Phillies Discussion 9/8/2025

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The Phillies completed a four-and-two road trip with a disappointing loss in Miami and returned home for an important series against the Mets.  Since their last meeting when the Mets swept the Phillies in New York and closed to within four games of the division lead, the Mets have squandered their good fortune and have dropped back to seven games off the pace.

The Mets need to sweep the Phillies again or they can begin playing for seeding position below the division winners and can rest players and set up their playoff pitching.

With 19 games remaining, the Phillies magic number to clinch the division is any combination of 13 Phillies’ wins and Mets’ losses.  Thirteen because the Mets hold the first tiebreaker.

The Phillies next ten games (including the four-game series versus the Mets) are against teams in the playoff hunt.  The Royals are two games behind the sixth and final seed in the American League and the Dodgers are one game ahead of the Padres in the National League West.  The Phillies currently hold a four-game lead over the West Division leader for the second seed and first round bye.

The Phillies conclude the season with nine games against teams that are out of the playoff hunt – the Diamondbacks on the road who are one of two teams the Phillies face with winning records since the All-Star break and a homestand against the Marlins and Twins.

Here are the ranks and records of the Phillies’ remaining opponents since the All-Star break.  At 28-19, the Phillies have the second-best record, the Brewers (33-15) the best.

  5. Kansas City (26-20)
12. Arizona (25-22)
19. Miami (22-26)
23. New York (21-25)
23. Los Angeles (21-25)
30. Minnesota (16-31)

Not too terribly formidable.  BTW, the Phillies played .500 ball after the beak last season, a feat which the Tigers (best record at the break) are currently duplicating.

This is your Phillies discussion.

Transactions 

(I’m certain that the 9/25/2025 date for Crawford’s concussion is wrong.  It probably won’t be corrected.  Eventually, he’ll be activated from the IL on a date before he actually went on the IL.  I’ll make my own correction on this list next article)

9/25/2025 – Lehigh Valley placed OF Justin Crawford on the 7-day IL retroactive to 9/5, concussion
9/07/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated RHP Phil Bickford from the temporarily inactive list
9/07/2025 – Reading activated RHP Braydon Tucker from the Development List
9/07/2025 – Jersey Shore sent RHP Nathan Karaffa on a rehab assignment to Clearwater
9/06/2025 – Reading transferred RHP Gunner Mayer to the Development List
9/06/2025 – Reading activated SS Erick Brito from the Development List
9/05/2025 – Reading placed SS Carson DeMartini on the 7-day IL
9/05/2025 – Jersey Shore transferred RHP Sam Highfill to the Development List
9/05/2025 – Jersey Shore activated LHP Erubiel Armenta from the 7-day IL
9/05/2025 – Clearwater placed OF Carter Mathison on the 7-day IL retroactive to 9/4
9/05/2025 – RHP Gage Wood assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillies
9/05/2025 – SS Logan Dawson assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillies
9/04/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated RHP Gabe Mosser from the Development List
9/04/2025 – Clearwater transferred RHP Eli Trop to the Development List
9/03/2025 – Phillies placed RHP Daniel Robert on the 15-day IL retroactive to 9/2, right forearm strain
9/03/2025 – Phillies recalled RHP Max Lazar from Lehigh Valley
9/03/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated 2B Christian Arroyo from the 7-day IL
9/03/2025 – Jersey Shore sent RHP Aaron Combs on a rehab assignment to Clearwater
9/03/2025 – Jersey Shore sent C Luis Caicuto on a rehab assignment to Clearwater
9/03/2025 – RHP Cole Gilley assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillies
9/03/2025 – RHP Peyton Havard assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillies
9/03/2025 – Clearwater transferred RHP Luis Gonzalez to the Development List
9/03/2025 – Clearwater transferred LHP Raymon Rosario to the Development List
9/02/2025 – Lehigh Valley placed RHP Adonis Medina on the 7-day IL retroactive to 8/30
9/02/2025 – RHP Andrew Bechtold assigned to Lehigh Valley from Reading
9/02/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated RHP Walker Buehler
9/02/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated 3B Luis Verdugo from the Development List
9/02/2025 – RHP Alex McFarlane assigned to Reading from Jersey Shore
9/02/2025 – C Kehden Hettiger assigned to Reading from Jersey Shore
9/02/2025 – Reading activated SS Aidan Miller from the temporarily inactive list
9/02/2025 – Reading transferred C Lou Albrecht to the Development List
9/02/2025 – Reading transferred SS Erick Brito to the Development List
9/02/2025 – Jersey Shore placed LHP Mavis Graves on the 7-day IL retroactive to 9/1
9/02/2025 – RHP Maxwel Hernandez assigned to Jersey Shore from Clearwater
9/02/2025 – LHP Danny Wilkinson assigned to Jersey Shore from Clearwater
9/02/2025 – Jersey Shore activated OF Joel Dragoo from the Development List
9/02/2025 – Clearwater activated RHP Luis Gonzalez from the Development List
9/01/2025 – Phillies activated LHP Tim Mayza
9/01/2025 – Phillies recalled C Garrett Stubbs from Lehigh Valley

171 thoughts on “Phillies Discussion 9/8/2025”

  1. The Mets are only 4 games up for the last wild card spot. They can’t afford to rest anyone in the event of a 4 game split with the Phil’s

    I just read Miller was sent to LHV and Escobar to Reading. True? It’s surprising to me if it’s true.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I acknowledge your opinion.

