anything today, so we'll see how he is tomorrow," Mackanin said. "There's a little bit of swelling." "I don't feel I can be able to play today, so we'll figure it out tomorrow," added Franco, who leads the Phillies in both home runs (11) and RBIs (33). "When I come in, we'll see if my leg is better and try to be ready."

Welcome To The Majors! – Prior to Monday's game, Mackanin talked to starting pitcher Zach Eflin, the newest member of the Phillies. Eflin was called up to make his Major League debut against the Blue Jays on Tuesday in the spot normally occupied by Velasquez. While the Phillies' skipper did not guarantee a long-term spot in the rotation for the 22-year-old, he did share a few words of advice. "I was in here talking to him today," Mackanin said. "I told him, 'Up here, if you make your pitches, you're going to be successful. If you make mistakes, you're going to get hit. It's as simple as that. Pitch the way you normally pitch, and if you make quality pitches, you're going to be OK.' He's got the stuff to be successful. It boils down to command and control." Originally selected by the Padres in the first round of the 2012 Draft, Eflin was acquired from the Dodgers alongside left-handed pitcher Tom Windle in December 2014 for shortstop Jimmy Rollins. The Orlando, Fla., native went 5-2 with a 2.90 ERA in 11 starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Today In Phils History – Milestones and Oddities are the name of the game today beginning in 1890 when owner Al Reach took over as manager due to the temporarily blindness experienced by Harry Wright. In 1983, for some reason, manager Pat Corrales tied a MLB record by using 4 right fielders in a game. Of course, I am sure there were some additional oddities on display in 2009 when the Phillies bullpen was on display in the MLB Network show “The Pen”. Who knows maybe if they followed the current Phillies they might discover some birthday shenanigans today as Hector Neris turns 27. However, the most notable moments that happened on this day occurred in 2004 when Jim Thome connected for his 400^th career homerun. 10 years later, Jimmy Rollins, who is currently a free agent, became the Phillies’ all-time hits leader with a single in the 5^th, his 2,235^th career hit, passing Mike Schmidt.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 30-34 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 42-57-0 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!

Rookie And Veteran Team Up For Big Night

GAME RECAP: Phillies Beat Marlins 7-1

Jerad Eickhoff's Major League debut was an eventful and successful one. The right-hander, acquired from the Rangers as part of the Cole Hamels deal, threw six shutout innings and drove in two runs with a single in the Phillies' 7-1 victory over Miami at Marlins Park. Eickhoff, rated the Phillies' No. 15 prospect by MLBPipeline.com, scattered five hits and struck out five. He also capped a four-run fourth inning by delivering a two-out, two-run single off Kendry Flores. "It's surreal," Eickhoff, 25, said. "You grow up dreaming about this, and words can't describe it. There's so many people you meet that help you get here, and it's just a testament to what they do. A lot of it is on them." Flores, the Marlins' sixth-rated prospect, made his first big league start and seventh appearance overall. He was tagged for five runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in five innings. In the fourth, the Phillies broke through with four runs, sending nine to the plate. Odubel Herrera had an RBI single and Freddy Galvis lined a sacrifice fly to left, making it 2-0. The inning came apart for Flores with two outs, after Cameron Rupp was intentionally walked to load the bases. Eickhoff, who struck out in his first at-bat, slapped a two-run single to left. Derek Dietrich homered in the seventh for the Marlins, who had Dee Gordon, Ichiro Suzuki and Justin Bour each have two hits. But Miami was 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. "We had three guys with two hits apiece, with Dee, Ichy and J.B.," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "Dietrich's home run. With runners in scoring position, 0-for-8. Just not a clean game. Not what we've been doing of late."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Eickhoff worked himself into trouble in the sixth when he allowed a leadoff walk, followed by a single. But the righty promptly worked himself out of the frame -- which proved to be his last of the contest -- by getting Martin Prado to fly out and Bour and Marcell Ozuna to strike out. "I took him out of the game because ... I think the adrenaline of his first Major League start and he hasn't run the bases ... that's why we lifted him after six innings," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He was soaking wet. He looked to me mentally exhausted more than anything."
• Ryan Howard notched three doubles in one game for the first time since 2008, with two of them going to the opposite field. He finished 3-for-5, hitting his doubles in the fourth, fifth and ninth innings. Howard also recorded two RBIs, giving him 1,125, which passes Del Ennis for third place in franchise history.
• With two hits on Friday, Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera has hit safely in 21 of his last 22 games, including 37 of his last 41.
• Gillespie was ruled safe at first after beating out a slow grounder to third baseman Andres Blanco, who made a barehanded play with one out in the second inning. However, Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin challenged the call, and it was overturned to a 5-3 putout after a 56-seconds review.
• "I hadn't had an at-bat in six or seven years. So I guess I just closed my eyes and swung." -- Eickhoff, on his two-run single.

