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Following a robust 12-3 victory over the New York Mets that clinched a postseason berth for the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, manager Rob Thomson was far from celebratory as his team faltered Saturday, losing 6-3 in a game that highlighted ongoing bullpen issues.
Thomson expressed clear frustration with his pitching staff's recent performance, particularly regarding control and command.
“We've had 20 walks in the three games. We can't have that,” Thomson said, per Brooke Destra of NBC Sports.
“We gotta tackle a bit better, get better pitches in the zone,” Thomson added, emphasizing the need for improvement from his bullpen to sustain their postseason ambitions and capture the division title—a feat the Phillies haven't achieved since 2011.
The game began promisingly with Kyle Schwarber collecting his 900th career hit, a leadoff home run that added to his MLB record for leadoff homers, bringing his overall season tally to 36.
Phillies need to clean up the bullpen heading into the postseason
Despite the early lead, the Phillies struggled to maintain momentum. Starting pitcher Ranger Suarez, recently off the injured list, showed increased velocity but lacked command, surrendering the long ball to Francisco Alvarez and Luisangel Acuna in the second inning.
“I thought Ranger was better. I was encouraged,” Thomson remarked, finding a silver lining in Suarez's outing despite the overall team struggles.
The bullpen's woes deepened in the later innings. Orion Kerkering, who had been reliable throughout the season, snapped his impressive run by allowing three runs in the seventh inning.
Thomson noted Kerkering's previous consistency, suggesting that a setback was somewhat inevitable: “He's been as good as anybody when it comes to our bullpen arms and was due for one of these today.”
Despite these challenges, Thomson remains hopeful for a turnaround in the series finale. With ace Zack Wheeler scheduled to start against his former team, the Phillies are optimistic about their chances to leave New York with the division title in sight.
Thomson’s demands for a tightened pitching performance are necessary as the Phillies aim to end the regular season on a win streak and head into the playoffs with strong momentum.
