What started as a normal Saturday quickly turned into a baseball version of Inception. Seriously, it did! A lineup within a lineup, switches on top of the switches, and a whole lot of mind games between the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers.
It all started when Phillies manager Rob Thomson submitted his Friday night lineup. Standard stuff, right? But when he walked into the clubhouse on the next day, a surprise was awaiting him. The Brewers had swapped their starter from Chad Patrick to lefty Rob Zastryzny.
These sudden changes are not unheard of, but it got the Phillies manager rethinking his plan. He didn’t go full-on panic mode, though, as he knew Rob Zastryzny would probably only pitch an inning or two as an opener. So he cooked up a different plan. Little did he know that the other team was two steps ahead!
So instead of ditching his lefty bats, Thomson moved guys like Bryson Stott, Max Kepler, and Brandon Marsh down in the order to avoid Zastryzny innings. But lo and behold, the Brewers pulled an UNO reverse. They took Rob Zastryzny out and went back to Chad Patrick, and then Thomson again scrapped the revised lineup order and went back to the original plan.
It was like watching a game of chess, both managers just going back and forth—you’d think it was October—but it’s most definitely the thick of summer. But the question is, why so much fuss? Well, it may have a lot to do with Bryson Stott—one of the Phillies’ better lefty hitters—and with Bryce Harper still recovering from an elbow injury, his spot in the lineup carries more weight.
And speaking of Harper, there is finally an update. Thomson said, “He’s going to try and swing today and throw today; he hasn’t done that yet. It’s bruised today. The bruising started to come, the swelling is down a little bit…” So, it was definitely a sign of progress, even if it is slow. Even Harper himself is hopeful for the best to come, and he talked about how, for now, he is still feeling sore. While Harper works his way in, Alex Bohm will be holding things together at first base. And Kyle Schwarber is getting extra reps there just in case.
Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen faces some crunch time
Despite the lows and speed bumps, the Philadelphia Phillies have been cruising near the top of the baseball world this season. They are leading both the NL East and the entire National League. From top to bottom, their roster looks like a contending one—the defense is smart, the bats are solid, and the rotation is good. But then it can’t all be great, right? It’s baseball, after all! The main concern for the team is the bullpen.
Now, if you are being honest, losing both Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez in free agency was always going to be tough. Both were key late-game arms last year, and their absence has left a void in the team. The Phillies’ only big move to patch it up was signing Jordan Romano, and he had a rocky start. And as he was getting better, Jose Alvarado, the heart of the bullpen, went off to an 80-game suspension and can’t be available in the postseason.
So the Phillies need help, and one player is making the rumor mills—Pete Fairbanks. The Tampa Bay Rays might just be the trade deadline gift the Philadelphia Phillies need. He has been solid after shaking off his rocky rookie season. A career 3.17 ERA, 73 saves, and 30.9% strikeout rate. This is the profile the Phillies need—not just for now but for October.
Sure, Fairbanks doesn’t solve the lefty issue, but he can be a trusty guy in the eighth or ninth. Plus, he is also likely a rental set to hit the market unless his team option for 2026. So maybe the cost might not be sky-high.
Do you think that the Phillies will make a bullpen splash again? Let us know.
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