      However, I did not limit the outcome to a split. I specifically stated they needed to sweep the series.

      The Mets are nine games over .500 while the four teams chasing them are barely treading water at or above the .500 level.

      I’m pretty sure no one would expect wholesale replacements from a 5-player bench. But they can judiciously rest players just as the Phillies did in the Miami series prior to the Mets series.

      I stand by my opinion.

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  2. I am with you Jim the Mets need all 4 to stay in NL East race. If the Phillies can go 2-2 that starts to really reduce the number of games. Though I would be thrilled to see Mets not make it the teams behind seem to win a couple then lose a couple. Very difficult to make up 4 games in less than 20 doing that. Of course, if the Phillies were to sweep the Mets that might tighten things up. But I do not see that either.

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  3. A week at the beach over labor day being unplugged and just watching the games without delving into the minutia introduces me to a new way of looking at the team.

    19 games to go 6 of them out west sandwiched between 2 home stands of 7 and 6 games with only 2 off days and a Turner hammy injury to muddy up the waters.

    With last years starting pitching and the upgrade of Luzardo I would have given us a very high chance of going all the way with the trade additions and RT’s new found religion of platooning Casty.

    But with Wheeler down and Nola running with a parachute tied to his waist I can’t see us having enough to grind through the 13 games or so it takes to hoist the WS Trophy.

    Nola is the wild card though. I’ve seen him do this before. Seemingly struggle through 10 starts then find 8/9 really good ones out of 10.

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  5. If he can figure out a way to get through the 1st inning, he may be ok for a few. I was wondering if Trea is out for a while would Topper consider moving either Marsh/Bader into the leadoff spot? Bader may fit better with Schwarber and Harper but Marsh sure has been hitting well of late. Thoughts?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Wouldn’t be Marsh, too many lefties in a row at that point and Bader really doesn’t fit the profile of a leadoff guy.

      Guessing it will be Schwarber in the lead-off roll but might go with Bader in the 2 spot. Bohm isn’t hitting much right now and JTR really doesn’t fit their either.

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  6. I agree that very unlikely 3 lefties in a row. My only thought was both are pretty hot right now. Hopefully Schwarber and Harper can pick up the slack these next 4 games as well. Trea is going to be missed if for extended time.

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  7. I’m curious if any of you have pondered whether or not Phillies brass would consider calling up Aidan Miller? I seriously doubt it, but what if it is determined that Turner is out for the year? If internally they think he has what it takes to hold his own up with the big team, do they consider this move? Do you think that anyone has even voiced it as a possibility? Hell, he is now evidently in AAA…..so not so far fetched.

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    1. I seriously doubt it. Bringing up Miller in this pressure cooker with playoff implications on the line? That’s a hard ask from a rookie who hasn’t hit above AA. If Turner is out, Sosa is in and we’re hoping for the best.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. for those that care Gage Wood will start the second game in the FSL playoffs for CW on Wednesday in Lakeland. Lefty Zuher Yousef will start game one for the Threshers.

    that’s an exclusive FYI – folks don’t know the useless intel I have 🤓

    Steve Potter

    Liked by 4 people

  9. Steve. Nice to see Gage getting some playoff action. I only saw him twice so no expert, but he was really good those 2 times last Spring. I do think he has chance to move quickly through the system. On draft night I kept telling Ruff that those 2 Arkansas kids were going to be available for Phillies. Believe the SS went around 31 or so.

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    1. i don’t know who posted. That we were going after turner by his body language in clutch situation since June 127 avg. 250 obp. That’s the fact jack.

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  11. If Trea is out for the year, and Miller continues to hit, I think that he may get the call. It would be a move that could propel them through the playoffs. I think it depends on Miller’s psyche and if they think he currently capable defensively to routinely make the routine play. The platoon at 2nd is working so breaking that platoon up may further weaken the team.

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  12. Alec Bohm is also getting put on the IL…..my lord. There has to be some discussion about bringing Miller up. Donavan Walton is being called up along with Kemp as expected.

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    1. I’d put it at a 2% chance, and I’m usually optimistic compared to most on here. Sosa & Kemp will get the bulk of the playing time. IMHO, no way the Phillies risk burning a shuttle bus option for Miller. Plus, he has struggled at each level, before mastering and moving on… think JP Crawford esque. (If im remembering correctly). I’d have a better shot at getting a date with Sydney Sweeney… and Im pretty ugly… to put it into perspective 🙂

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  13. Turner is grade one hamstring strain and sb back in time for playoffs – perhaps even just a ten day IL stint. Bohm has a cyst that has to be removed on his shoulder – also could be a short IL stint. Miller is not a consideration.

    Steve Potter

    Liked by 3 people

  14. Thanks Steve. That is probably the best outcome of these. Hope Phillies can win a couple of these next 4 games. That should take care of Mets pretty much and hope to keep Dodgers in the rear view as well.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. I’m assuming that Kemp will get the bulk of the starts at 3B? I’m not a fan of Bohm but at least he’s average defensively. Right now, Kemp is below average at 3B. I’m hoping that Kemp’s glove won’t cost the Phillies in this critical series vs the hated Mets.

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      1. They both have glove flaws over there…..but oddly both have played a little of 300 games at 3B thru-out their entire careers…..and both with a little over 2000 innings….just going to have to hold your breath who ever is over there..

