292 Minutes of Pain: Phillies Take Long Way to Arrive at Latest Loss

Associated Press sportswriter Kevin Cooney had a good tweet prior to the start of the Phillies’ latest loss, their 12th setback in 16 games.

It’s Bark At The Park night. The ledes may write themselves tonight, folks

— Kevin Cooney (@KevinCooney) May 31, 2022

Indeed.

I could have tried something cute about the Phillies’ offense lacking bite, or the defense playing like dog droppings, but let’s just keep it simple:

The Phillies. Woof.

For the third straight game, the Phillies went to extra innings. For the third straight game, the Phillies lost in extra innings. And for the 11th straight year, the Phillies look headed for another missed postseason.

That may be a bit strong on May 31, so let’s slide all the optimistic talking points in here:

• marathon not a sprint
• the bats will get going, weather, etc.
• easy part of the schedule coming up
• expanded playoffs

Now back to reality.

It looked like the Phillies were about to switch it up and let things slip away early, but true to their recent form, they took the slow, painful route instead. This time, it took an excruciating four hours and 52 minutes to arrive an outcome that felt predictable all along.

Both teams traded plenty of missed scoring opportunities through nine innings.

The Phillies managed to squeeze only a pair of runs out of two bases-loaded, no-out situations. The Giants stranded six runners through three innings and began the night 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Things would pick up late.

In the 10th inning, the Giants capitalized on some suspect Phillies’ defense to push across a run. Rhys Hoskins made a nice stab at first base, but reliever Jeurys Familia was late to cover the bag before dropping Hoskins’ throw.

The Phillies temporarily tied things up when the second base bag assisted an Alec Bohm two-out single that forced another frame.

ALEC BOHM TIES IT!! pic.twitter.com/2SYWjz54m2

— Brodes Media (@BrodesMedia) June 1, 2022

It didn’t matter. An inning later, Andrew Bellatti failed to keep things within reach.

After his team took a 5-4 lead, Joc Pederson iced it for the Giants with a two-run blast to right field. Of course, because it couldn’t just be a normal loss, a Joe Girardi late-game decision had to also backfire.

After entering the game in the 10th inning to run for Nick Castellanos, Roman Quinn came up with the bases loaded and two away. He came up in such a spot because Giants manager Gabe Kapler elected to intentionally walk Bryce Harper.

Had Castellanos remained in the game, Harper would have likely had a chance to hit as the tying run. If not, Castellanos would have had a crack at it as the winning run.

Instead, Quinn, who is hitting .162, struck out to end the game.

The Phillies are now 21-29, 12 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East and 6 1/2 games off the pace in the wild card hunt.

Still Searching For It

Ranger Suárez remains far from the top of the list of issues currently plaguing the Phillies, but his latest abbreviated outing was the third straight in which he failed to complete five innings.

Through 10 starts, he holds a 4.69 ERA.

After surrendering a combined eight earned runs in 7 1/3 innings over his last two starts, his effort against the Giants can be considered a step in the right direction.

To this credit, he competed. He kept his team afloat during yet another sluggish start by a Phillies offense that didn’t produce a hit or run until the fourth inning.

Suárez recorded some big outs in tough spots before finally bowing out in the fifth.

Fantastic work by Ranger Suarez to escape the 1st inning! pic.twitter.com/FPBYIqjwRw

— Brodes Media (@BrodesMedia) May 31, 2022

But something still feels off. Outs aren’t coming easily for him right now, and after a 100-pitch fight, outs definitely are not coming efficiently.

Everything looks like a grind.

Particularly concerning are his increased walk rates and diminished strikeout rates. Suárez has seen his K/9 dip from 9.08 to 7.88 while his BB/9 has jumped from 2.80 to 4.13.

Relatedly, those numbers pair up with increased production for opponents.

After holding hitters to a .522 OPS last season, they have swung to the tune of a .782 OPS this season.

Get Well Soon

Didi Gregorius began a rehab assignment with Lehigh Valley on Tuesday night.

The Phillies’ starting shortstop, who has been out since May 4 with a knee sprain, was 2-for-2 with a homer and a walk in three plate appearances.

That’s good news because the Phillies’ infield depth looks like it’s about to be further tested.

Second baseman Jean Segura took a pitch off his right hand on a seventh-inning bunt attempt, forcing him to leave the game.

Afterward, Girardi confirmed tests revealed a broken finger.

Jean Segura leaves the game after getting hit in the hand pic.twitter.com/xVXHgnEGNA

— Brodes Media (@BrodesMedia) June 1, 2022

If Segura misses extended time, the Phillies could expedite Gregorius’ return and use a mix of Johan Camargo and Bryson Stott at second base.

Moniak vs. Herrera

Trailing 3-2, the Phillies were in the middle of staging a sixth-inning rally when Mickey Moniak came to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs. Instead of letting Moniak hit, Girardi opted to use Odubel Herrera as a pinch hitter. Herrera grounded into a double-play, but the game-tying run crossed the plate.

I saw some criticism of Girardi for the move, but I’m not sure it’s fair.

He needs contact in that spot, and while I realize Herrera is no sure-bet in this regard, Moniak has struggled to put his bat on the ball through two games, striking out in five of his first six at-bats. Meanwhile, Herrera entered the night with a .792 OPS, good enough to rank second among Phillies position players.

Yeah, Girardi went with one lefty over another against a left-handed pitcher, but it’s not like the Phillies are rife with right-handed bench bats, so that consideration is out.

I understand the idea of letting Moniak “develop,” but fans can’t have it both ways. The Phillies are struggling to score runs, and the situation called for the better hitter — at least the better hit right now — to take the at-bat.

Two outs for a run in that spot is a win for the Giants, but Girardi’s decision was still rooted in logic. And to be honest, I’m not sure Moniak getting a breather while the game looks a bit too fast for him right now has any correlation to stunting his development.

Welcome to the Ump Show

We all know it hasn’t been a great year for major-league umpires, and second base umpire Junior Valentine didn’t help things with what was an all-time horseshit call in the fourth inning.

With the bases loaded and one away, J.T. Realmuto bounced into a potential 6-4-3 double play, but he legged out the throw to first from second baseman Thairo Estrada.

Realmuto’s hustle put the Phillies ahead, 1-0 — until Valentine curiously called Rhys Hoskins out at second base for interfering with Estrada on the slide.

Behold this gem:

Junior Valentine says Rhys Hoskins violated the slide rule at 2nd base. What a horrible call!! pic.twitter.com/aw70aFnx0L

— Brodes Media (@BrodesMedia) June 1, 2022

A rightfully-agitated Girardi went out and got into Valentine while calling for a replay review.

Fortunately for the Phillies, replay corrected the blatantly-wrong call, something that hasn’t always happened this season.

The post 292 Minutes of Pain: Phillies Take Long Way to Arrive at Latest Loss appeared first on Crossing Broad.