NEXT GAME:

Aaron Harang (5-14, 4.79 ERA) will try to break out of his August funk in the third game of the series Saturday at 7:10 p.m. ET at Marlins Park. In three August starts, the veteran is 0-3 while allowing 18 earned runs in 15 innings. Rookie Justin Nicolino (2-1, 4.24 ERA) makes his fifth big league start on Saturday. The lefty was 7-7 (3.52) at Triple-A New Orleans.

PHILS PHACTS:

Better Than Expected – For the past few days leading up to his Major League debut on Friday night, Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff had one thought on his mind. "I just wanted to get up there and get after them," he said. Eickhoff did exactly that, earning his first career win in Philadelphia's 7-1 victory at Marlins Park by tossing six scoreless innings on 75 pitches -- 52 of which were strikes. Eickhoff, who was acquired from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade on July 31, allowed five hits, struck out five and walked just one. With his performance, the 25-year-old became the first Phillies starter to not allow a run in his Major League debut since the man he was traded for, Hamels. "We were told that he likes to pound the strike zone with all his pitches, and he showed that he was able to do that," interim manager Pete Mackanin said. Eickhoff didn't just contribute on the mound, though. Batting with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the fifth, he notched his first career hit -- a two-run single through the left side -- to push the Phillies' lead to 4-0. It was actually his first professional hit as well, as he never had a plate appearance in the Minor Leagues. "I didn't know if the pain was going to sustain or go away, but I was fine," Eickhoff said. "It hit the good pad of my hand." Said Mackanin, "I took him out of the game [after 75 pitches] because ... I think the adrenaline of his first Major League start and he hasn't run the bases ... that's why we lifted him after six innings. He was soaking wet. He looked to me mentally exhausted, more than anything." Overall, it couldn't have gone much better for Eickhoff, who became the first Phillies pitcher to notch an RBI and pick up a win in his MLB debut since Dave Downs on Sept. 2, 1972, at Atlanta. Even more, the only other Phillies pitcher to record multiple RBIs in his big league debut was Tom Sullivan on May 15, 1922, at St. Louis. To top it all off, the rookie did it all in front of 16 friends and family members in attendance, most of who made the trip down south from his hometown of Evansville, Ind. "It's surreal," Eickhoff said. "You grow up dreaming about this, and words can't describe it. There's so many people you meet that help you get here, and it's just a testament to what they do. A lot of it is on them. It's unbelievable."

Howard’s Big Night – While Phillies starting pitcher Jerad Eickhoff was busy working his name into the club's record books in Friday's 7-1 win at Marlins Park, first baseman Ryan Howard left his mark as well. Howard went 3-for-5 with three doubles, his first three-double game since June 8, 2008 -- and only the second of his career. He also recorded two RBIs in the process, which moved him past Del Ennis for third place in Phillies franchise history with 1,125. "I kidded him about the doubles," interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He doesn't hit home runs anymore? I said, 'You're just a doubles guy?' But he had a nice night. A couple RBIs, he swung the bat well." Two of Howard's three doubles beat the Marlins' shift and went to left field. The first came in the fourth inning on a liner into the left-field corner. His next two doubles drove in runs -- a drive to right-center in the fifth inning and a shot to left field in the ninth. Howard now has 27 doubles on the season, and he boosted his average to .238.