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  16. 3 items:

    1. the most recent Baseball America podcast had a 5+ minute conversation about the struggles of Andrew Painter. They talked about how his fastball has not rebounded back to form, specifically around less movement now compared to pre-TJ. They also highlighted that his 4 seem fastball command has not been great. Couple these 2 items together, and he is not getting the results some expected. Will he become Forrest Whitley 2.0, or is this just part of his process (i.e. Halladay, Hunter Green, Gore)
    2. Keith Law talked about Dante Nori. His statements included “and scouts who saw him in Clearwater were universal in panning him. He’s going to be 21 in about a month.” “He didn’t hit well against a lot of younger pitching in low A, and he does not have present power or much projection left” and “don’t scout the stat line. and at least one of those scouts saw him in June”
    3. In the same article, Law highlighted: The best hitter for High-A Jersey Shore was Philadelphia Phillies’ prospect Aroon Escobar, their squat second baseman who has excellent bat control and really protects the plate with two strikes, although right now he doesn’t have the power to back it up.

    A few more details in the Athletic article – don’t want to copy all of it..

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    2. Regarding Nori, the scouts have never liked him. But I will say KLaw is usually right in his projections. Not always. But much more than not. That said my counter argument:
      1. He has been 20 all season. A little old for low A but not for A+ and will be young for AA next year at 21. Scouts hate older HS players so that impacts their assessment.
      2. I like his high walk rate and low K rate.
      3. His 50 stolen bases is not trivial. He always had plus plus speed and it is showing in game.
      4. I have seen two sources that give him a 60 grade defense.
      5. MLB has him as a 55 hit. Fangraphs as a 45 hit. Big difference. Hope he can get to 55 hit.

      Who does he look like to me? I would say a poor man’s Sal Frelick. Not a star but a productive OF. Not going to hit more than 10 homers. But should work good ABs. Make a lot of contact. Steal some bases. Play good OF defense. Not really what you want out of a first round pick. But I think that he plays in the majors.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. The one question with Nori when he was drafted was the age factor……hitting in HS against 17 and 18- year olds and he was almost 19. And this year again……mentioned about his Low A production vs younger pitchers……the stats eventually ruled in his favor in CLW then again at JS. Now the thought is…do not scout by the stat line. Well he seems to be able to adjust at each level when given some time. He may not be a power guy, but he could be a contact guy playing exceptional defense in the field with plus speed on the base paths. For me, he fits the profile like Lenny D.-before the roids- when he first came up with the Mets in the mid-80s….little HR power but can do most all the other things well

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        1. It really all boils down to the hit tool. If he turns out to have a 55 hit tool (as MLB says), with his walk rate, he will be a very productive MLB player. That basically is a .260/.330 line with a .700-.720 OPS. If he can steal bases and play 60 grade defense, then that is a productive player. Not a star, but a quality player.

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          1. I think a decent comp for Dante Nori is Adam Eaton. Both smallish guys with limited pop. Eaton had 3 great years and then fell off. Still, most players won’t reach Eaton’s 18.9 WAR.

            Liked by 1 person

        2. You mentioning Dykstra reminded me of his A+ end of year stat line. It stuck with me because it seemed like video game stats.
          G 136, PA 641, AB 525, R 132, H 188, 2B 24, 3B 14, HR 8, RBI 81, SB 105, BB 107, SO 35, BA .358, OBP .472, SLG .503

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      2. I know age is a big thing for some here (not saying you, V1). I know it’s not important to the Phillies.

        But for those who age matters, Nori (coming out of HS) played the Florida State League last season two years younger than his counterparts and almost three years younger than the pitchers. This season he was almost a year younger than the other hitters and two years younger than the pitchers.

        As a completely irrelevant reference, Bryson Stott (for example) came out of college and played in Low-A Williamsport as a 21-year-old in 2019, his draft year, where he was age appropriate for hitters and pitchers.

        I hadn’t considered this before, but maybe instead of focusing on his age we should focus on his competition. While he was playing against high school kids, a lot of the players in the Florida State League were playing against tougher competition. Most drafted players were playing against college players. All of the Latin kids had been in the system for years playing in the “tricky” and summer leagues in the Dominican and in the Complex leagues stateside. (For those unfamiliar with the term tricky league you can read this – https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/where-do-july-2-prospects-go-after-they-sign-explaining-the-tricky-league/ .) I don’t know if this matters, but it did to me when I thought of it.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. The age thing really only matters coming out of college. If he’s drafted out of college at age 24-25+, that’s an issue in my opinion. Out of HS, if he’s maybe a little older, that should be ok. If he’s a lot older like say 21 or 22, then he’s probably a dummy and the Phillies should look elsewhere.

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        2. Yeah. I agree with you. I think it is a lazy take to fall back on “he was a year old when drafted.”

          Similarly lazy to saying Crawford won’t hit because he hits 60% ground balls.

          Jim – Who do you see as a good comp for Nori?

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        3. To put Nori’s age into perspective, he is 3 months older than Escobar and has played at the same level as him all year. Everyone thinks Escobar is young for his level. And he is. Very young. So why do people think Nori is old? Silly narrative

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          1. Keith Law, in the above posting, and whomever the scouts were he referenced, seem to think the age factor was important. He has been wrong in the past, he could be wrong once again.

