Finishing Strong?
Much of the discussion surrounding the July 31 trade deadline is focused on the Phillies need to add help in the outfield and bullpen. While it is true that the bullpen could use some help, the outfield would benefit greatly by calling up centerfielder Justin Crawford from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
That could very well happen if the Phillies don’t acquire an outfielder at the deadline.
Having President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski add a reliver appears almost a certainly.
Yet the Phillies, aren’t exactly home-free when it comes to starting pitching.
However, I wouldn’t use resources to acquire one at the deadline. The Phillies top two of Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sanchez can rival any team. Ranger Suarez was pitching like an All-Star until his previous two outings before the All-Star break. He looked much better in Saturday’s 9-4 win over the NY Yankees in which he allowed one run in 5.2 innings, striking out eight. If he could revert to form, then the Phillies would have an outstanding trio heading into the postseason.
Yet that brings the biggest question about the rotation which happens to center on the No. 4 and No. 5 starters. The Phillies would only need four starters for the playoffs, but at this point they aren’t a cinch to be in the postseason. It’s likely they will be, but they must get better production from the back of the rotation over the next two months.
The biggest mystery has been Jesus Luzardo, who was pitching like a Cy Young Award candidate before going into a mystifying slump.
Is he tipping his pitches with men on base? Is he exhausted from the workload this year? Are teams simply catching up to him?
Who knows the answers, but one thing that is for sure is that the Phillies can’t keep sending him out there every fifth day or so with the way he has pitched lately.
On the surface, his numbers look fine. After Wednesday’s 9-8 loss in 11 innings to Boston, in which Sanchez wasn’t involved in the decision but squandered a 5-0 lead, his season line reads 8-5 with a 4.58 ERA. He has struck out 136 and walked 42 in 114 innings.
In his first 11 starts this season, Luzardo was 5-0 with 2.15 ERA. In 67 innings, he had 77 strikeouts and 19 walks. The Phillies were 8-3 in his starts.
During the next 10 starts, he was 3-5 with an 8.04 ERA. In 47 innings, he had 59 strikeouts and 24 walks. The Phillies were just 3-7 in those starts.
The lefthander, who turns 28 at the end of September, has only pitched more innings once in his career, when he threw 178 innings in 2023 for a Miami Marlins team that made the playoffs.
Last year he pitched just 66.2 innings for the Marlins and is almost at double that total this season.
Right-hander Aaron Nola could possibly return around mid-August. He has been sidelined with a right ankle sprain and then a stress fracture in his right fib. Nola has not pitched since May 14.
He is just 1-7 with a 6.16 ERA, but if totally healthy, it will be interesting how much he can contribute. If he does well, Nola could indeed be that No. 4 starter in the playoffs (which aren’t a lock, but the Phillies are definitely expected to participate in their fourth straight postseason).
Taijuan Walker is just a placeholder in the lineup.
The Phillies best pitching prospect Andrew Painter could be a candidate, but he had just a 4.62 ERA in his first 13 starts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. It must be noted that this is his first season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023.
Photo: Jesus Luzardo / Marc Narducci
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Author: Marc Narducci
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