Will We See Franco Again This Season? – While Maikel Franco's wrist injury recently went from bad to worse -- sending him to the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday and seemingly ending his rookie season -- Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said prior to Friday's contest in Miami that there's a chance the third baseman will be back this season after all. "The prognosis for Franco is a little bit better than what they've previously noted," he said. "So he perhaps might be able to come back a little sooner. He might be back before the season is over." Franco's injury is a non-displaced left wrist fracture, which he suffered on Aug. 11 in Arizona when he was hit by a Jeremy Hellickson pitch. X-rays taken that night came back negative, but after little improvement the following days, Franco had an MRI exam this past week that general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. described Tuesday as "a very small, non-displaced fracture of his ulnar styloid." Amaro added that the Phillies were going to be cautious with the promising 22-year-old, who is hitting .277 with 13 homers this season. However, while Franco will be in a splint for the next couple of weeks, and the last-place Phillies may simply play it safe with only a little more than a month remaining in the season, Mackanin said the most recent reports about the injury are positive. "That's still up in the air [if he would return], but he very well might be able to come back," Mackanin said. "I was told there's a chance he can come back and play some this year. ... It would be nice to get Franco's bat back in the lineup if possible." Franco has an .830 OPS with 22 doubles and 48 RBIs in 77 games with Philadelphia since his promotion from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on May 15. When he was placed on the DL on Tuesday (retroactive to Aug. 12), the Phillies recalled outfielder Aaron Altherr, who entered Friday 3-for-9 with a homer in three games.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 48-74. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 55-55-1 on this day.

Nola Gets No Support In Impressive Debut

GAME RECAP: Rays Shutout Phillies 1-0

Rays right-hander Nathan Karns provided the only blemish to Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola's highly anticipated big league debut Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Karns hit a first-pitch fastball off Nola to left-center field for a solo home run in the third inning of a 1-0 victory. It would be plenty for the Rays, as Karns and the Rays' bullpen combined to allow just four hits in the shutout. "Unique win, but we'll take as many of them as we can get," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. Nola, who is the No. 28 prospect in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com, took the loss, but he left fans excited about the future with an impressive showing. "It was pretty awesome to be out there to feel the energy from the fans," Nola said. "To pitch at this level is pretty amazing and a pretty good feeling tonight. I had a little bit of jitters in the first inning. But once I threw a few pitches, they were gone."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies are looking for a light at the end of the tunnel, and Nola offered one in his big league debut. He threw 88 pitches (59 strikes), throwing his fastball, curveball and changeup for strikes. If this is just a glimpse of Nola's potential, the Phillies will be very happy they selected him with the seventh overall pick of the 2014 Draft. "I gave it everything I had out there," Nola said. "I was blessed for the opportunity to pitch here."
• The Phillies might not have scored anyway, but Asche made the first out of the second inning at third base, trying to go from first to third on Brown's single to right. Odubel Herrera then bounced into an inning-ending double play in the fifth, when he simply stopped running to first base. Herrera remained in the game. "Herrera didn't assume he was going to throw to second base," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He kind of quit running. He's got to understand that's not the way you play."
• "You've got an American League pitcher up there, it's the first pitch of the inning. You're not going to try to trick anybody. I've known Nathan for a long time, and I can sit here and say a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then" -- Rupp, on Karns' homer run against Nola.
• The Phillies sold 8,500 tickets since Friday, when they announced Nola would make his debut. They sold 4,000 tickets Tuesday. Tuesday's crowd of 28,703 was the Phillies' largest crowd for a weeknight game (on a non-fireworks night) since May 14, when they had 29,205 for the final game of a series against the Pirates.

NEXT GAME:

Rookie left-hander Adam Morgan (1-2, 3.91 ERA) hopes to continue his roll Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. ET. He has allowed two or fewer runs in three of his first four starts, and he has pitched more than six innings in two of his last three. Jake Odorizzi (5-6, 2.80 ERA) will start after taking his sixth loss of the season Friday night in Toronto when he had a career-high-tying five walks. In addition, he allowed a season-high six earned runs and had a season low for strikeouts with one. He has not faced the Phillies, but he is 3-3 with a 3.51 ERA in seven career Interleague starts. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Nola Impresses In Debut – Dan Baker, the Citizens Bank Park public address announcer, has introduced thousands of lineups in his career. Still, he was able to reach back for a little more when he got to the Phillies' starting pitcher -- AA-ron NO-la -- Tuesday night. The crowd responded with genuine enthusiasm. There was a buzz in the blue seats that has been missing for much of the season. When the game started, the fans hung on every pitch, groaning when Nola didn't get the benefit of the doubt on a close pitch. When he got a big strikeout, the television cameras cut to his parents, sitting in the stands. Nola's father pumped his fist. Phillies fans had something to be excited about. Nola, the organization's first-round pick out of LSU just over a year ago, made his Major League debut against the Rays. And he didn't disappoint, allowing just one run in his six innings. Fifteen of Nola's 18 outs came on strikeouts or ground balls. The spoiler alert is that the Phils lost, 1-0. Now, Major League debuts are like Opening Days. They're a lot of fun. And they almost never turn out to be as significant as they seem at the time. Still, it's hard to overstate what a crucial piece Nola plays in the puzzle the Phillies are trying to assemble. One start doesn't make a career. But that doesn't mean that what Nola did Tuesday night, and what he'll do the rest of the season, aren't vital to the ongoing reconstruction project the organization has undertaken. Think about it this way: Nola is already the 12th pitcher to start a game for the Phils this season. And, right now, you'd have to say he's the best bet of any of them to be in the rotation when the slate is wiped clean and the 2016 season begins. Ace Cole Hamels is widely expected to be traded before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Aaron Harang and Chad Billingsley were low-risk, high-reward gambles when they were signed in the offseason; Harang faded after a hot start and then went on the disabled list, while Billingsley has been unable to stay healthy. Jerome Williams has so far been unable to replicate the success he had for the Phillies last year after being released by the Astros and waived by the Rangers. Dustin McGowan was signed after being released by the Dodgers, and Kevin Correia was brought aboard after being released by the Giants. Sean O'Sullivan had a 6.08 ERA in 13 starts. All are currently on Triple-A Lehigh Valley's roster. Phillippe Aumont has left the building. And the organization, after declining an outright assignment to the IronPigs. Youngsters Adam Morgan, Severino Gonzalez and David Buchanan have promise, but none have shown enough yet to be written into the 2016 rotation in ink. Sure, trades could change that picture. Free agent signings, too. And there are some pitchers down below, including Zach Eflin at Double-A Reading, that the baseball people are bullish on. Maybe, could be, possibly. It might not be fair to project a starring role next season for a 22-year-old who wasn't even a non-roster invitee to big league camp this spring. It might be a gigantic leap to suggest that after one big league start, Nola jumps to the top of the list. But dealing strictly with the known commodities on hand, it's difficult to reach any other conclusion. Besides, everything the Phils do these days matters less about the here and now than what the projected impact might be moving forward. Ruben Amaro Jr. tempered his remarks, which is prudent. "He represents the kind of things we're trying to do," the general manager said, "which is trying to get our young players to the big leagues and find out about them. We think he's going to be a good, solid Major League pitcher. And he got off to a great start. I'm happy for him. I'm sure it was nerve-wracking for him and his family. It's just unfortunate we couldn't get any runs for him." Veteran outfielder Jeff Francoeur, who's seen a lot of young pitchers come and go, was impressed. "I would imagine he'd be No. 2, No. 3 next year behind Cole, if Cole's here, and whatever else they do," the 31-year-old outfielder said. "But he's got great stuff, and it looks like he's got a good head on his shoulders. So for all of us, it was fun to see. You're always happy for guys like that." Cameron Rupp, who caught Nola, noted that a performance like this is another reason to have hope for the future. And he also liked the electricity that ran through the park. "He's exciting. And fans think he's exciting, too," Rupp said. "That makes it even better. People come. We want to play in front of a lot of people. So I think that's huge."