            I know of two players who were 19 in HS that were drafted in the first round recently…..Mets Brett Baty and former Marlin pitcher Trevor Rogers. Eventually it worked out for both once they paid their dues in the minor leagues.

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          2. I was at the Reading game yesterday morning and I’m no scout but Nori is ridiculously fast. He grounded out routinely and was so fast down the line he almost beat the throw. Later in the game he got a slow jump on a ball hit to left center and just effortlessly ran it down and made it look easy. Noticeably the fastest guy on the field.

            Liked by 1 person

    3. Actually I think that Brian Barber and the scouting department has done a pretty good job considering that they usually draft last or close to last in the draft. There are not too many Jackson Holiday’s left by that time.

      Also they’re dealing with lost draft picks for FA signings. Nori I believe will be a useful signing if he makes it. I think he’s now young (20) for double A ball and he will prove useful as perhaps as a platoon player in MLB or better.

      They already have Painter,Crawford, and Miller on the cusp of MLB and a few talented Latin players like Escobar and Heradia (not sure I spelled that right) and others I may have missed. So all things considered they did pretty good feeding the pipeline.

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    1. Phils managed to win tonight without any help or second guessing from the armchair squad here.I’d love to see continued hot hitting from Bader, Marsh and Kepler They’ll need more from the front of the order. Big night for Nola and the hope he can nail down a slot in the post-season rotation.

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      1. To be fair, there wasn’t a whole that we COULD have second-guessed. The team was operating on a skeleton crew. We lost Turner, Bohm, and Marsh, and our bullpen was shorthanded from overwork.

        As much as Castellanos or Kemp can frustrate me, I’d rather see them than Walton. Nola pitched well and got us to the 7th where our 3 reliable arms took over.

        But yeah, winning cures all ills, and this was a big win. Woulda been nice if Bader hadn’t run into two outs, but I can’t be too upset about being aggressive given the situation.

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        1. Well if they had lost 1-0 it would be a slobberfest on why they have no chance in the playoffs, Harper had bad facial expressions, and they might as well give up because the season is lost.

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    2. No crickets from me. Great win. I believe in Nola. He didn’t pitch all year. Of course he would be rusty coming back. But he has a long history of dominating. He knows how to get outs. I believe in him in the playoffs.

      We just need Harper to catch fire.

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  20. Good game finally by Nola.he got me. One run..Mc lean has been good. The young starters Mets have brought up. The ave been real good .Someone has to step up on offense.

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  21. i have seen Nori be compared to frelich. I would take that. Good outfielder, speed, close to three hundred hitter. Some power 10-12 hrs. A yr. That would be a big improvement. Over all the stiffs they took in first round. Who played outfield and couldn’t hit

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  22. I feel like Harper and Schwarber are about to go on a tear. Hopefully one that lasts a little over a month. Cap tip to Nola and Casty.

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    1. Harper I’m not sure. He looked like he had his timing back in game 2 against the Fish, but these past two games he looks off again.

      Schwarber I agree is about to go on an offensive explosion. He hasn’t had much to show for it, but the past three games he’s been laying off pitches out of the zone, taking a couple walks, and absolutely crushing balls that have just missed going over the fence or otherwise just found a glove. His average exit velocity for the past couple weeks has been around low-to-mid 80s most of the time, but the past three games it’s 95-100. I expect number 50 is coming tonight or tomorrow and then we’re going to see another barrage thereafter.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Schwarber’s ave EV will be skewed lowered since his ‘pop-outs’ bring rain and he has had many….just timing misses off the barrel. There is that hope, that he gets it all corrected soon.

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  23. Robertson looks like the same pitcher he has been over the last three or four years. In other words, good. ERA by year: 2022 2.40; 2023 3.03; 2024 3.00; 2025 2.31. And his strikeout rate is elite. It’s 13.1 K/9 this year and it was 12.4 K/9 last year. Great signing by Dombrowski.

    If the Phillies get that version of Nola for the rest of 2025, they have a great shot in the playoffs.

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  24. Just bring up Miller. Its ridiculous how hesitant this team is to do something a little outside the box. Is he ready? No, definitely not. Does his current skillset help the major league team more than any of these other replacements? Absolutely. He could hit .190 and still have an impact with his speed and the fact that hes just a ball player. There is no way that a 29 year old minor league journeyman with a .170 career average in limited MLB work is a better option.

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    1. Dan, I agree with you, but I am looking at things from a fan’s perspective….or in other words from the outside looking in. From that perspective, if they think he is mentally tough enough and defensively ready, I would bring him up as it could accelerate his development and potentially provide a huge lift to the team. You of course would not count on him to provide that lift, but the possibility is there.

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      1. Sure, and even if he is clearly overmatched at the plate, which I do think is likely, he offers intangibles that could help. If you truly are an elite prospect, this should not destroy you mentally. Juan Soto was up at age 19. Im not saying Miller is Soto, but i would consider him not being able to mentally handle “hey we dont expect you to light the world on fire, just try to have competitive at bats and maybe steal some bases” to be a red flag

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        1. Juan Soto was a generational prospect. Juan Soto, at age 17, had a .973 OPS. Juan Soto’s career minor league OPS is 1.043. Nobody should be compared to Juan Soto.

          Is Sosa not a ballplayer? Does he not have the glove and intangibles like Miller? Bringing up Miller when he’s not ready is just a recipe for disaster. I mean, Kemp blew up AAA and he’s having his issues in the bigs. And you expect Miller, who struggled at AA at times, to be ready to compete vs major league pitching? What’s that baseball saying, you can’t steal first base?

