The Philadelphia Phillies committed almost half a billion dollars to player salaries over the winter. They may get just another rebuilding year this season.
During the All-Star break, Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto noted that the team’s first series upon resuming play, against Washington, was “really important” since his squad was “neck and neck” with the Nationals. A half-game separated third-place Philadelphia from the second-place Nats.
The day of the first game of that series, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler declared the meetings with Washington were “an especially important series for us to set the tone for the second half of the season, and we’re prepared to do exactly that. Set the tone.” Before the game, when asked about Kapler’s job security, team president Andy MacPhail replied, “To me, honestly, I hate to even dignify that question with an answer. We’re in the postseason today if the season was over.”
Publicly, as Kapler would say, team confidence was high.
Then, the Phillies went out July 12 and lost to Washington, 4-0. Twice in the game, middle-of-the-lineup hitters came to bat for Philadelphia with two runners on base and two outs and failed. Their starting pitcher, Nick Pivetta, did not make it to the sixth inning.
Realmuto, the best catcher in baseball and an excellent game-caller, did not play because of paternity leave.
(Looking for a bright side, it could be said that at least Pivetta did not allow a home run, the first time he’d managed that in five games. Back-up catcher Andrew Knapp had his first hit since June 16. Oh, and Scott Kingery, who doesn’t really belong in center field, made a beautiful diving catch there.)
So, there’s all that.
On July 13, however, Phillies ace Aaron Nola would take the mound. Nola had given up only two earned runs in his last four starts (29.2 innings), including a 2-0 win over Atlanta. Before the game, undoubtedly, high confidence abounded, but you can check the record on that. All Phillies comments on that subject are carbon copies of each other.