Nola Offers Glimmer Of Hope – Aaron Nola provided the Phillies and their fans a much needed feeling of hope Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Nola, who is the No. 28 prospect in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com, made a memorable debut in the midst of a forgettable season in a 1-0 loss to the Rays. He allowed five hits, one run, one walk and struck out six in six innings. He threw 89 pitches (57 strikes), throwing his fastball, curveball and changeup for strikes. He singled to center field in the fifth inning, one of only four hits for the Phillies. Nola, whose fastball hit 94 mph, looked composed from the moment he stepped onto the mound to the moment he left. He looked like he belonged. "From the stint he had in Spring Training to the past 24 hours he has been here, he has shown a lot of poise," Phillies ace Cole Hamels said afterward. "That's good to see. You know that is somebody you want to call a teammate. You know that is somebody you're going to have faith in when the game is on the line, especially when you're in pennant races and getting to postseasons. He seems like that type of big-game pitcher. "It's something you can learn, but it's very difficult to learn. So if you already have it, you're already on your way. You're accelerating yourself to be in a good position in the big leagues." The Phillies selected Nola with the seventh overall pick of the 2014 Draft with the belief he would join the big league rotation before the end of 2015. He lived up to the hype through his quick rise through the Phillies' farm system. It is why the Phillies sold 8,500 tickets since Friday, when they announced Nola would make his big league debut Tuesday. They sold 4,000 tickets Tuesday, making the announced crowd of 28,703 their largest weeknight crowd on a non-fireworks night since May 14. Fans wanted to see a reason to believe in the future. "He was terrific," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "He did a great job. He showed a lot of poise." "He was poised," interim manager Pete Mackanin echoed. "He had a good mound presence. He didn't look scared." Nola allowed a leadoff double to John Jaso in the first inning, but struck out Steven Souza Jr. and Evan Longoria before getting James Loney to ground out to end the first inning. Nola's only mishap came in the third inning, when Rays pitcher Nathan Karns hit a solo home run to left field on a first-pitch fastball. "It was pretty awesome to be out there to feel the energy from the fans," Nola said. "To pitch at this level is pretty amazing and a pretty good feeling tonight. I had a little bit of jitters in the first inning. But once I threw a few pitches, they were gone." Nola's next start is Sunday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. While there will be ups and down along the way, the Phillies hope Tuesday was a glimpse of what could be in a few years if J.P. Crawford, Zach Eflin, Roman Quinn, Cornelius Randolph, Andrew Knapp and others develop like the organization hopes. "I feel like we're just going out and doing our job and playing to the best of our ability," Nola said, when asked about the fact he represents the organization's future. "There's a lot of other great guys on the team that are there doing their job, too. We're trying to win."

Poor Base Running Sinks Phillies – Cody Asche did what he was supposed to, and it backfired. Odubel Herrera made a mistake, and the Rays took advantage of it. And on a night where two runs could've meant a completely different ballgame, those two mistakes buried the Phillies. The Phillies lost, 1-0, to the Rays on Tuesday night in a game where ace pitching prospect Aaron Nola lived up to the expectations the Phillies had of him when they selected him in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. Despite this, the Phillies' offense also lived up to its reputation as the second-worst in the National League by runs scored and was unable to supply the rookie with run support, squandering its best opportunities in the cases of Asche and Herrera. In the second inning, after Asche walked to lead off the inning, he moved to second on a Domonic Brown single into center field. The single trailed into right field and Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier had to chase it down, so Asche rounded second and headed to third. This proved to be a mistake as Kiermaier showed off his arm and gunned Asche down at third for the first out of the inning. Although the outcome wasn't optimal, Asche defended his aggression. "Right there, that's just the play," Asche said. "He made a hell of a play. Not a lot of center fielders have the athletic ability to do that. I haven't seen it, but to make that throw from where he was on the line was pretty impressive." Although Asche's mistake came first, Herrera's might've been more pivotal. With Nola on first and one out in the fifth inning, Herrera dribbled a 1-1 pitch down the first-base line to Rays first baseman James Loney. Loney turned and fired to shortstop Jake Elmore, who was covering second base to retire Nola. By the time the ball made its way to Elmore, Herrera was barely out of the batter's box, as he elected not to run down the line. By the time he realized he could've beaten out the double play, it was too late, as Elmore delivered back to Loney for the easy 3-6-3 double play. "He didn't assume [Loney] was going to throw to second base, so he kind of quit running, which is something he's got to understand that's not the way you play," interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "That's like getting a base hit to the outfield and not thinking about going to second base because he's going to catch the ball. You don't assume the outfielder is going to make the play." For some managers, the temptation after a play like that where it appeared Herrera suffered from a lack of effort might be to bench the player as punishment. That, however, is not Mackanin's style. "I'm not going to do that unless it's flagrant," Mackanin said. "This kid works as hard or harder than anybody. He puts in his time, and he's a good kid. I like the way he prepares for the game, but he's had a few incidences where he just didn't do things he should've done, and tonight was one. I'm not going to bury him because of that."