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    2. Setting aside further injuries, I think we have now the roster we can expect to see. I would have favored a promotion of Crawford at the trade deadline which would have allowed for a settling-in period. I don’t expect a September surprise unless that’s what you consider Buehler to be one. I think DD has committed to Buehler such that he’ll get a call up irrespective of his body of work at Lehigh Valley.

      Suarez, Sanchez and Luzardo are approaching season-long innings ceilings.I think the organization would love to go to a 6-man rotation once Buehler is stretched out.

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      1. Thats fine, I just dont see in what world having Donovan Walton on the roster helps the team more than having Aiden up.

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        1. Well main reason is that calling Miller up now requires he be added to the 40-man roster and burns an option. For what purpose? So he can maybe be a pinch-runner or defensive replacement for a couple of weeks?

          No one cares if Donovan Walton has options or not moving forward.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. The option would only come into play if they used it. If he were to close out the season on the Phillies roster and then be left off the playoff roster, no option would be used. The option would be burnt next spring if/when he fails to make the big club and is optioned to Lehigh Valley. If not called up, Miller doesn’t have to be added to the 40-man roster until after the 2027 season.

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            1. Yes, was referring to him being optioned next spring since it’s very unlikely he’s on the roster in 2026 to start the season.

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    3. Then why not just bring up Rojas who has demonstrated that he can hit well above the .190 you would settle for and has already displayed the speed skillset you mention.
      Oh wait. Rojas has been the poster child for many on why you don’t promote a player directly from Double-A.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I really do not understand why Rojas was not brought up for these last few weeks….understand he was not on the roster or IL on Aug 31st, so I think he is not eligible for the play-offs, but he can provide the team with defense and speed on the base paths to close things out until the EOM.

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      2. Rojas never had the talent that Miller has in his pinky though. Yes he is fast. But in his time in the majors, his much lauded defense has often lagged due to mental lapses, and hes made questionable decisions on the bases as well. Rojas had hit too questions his whole career. I do think you are comparing apples to oranges. Just because Johan Rojas didnt work out I dont think should mean they will never add a young talented player to the mix to inject some energy into the lineup. Again, even if he hits .170 and clearly isnt ready, i still think he can do things to help win a few games before Trea gets back.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. “Rojas never had the talent that Miller has in his pinky though.”
          That’s just silly and unproveable.

          “But in his time in the majors, his much lauded defense has often lagged due to mental lapses, and he’s made questionable decisions on the bases as well.”
          Rojas has never committed more than 2 errors in any MLB season and has a career .988 fielding percentage. He committed 5 errors in Reading in his age 22 season with a .975 fielding percentage (his lowest in any season other than the AFL). Miller has 20 errors in Reading this season, his age 20 season, and a .940 fielding percentage. If you’ve watched the Phillies this season, you should have noticed that mistakes on the base paths is a team thing to which all Phillies have been susceptible.

          “Rojas had hit too questions his whole career.”
          Not sure what this means. Miller has hit .259/.382/.427/.810 in 108 games/489 plate appearances at Reading this season. Rojas hit .286/.349/.443/.792 in 136 games/618 plate appearance across 2 seasons at Reading.

          “I do think you are comparing apples to oranges.”
          You would. I think we are comparing your impressions against actual facts.

          “Just because Johan Rojas didnt work out I dont think should mean they will never add a young talented player to the mix to inject some energy into the lineup. Again, even if he hits .170 and clearly isnt ready, i still think he can do things to help win a few games before Trea gets back.”
          That’s your opinion. You are entitled to it. However, skipping Triple-A has been proven to not work. If you want to inject “energy into the lineup” Justin Crawford would have been a much better addition, in my opinion. He offers all the intangibles you suggest Miller could possibly offer with the added recency bias of having a sensational Triple-A season in 2025.

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    1. rooco….’can’t let ranger walk’…….Scott Boras likes your thought.

      Ranger will be offered a QO, then he will test the market under the Boras and Co tutelage. And probably by some time in March he will sign with someone, maybe the Phillies by then, when he has exhausted all other offers..

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Geez, I hope not. Ranger is not a guy who works out on his own. If he misses ST, as he does in this scenario, he won’t be ready to pitch for at least 6 weeks. He also loses stamina and is often injured in the second halves of seasons when he starts late.

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        1. Scott Boras will keep him in shape……NOT.

          Why he went with Boras as his agent is beyond me….he will drag out all negotiations until the last minute hoping to get what he started out wanting. Many of Boras’ Latin clients are position players…Soto, Altuve, Arozarena, Elly De La Cruz, Bogaerts, Correa, Luis Robert, Jeremy Pena…not many Latin pitchers. Ranger is one of the few with Boras in those regards.

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        2. All of that may be true, but also true is that he is a really good starting pitcher, which is really hard to find.

          Over the last 4 seasons, his FIP is 3.55, which ranks him 31st among starting pitchers in all MLB. Right behind Corbin Burnes. His 3.53 ERA over that period ranks him 37th. And an xERA of 3.69, which ranks him 39th behind Framber.

          Ranger is an extremely valuable starting pitcher. Yes he has health issues, but so does almost all starting pitchers. Being a starting pitcher in the majors is really taxing on a body.