Franco Day-To-Day – For the first time since May 15, Maikel Franco's name was not listed in the Phillies' starting lineup Tuesday. The rookie third baseman left Monday night's 5-3 win over Tampa Bay with soreness in his right elbow that he said he aggravated on a throw in the sixth inning. Out of precaution, Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin removed him from the game and decided to give him Tuesday off. Despite this, Franco said that he thinks he is available to pinch-hit if necessary, and he feels well enough that had Mackanin decided to start him, he thinks he could've played comfortably. "For me, I'm ready to play," Franco said. "I know it's sore a little bit, but I can play like that. But I just want to take a day off, and we'll see what happens." As he said he would Monday night, Franco arrived at Citizens Bank Park earlier than usual Tuesday to be evaluated by team trainers. Both Mackanin and Franco confirmed that the 22-year-old didn't undergo an MRI or any other tests. Rather, the trainers merely examined Franco's elbow. Based off their diagnosis, Mackanin listed Franco as day to day. Andres Blanco, a player Mackanin is glad to find a way to get in the game, started at third Tuesday. "I had planned to today, tomorrow and the next game have Blanco play a game at third, short and second -- not in that particular order -- to get him some at-bats and keep him sharp," Mackanin said. "I won't say it works out well that [Franco's] hurt, but I think it's just a day to day thing. He'll be fine." Since his callup from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on May 15, Franco has been a fixture in the Phillies' offense, producing primarily from the third spot in the order. He is batting .283 with an OPS of .818, 10 home runs and 35 RBIs.

Evaluating Trade Value – If the Phillies keep a five-man rotation through the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, Cole Hamels has just one more opportunity to pitch for his suitors. He will pitch Saturday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, and if the rotation remains in order, he will not pitch again until the following Friday night against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park, three hours past the Deadline. Of course, with no game scheduled Monday, the Phillies could skip somebody and pitch Hamels on Thursday night. There are reasons to want to see Hamels pitch at least one more time. He has a 19.89 ERA in his last two starts. But the Phillies do not think Hamels needs to dominate Saturday to alleviate any potential concerns of pursuers like the Dodgers, Rangers, Cubs, Red Sox and Astros. The Phillies quickly mention Hamels' track record. He has a 3.09 ERA from 2010-15, which ranks eighth out of 101 qualified pitchers in baseball, and he is a proven postseason performer. "He needs to pitch like Cole," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Tuesday. "He's been pitching close to 10 years. They know what he is." Of course, it only would make sense for opposing general managers to use Hamels' recent struggles as a bargaining tool. Boy, Ruben, we can't give up these prospects when we've seen Cole pitch so poorly lately. "Then don't trade for him," Amaro said. "I think if the shoe were on the other foot and we were in pursuit of players, our biggest concern would be health. Do we see something mechanically? Do we see something different? If we saw something alarming, it would be different." The Phillies have told teams they could wait to trade Hamels (and others) until the offseason, but more starting pitchers will be available in the winter as free agents. Hamels is signed through 2018 at $22.5 million per season with a $20 million club option for 2019. The deal includes a $6 million buyout. "You think anybody is going to sign a three, plus one of the ilk of Hamels?" Amaro said. "Do you think [David] Price will do a three-year deal? I would think not, based on what the marketplace has done for some other guys. You're looking at five, six, seven, eight years. What did [Clayton] Kershaw get? Seven years? We have a contract that is locked in at three, plus one. So, yeah, I've been under no mandate to move any of these players. The mandate from our ownership group and Pat [Gillick] is 'Make good deals.' That's the goal." Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere and Jeff Francoeur continue to receive interest. Chase Utley is on the disabled list, but he could begin a rehab assignment soon. Sources indicated there could be some interest from the Angels, who are looking for a left-handed bat. "We've had pretty significant dialogue the past couple weeks about things," Amaro said. "I think things will continue to heat up, yeah. "I believe that it's clear that clubs have needs and have been aggressive. It doesn't mean anything will get done, but there's been some aggressiveness. Listen, we have some players that are desirable. And so I would fully expect them to be aggressive, because we've kind of opened up the doors to allow them to discuss them. We've been open-minded from last October on."