          A comp for his contract is Aaron Nola, who got 7 years, $172m at the same age. Nola’s 4 years prior to his signing, he had a slightly better FIP 3.47, worse ERA 3.95, but a better xERA 3.37.

          Same age. Very similar stats. Ranger is going to get paid.

          Liked by 1 person

  27. Red Sox are bringing up another young arm. That’s 2 in as many weeks. The Mets will have brought up three young pitchers in a month’s time. Is Painter the only legitimate pitcher that has a chance to help the big club eventually? I know the Phils have 3 Latin pitchers in the pipeline but I don’t see them really being impact hurlers.

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    1. Griff McGarry is a guy that could help, but I highly doubt they call him up as consistency is still an issue I would imagine. He had 5 walks in a start a couple of weeks ago but has otherwise been excellent over his last 6-8 starts….going off the top of my head.

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  28. Going into last night game. They said Chapman 50 st batters he faced without giving up a hit. Unbelievable

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  30. I was @ the R-Fightin’s game today vs Somerset. They played as Reading Flapjacks vs Jersey Dinners. Both Nori and Escobar had 1 hit, but both also had 1 error. Fightins had 5 errors, 2 PB and lost. Felix Reyes had 2 doubles, dropping his BA to.339

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    1. Martin, I attended that game also and Felix Reyes was the Phillies best hitter as even his outs were well hit. Escobar and Nori look like they have promise as this was their AA debut. Their first baseman (Ware) needs to get better as he was a defensive liability.

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  31. Felix Reyes is interesting. Phillies did not sign him until he was 19 -years old in Feb 2020 and started play in 2021. He will be 25- years old this coming spring. And until he came back from Colombia Winter ball this past winter he was a very pedestrian player and not considered a top prospect…mediocre at best. But he has been en fuego since winter ball. He could be considered the Latino version of Otto Kemp….a late bloomer.

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    2. Maybe. I am skeptical. Feel like he is just old for AA ball. Doesn’t seem like a great prospect to me. Big man though. So maybe the power is real. Needs to prove it at AAA next year. Doubt that he is protected though.

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      1. i wouldn’t , imo let age be that big a deal. Love to give him Arizona league fall ball b then invite to camp.to see if we have anything. I know nothing about his defense which is a factor to me.

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      2. I watch as much minor league ball as anyone, and I have zero idea what to make of Felix Reyes. I think the power is real. But he’s running a BABIP 60 points higher this year than at any point in his career. I’d absolutely give him the Paul Owens Award if you’re looking for a change from Crawford. But I have no idea what he is as a prospect.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. I am right there with ya Mitch in regard to watching a ton of Phillies Minor League baseball. My take on big Felix is that no one in the organization hits the ball as consistently hard as he does. He smokes the ball with 100 plus exit velocity measures in virtually every game – even on the outs he makes. Defensively he’s no gold glover but from the day I first saw him on the backfields attempting to learn first base till now is night and day progression. He’s capable of playing all four corner spots – again he will make some errors and not always field balls cleanly but he’s a guy where the bat outweighs the defensive issues in my mind – that being said those who proclaim him a DH only are mistaken as he’s very athletic and with continued hard work and coaching can definitely become an adequate everyday fielder at either 1B or LF.  He’s rule 5 this year and while he doesn’t necessarily fit the profile of those who are taken in the draft if a team wants a legit bat then he should get an opportunity, I hope he does and have lobbied for him with scouts I know. There’s no fastball he can’t handle and his pitch recognition has always been decent – this year it’s been great and he’s hammered off speed as well. He told me that playing winter ball in Colombia was a huge help as he had older teammates that taught him a better approach and patience to swing at pitches only in the zone. 

          Even the Phillies have had their doubts on him – despite mashing the ball in Spring Camp this year they started him in extended spring.  I remember writing multiple internal notes stating his case, the young man lets things roll off his back – he uses the acronym “the positive” because he told me he always believes that things will turn out well for him – always positive, never negative. He’s got a smile that can light up a room but a scowl and size that can scare the crap out of ya if ya don’t know him 🤓.

          To me the bat is legit and can play in the show. He’s no prototype in any shape or form but he damn sure can hit and those guys usually find a roster spot somewhere. All he needs is an opportunity – it’s no small feat to lead the entirety of the minor leagues in batting average – that’s what he’s currently doing and also has over 30 doubles to go along with that and 14 bombs – just sayin – that’s a legit bat.

          Steve Potter 

          Liked by 1 person

          1. He sure can hit…I have seen him numerous times @ Reading and I also remember a good AB he had in Spring Training with the Phils

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      3. Yeah…he will not be on the 40 come Nov. I doubt he gets selected out of AA ball, but then again maybe a team like the Rox, Pirates or WSox could select him in the Rule 5…what do they have to lose.

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  33. A doctor’s take on Turner’s Grade 1 hamstring:

    “The Grade 1s heal well because most of the hamstring injuries are kind of in the muscle belly, like the back of the thigh,” Dr. Dhanaraj said. “So there’s good blood flow and they heal.” “It sounds like it’s the best-case scenario where he’s got a Grade 1 strain of the muscle belly,” Dr. Dhanaraj continued, going on to say that those Grade 1 strains typically take anywhere from 1-3 weeks to recover from, with the 2-week point usually being when patients know if they can resume activities or need to wait just a bit longer.  “Let pain be your guide,” is a phrase Dr. Dhanaraj often says about the recovery process from sports injuries, and the case is no different for Turner here. 

    Liked by 1 person

  36. Playoff race is getting interesting, huh? No, not the Phillies-Mets, that’s over, but the Mets are only two games up on the Giants for the last playoff spot. Would love to see the Phils win these last two against the Mets and give the Giants a chance to catch them.

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Even better, the Reds are 3 back but hold the tiebreaker over NYM, so in essence whichever of those two teams plays better is the team that could oust NYM.

      We are now only 3 games back of Milwaukee for #1 seed in MLB – really 4 because we lose the tiebreaker. As of right now, #1 seed would play winner of Chicago and San Diego – to me, a much better matchup than the winner of LAD/NYM or the hot wild card winner with nothing to lose ie SF/Cincy.

      Let’s go get that #1 seed. In the meantime, we’ll need to win 2 of 3 in LA next week to have the tiebreaker over LAD. So if they win 2 of 3 they’d pull within 3 as of today with the tiebreaker so definitely important to get 2 out there. Good news is we have Buehler, Tijuan, and Nola going against KC which means we’ll have Ranger, Sanchez, and Jesus pitching in LA.

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    4. I remember 2011 when we gleefully celebrated the Phillies eliminating Atlanta with a sweep the final 3 games of the season and establishing the Phillies season record for wins. The team that benefitted from the sweep was St. Louis who then made the playoffs as the wild card and beat the Phillies in the first round of the playoffs, no byes back then. I still remember that 1-0, game 5 loss.

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      1. I seem to recall Michale Martinez making a great catch at the wall to end a potential Braves rally.. Had he not made that play, who knows what happens.. such is baseball, such is life..

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  37. By the way, Miller’s 55 SB is in 109 games. He’s averaging a steal every two games. I’d be surprised if in 2027 or 2028 that doesn’t translate to 30-40 steals in a season at the MLB level.

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    1. I have seen many minor leaguers who have stolen at least 40 stolen bases in a season , and virtually everyone had a Run tool of 55 or many at 60 or higher. Now a Run tool criteria is more than just stolen bases, you have speed time to first, and also around the bases and along with OF tracking speed time, but still.

      Miller may be the first I have seen, with even over 50 SBs, be graded Run tool of average-50. Even Upper Darby local kid, infielder Kevin McGonigle out of Bonner HS is graded at 55….and he hardly ever steals a base

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      1. a few things to add…

        IMHO, stealing bases is a combination of having enough speed and a bit of an art form. Obviously speed really helps… a lot… but so does being able to read and time a pitcher’s delivery. Understanding what pitch to run on, getting a great jump, and making it harder for an opposing player to tag you.

        Lastly, I haven’t dived into it (see what I did there?)… but need to consider how the enlarged bases, pitch clock, and # of allowable pick off throws have helped Miller’s numbers look when getting excited over recent SB leaders.

        Sounds like he will be able to swipe a bag when needed, but id put it as hopeful vs probable at this time for large SB totals. Have him run against Realmuto in practice, will know then!

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  38. Turner and Schwarber have a good chance of combining for the National League triple crown. Schwarber’s numbers and Cal Raleigh’s are so similar it’s crazy. Nice to see Stott and Marsh turning it around this season.

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  39. I love the nuances of Schwarber’s 50th hr:

    1. It turned up the pressure cooker to an even higher level. Game 1 of this series was must win, and now they are looking at getting swept.
    2. You know their fans were hoping for a tie game, and Schwarber’s flushed that hope down.
    3. it helped push the mental demons for this club versus the Mets even further out to the curb
    4. The demoralizing nature of having to not only watch an opposing player hit a 3 run homerun that you KNEW was happening..but the Mets OF had to chase the ball down on the field AFTER the damage had been done.That sucks …

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    1. I think the demoralizing of Met Fans could be true. I’m not buying the rest. The Mets, like the Phils, play nearly every day and have no reason to dwell on the past. The Mets are likely to make the playoffs. They’re not looking for cliffs to jump off.

      I never heard a member of the Phillies mention “demons” in regard to the Mets — only fans and the talking heads in the world of sports punditry. I can’t imagine any member of the Mets paying particular attention to Schwarber’s 50th homer. It put the game out of reach which, under the circumstances would have mattered if it was Schwarber at bat or Garrett Stubbs.

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      1. I see Thomson gave all the fans ok to breathe on the prospects of Miller coming up in 2025. Some of them were turning blue in anticipation.

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            1. Because he has been a good soldier for the org for 4 years…or maybe they just pulled his name out of the hat of eligible pitchers. They must have their reasons. He may be in spring training fighting for a pen spot….or he may get selected in the Rule 5 draft in Dec.

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            2. Stats does always tell the whole story – for those of us who have seen him up close and in person he’s got big league stuff – a sinker that’s actually a splitter in shape and movement and a slider that has knuckle ball action to it. He’s also got upper nineties capabilities. Daniel has missed time this year due to shoulder discomfort and this assignment allows him to get more innings. In spring camp he impressed the big league staff so much they put him on their radar for potential call up – just didn’t work out with the down time. He’s got the goods to pitch in the show – just needs to now show that in games.

              Steve Potter

              Liked by 2 people

            3. This is a good point. Often the MLB team will tell a prospect to throw a pitch in game even if they know it isn’t quite ready yet. The point of the minor leagues is to develop players not win games. Majors is for winning. So it’s possible the poor stats have been heavily due to a new pitch that he is working on.