Crawford Showing Power – Phillies top prospect J.P. Crawford appears to have found his groove. Not typically known for his power, the shortstop now has five extra-base hits in his past three contests, including two homers. Tuesday night, he went 2-for-4 with a double and a solo homer for Double-A Reading, which took down Bowie, 6-4. Crawford's blast was clutch. It tied the game at four with two outs in the seventh inning. On the year, baseball's No. 15 overall prospect is hitting .266/.370/.431 with 11 doubles, four triples, four roundtrippers and 17 RBIs at the Double-A level. Drafted in the first round by the Phillies in 2013, he made his Reading debut earlier this season and is on pace to set new career bests in hits (currently at 79) and total bases (110).

Minor Updates – Players of the Week: Player - OF Cord Sandberg, Lakewood...Sandberg, 20, hit a robust .435 (10-23) with a double, triple, five RBI and five runs scored in six games for the BlueClaws, earning him Phillies Minor League Player of the Week. He reached base safely in exactly half of his plate appearances and extended his hitting streak to eight games with a 4-4, three-run game on July 19 against Rome. Those three runs were his season-high for a game, and the four hits tied his season best. Sandberg was selected by the Phillies in the third round of the 2013 draft and was signed by Alan Marr. Pitcher - LHP Jesse Biddle, Lehigh Valley...Biddle, a 23-year-old southpaw, was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week and International League Pitcher of the Week honors after a dominant start on July 17 against Rochester. In that start, he tossed 7.0 scoreless innings, allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out seven. It was his first scoreless start of more than 5.0 innings this season at any level. Biddle was the Phillies' first-round selection in the 2010 draft, and was signed by Eric Valent. Lehigh Valley IronPigs - International League North Division…42-53, 4^th place…Lehigh Valley split four games with the Rochester Red Wings in what was their only series last week due to the triple-A All-Star Break. The IronPigs are 4-0-2 in their last six series, with their last series loss coming back in June. Top hitting performers - OF Aaron Altherr clubbed his fourth home run for Lehigh Valley and his 10^th overall this season. He is now hitting .293 since joining the IronPigs…1B Chris McGuiness had hits in three of his four games, including his second home run of the season…OF Jordan Danks homered, drove in two runs, scored two more and walked twice in four games. Top pitching performers - LHP Jesse Biddle was strong in his start against Rochester, tossing 7.0 shutout frames and while allowing just three hits. He struck out seven and walked only one…LHP Adam Loewen converted both of his save opportunities and now has thrown four straight perfect innings for four straight saves…RHP Dalier Hinojosa tossed 1.2 innings and allowed one hit in his IronPigs debut on July 19. Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division …51-43,T-1^st place…The Fightins also had an abbreviated week due to the All-Star Break, as they played four games against the New Britain Rock Cats. Reading won three of those four, moving into a tie for first place with the Trenton Thunder. With their series win, they are eight games over .500 in divisional play, which is tied for best in the Eastern Division. Top hitting performers - OF Kelly Dugan batted .333 (5-15) with a triple, three RBI, a stolen base and a run scored…OF Cam Perkins slashed .364/.462/.636, doubled, tripled, scored a run and drove in another. He had hits in each of his three games…SS J.P. Crawford had a team-high three extra-base hits (double, triple, home run) in four games played…C Andrew Knapp played in two games, hitting a triple in one and a home run in the other. He has hit safely in all of his 15 games with Reading. Top pitching performers - RHP Ben Lively scattered seven hits and allowed two runs over 6.1 innings of work on July 19. He has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his last six starts…RHP Colton Murray appeared in two games out of the bullpen and earned two wins after combining to throw 3.0 scoreless innings…LHP Joely Rodriguez had a successful relief outing, allowing just one hit in 2.0 innings pitched. Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division…16-8, 1^st place, 53-41 overall…Clearwater was able to work around a rough series against Palm Beach to still finish the week with a winning record and remain 3.5 games up in the division. After winning consecutive games against Fort Myers and Palm Beach to start the week, the Threshers offense fell silent and produced just two runs over the next three games. They rebounded in their series opener with Lakeland on Sunday, riding Ricardo Pinto's strong start to a 3-1 victory. Top hitting performers - C Willians Astudillo batted an even .400 with two doubles, four RBI and a .429 on-base percentage last week. He hit safely in all but one game…CF Carlos Tocci went 9-23 (.391) with his first home run of the season for Clearwater, three runs scored and a stolen base…OF Aaron Brown hit .300 and had his first multi-home run game of the season. He now has six round-trippers this season. Top pitching performers - RHP Ricardo Pinto made two starts, combining to throw 14.2 innings while yielding just three runs (one earned) for a 0.61 ERA. He allowed nine hits and struck out eight…RHP Victor Arano lasted 7.0 strong innings in his start against Palm Beach, allowing just a run on five hits…LHP Brandon Leibrandt started one game for the Threshers and held Palm Beach to one run in 6.0 innings. He has allowed one run in each of his last three starts. Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League Northern Division…14-10, 2^nd place, 47-45 overall…The BlueClaws continue to gain ground on West Virginia, and now sit just three games back after a 4-2 week. Those four wins came in convincing fashion, as they outscored opponents 29-12 in those games. Lakewood will finish their series with Rome to begin the week before meeting with the first-place Power for a three-game set. Top hitting performers - OF Cord Sandberg was named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week after batting .435 with a double, triple, five RBI, five runs scored and a .500 on-base percentage…1B Kyle Martin collected 10 hits in 23 at-bats (.435 average) and now has a nine-game hitting streak during which he is hitting .472 with 11 RBI. His 33 hits are eighth most among all players drafted this year…2B Scott Kingery recorded eight hits in six games, batting .364 with a double, triple and three walks…OF Herlis Rodriguez homered, scored four runs and batted .348 over five games. Top pitching performers - RHP Will Morris lasted a season-high 7.0 innings and surrendered three runs while striking out five batters…LHP Joey DeNato converted his only save chance-a six-out save on July 16-and also threw another scoreless frame in relief on July 19…LHP Austin Davis set a season-high with 6.0 IP in what was just his third start in 25 games overall. He allowed only one run on two hits…RHP Ranfi Casimiro struck out four and earned the win in his lone start. Williamsport Crosscutters - New York-Penn League Pinckney Division…21-8, 1^st place…Williamsport went 4-3 last week and remains the only team in the New York-Penn League to have not yet reached 10 losses this season. They also recorded two more shutouts, and now boast a miniscule 2.44 staff ERA through 29 games. Top hitting performers - C Austin Bossart was locked in at the plate, collecting hits in six of his 10 at bats while hitting his first professional home run and knocking in two runs. He has hits in nine of his 10 games and is batting .385…1B Brendon Hayden hit .333 with a .444 on-base percentage, three walks and a couple of multi-hit games. Top pitching performers -  RHP Mitch Gueller is now 4-1 after tossing a 7.0-inning complete game shutout on July 17 against Batavia…RHP Alejandro Arteaga lasted 6.0 innings and allowed just one run in his one start, giving him four straight starts with either one or zero runs allowed…RHP Feliberto Sanchez made two scoreless relief appearances, one of 3.0 innings and another of 2.2 innings…RHP Luke Leftwich scattered three hits over 5.0 scoreless frames in his lone start of the week…RHP Anthony Sequeira converted a six-out save and added another 2.0 perfect innings in relief…RHP Robert Tasin tossed two scoreless frames for his sixth save of the season in as many chances. GCL Phillies - Gulf Coast League, Northwest Division…18-6, 1^st place…The Phillies' lead in the division increased to 3.5 games after another strong showing. They won two straight against the Tigers before splitting two-game sets with the Astros and Braves, giving them a 4-2 record for the week. The Phillies currently have the most wins among all 16 GCL teams. Top hitting performers - OF Jesus Alastre batted .545 (6-11) with three runs scored, an RBI and a walk in his three games played…One week removed from Player of the Week honors, SS Jonathan Arauz continued to impress by hitting .300 with two doubles and a team-high four RBI…OF Cornelius Randolph reached base at a .435 clip and hit .316 with four runs, four walks and an RBI in six games. Top pitching performers -  RHP Felix Paulino made two starts, combining to allow three runs (two earned) in 10.0 innings while striking out nine batters…RHP Adonis Medina lasted 5.0 innings in his one start, surrendering a run on four hits…In his first start of the season, LHP Bailey Falter threw 4.0 shutout innings and struck out five batters…RHP Horace Stubblefield recorded two consecutive six-out saves, striking out seven total batters in the process.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 33-63. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 53-57-1 on this day.