              Liked by 2 people

  41. Thomson hasn’t used Alvarado since he gave up the homerun on Sunday. I thought for sure he’d get into last night’s game when it got out of reach for the Mets. Anybody hear/read if something’s going on with Alvarado?

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        1. I was at the game in Scranton. It was encouraging but from what I could tell he’s working on his breaking pitches. He threw very few fastballs and when he did he wasn’t trying to blow too much by hitters. So it’s nice to see but he’s still a work in progress which, by the way, is fine but he’s not a finished product by any means.
          Miller also looked good and very comfortable at shortstop. None of the other players were much to write home about.

          Liked by 3 people

          1. The break down according to MiLB was a good mix of:

            27-change ups….19-sliders…..18-FBs (95-97T98)…..9- CurveBalls…and mostly to one SWB, Brennen Davis.

            Perhaps one of his best outings so far this season. Game Score 67….highest since June 15th vs Worcester Red Sox.

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  44. Great game by the Phils…..I was again @ Reading, but the person seated next to me watched the Phils game online. Fightin’s won, 2 more 2B’s by Reyes

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  47. I missed this at the deadline. The Rays traded Curtis Mead and two minor leaguers to the White Sox for Adrian Houser.

    Seems the original Mead for Sanchez trade is one that Klentak got right.

    I am impressed each time I watch him pitch. He has improved so much since joining the organization.

    Liked by 2 people

  48. I was listening to MLB last night, Paul Skenes is Cy young according to them. I looked at the numbers Sanchez War is 7.1 right there with Skenes. I love Skenes. But if Phillies win it all does Sanchez get the Award just wondering

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    1. Paul Skenes has been lights out (sub 2 ERA) and he’s going to win it. The sub 2 ERA is a massive accomplishment. Skenes was great last year and he’s actually slightly better this year. He’s leading in a bunch of pitching categories.

      Liked by 1 person

  49. Rocco. I think voting is before playoffs but not sure on that. I saw this morning Skenes has 203Ks. Tops in NL. The other night when Skenes last pitched Bob Walk on the Pirate broadcast said the way to win the Cy Young now is to win the categories. Wins are irrelevant now. He rattled off all the areas where Skenes was at or near the top at that time. Last night did not hurt any on those items. 5 IP, 0R, think it was 8 Ks.

    JMO but seems to me everything revolves around Ohtani and Skenes for these top awards. Not that they are not deserving. I think very possible Philles and Sanchez may be looking at another 2nd place finish again this season like Wheeler.

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  50. As we prepare to look at a massive deal for Kyle Schwarber this offseason, I compared his age 24-32 seasons with Ryan Howard’s. Kyle is 32 now. Ryan was 24 when he debuted. His age 32 season was the first season after he tore his achilles. The comparison is a good reminder of just how good Howard was, and that there is always risk in long term deals. https://stathead.com/tiny/vZc8o

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        1. Schwarber ($19.75) and JT ($23.875) currently make $43.62M. I think we can probably have them both back next year at $43.62M if we just juggle who gets what.

          Potentially keeping Bader and adding Bo Bichette over Alec Bohm would bring us a pretty good team again for the foreseeable future.

          Castellanos probably gets cut. Maybe a team like the Marlins will eat $2M. I think I’d be ok with adding some Rule-5 type of guys if they can eat $4M.

          Liked by 2 people

          1. Wow those Howard vs. Schwarber stats are amazing… and really Howard. He accumulated those ridiculous numbers in 100+ fewer games than Schwarber. He was a beast.

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          2. You know Bo Bichette is going to get paid right? Anyways, I would be extremely wary of giving Bichette a long term deal. His speed has basically collapsed this year, and you figure that it’s only going to get worse.

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            2. Don’t think that Bohm is long-term, but I expect they see Miller playing somewhere on the left side of the infield by 2027.

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        2. To answer my own question, after looking at Barry Bonds’ best seasons — Yes. Turns out there are limits to how far my rooting interests can override my rationality.

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      2. rocco ……if Howard were playing now….with infielders on the dirt and not shifting to the extent they did back then……he would have been even better….his BA and OBP, along with overall WAR, for sure would be tremendously higher.

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  51. I want so bad for these guys to win a WS. I wanted so bad for Halladay and Lee to get one and it never came to fruition.

    This team specifically Nola, Harper, JT and Wheeler

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Not sure about Otto as a first division regular.

      However, I will say that I saw a fan the other night with a truly clever sign: Otttoman Kempire.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Not sure if Kemp will get a starting job. I doubt any team will trade for Bohm so he won’t get 3B. I think for 2026, he’ll be looking for a backup job. Best case, he platoons LF to start.

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  54. Don’t know whether to thank Don53 for putting Bader leadoff or Nostradamus prognosticating O.. T.. T.. O.., but it turned out well with good starting pitching and great relief.

    Liked by 1 person

  55. Nice bounce back by Jesus Luzardo after a shaky first inning and great team win tonight. Hope Buehler has a good start tomorrow as the Royals are fighting for a playoff position.

    Liked by 1 person

  56. Thought first inning . Mets got couple lucky hits. Otto misses that throw. All that and to come back strong for 7 inning, was amazing. A four game sweep is really hard to do.

    Liked by 1 person

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