Phillies/Cubs series: three sparklers and three duds

As millions of Americans celebrated their constitutional right to drink 14 Miller Lites and explode things on Thursday, the Phillies wrapped up a three-game series at Wrigley. The Phils lost the Independence Day finale after winning the first two games.

Here’s a look at three players who excelled and three players who struggled this week:

Sparklers

1) Trea Turner – Turner hit .462/.462/.963 (1.385 OPS) in 13 plate appearances against the Cubs, including two home runs. He also scored five runs, drove in four, and stole a base. With Bryce Harper, Kyle Scwharber, and J.T. Realmuto on the shelf, the Phillies needed their superstar shortstop to play his best. So that’s exactly what he did.

Both of Turner’s homers came in Tuesday’s 6-4 Phillies win. The first went 422 feet, which was impressive until the second went 439 feet:

“It’s that fine line of trying to make an impact but not do too much,” said Turner after Tuesday’s game. “A few days ago, I was trying a little too hard maybe. But now I feel the swing is getting there.”

2) Michael Mercado – While Turner was hitting bombs on Tuesday, Mercado impressed in his first major league start. He allowed just one run on two hits over five innings, walking two and striking out four.

“I thought it was great,” said Turner about Mercado’s debut. “What’s most important is to have that composure and still compete and not get rattled by anything. I thought he did a great job.”

Kyle Schwarber moved Mercado to the front of the Phils’ handshake line after the win.

3) Rafael Marchan – Marchan and Garrett Stubbs are splitting catching duties while J.T. Realmuto recovers from knee surgery. Both players have stepped up since Realmuto went on the IL.

Stubbs is hitting .262 with a .653 OPS in 13 games since Realmuto went down, after hitting just .173 with a .464 OPS in his first 18 games.

Marchan, meanwhile, is hitting .250 with an .845 OPS in 12 games this season. He has also hit three home runs, the most recent of which came in Wednesday’s 5-3 victory over the Cubs.

“They’ve done a great job with J.T. out,” manager Rob Thomson said when asked about his catchers. “Like I’ve said all along, it’s about next man up and people stepping up and they’ve done that.”

Duds

1) Cristopher Sanchez – Sanchez has been fantastic this season. He won the National League Pitcher of the Month award for June, after picking up four wins in five starts and posting a 1.64 ERA.

But everyone throws a clunker once in a while. On Thursday, it was Sanchez’s turn. The lefthander allowed seven runs, all earned, in his first July start after allowing just six runs in the previous month.

“It looked [Sanchez] was a little off with the breaking ball and struggling to throw it for strikes,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell after the game.

2) David Dahl – Dahl went hitless in eight at bats during the Cubs series, striking out seven times. He’ll need to do better to secure a long-term role on the Phillies’ active roster.

3) Johan Rojas – Rojas laid down a beautiful bunt hit towards third base in Tuesday’s game. Unfortunately, he was caught stealing immediately after that, and didn’t register another hit in the series. Rojas has reached base just three times in 17 plate appearances for the Phillies since returning from a brief stint in AAA Lehigh Valley.

Rojas hit .382/.417/.500 (.917 OPS) in eight games with the IronPigs, raising hopes that something clicked with his swing. Early results from his time back in the majors, however, indicate that he’s still figuring it out.

Of course, Rojas will have a longer leash than most outfielders at the plate because of his ability to do this in the field:

Up next

The Phillies begin a three-game series in Atlanta on Friday night, the first time they’ve faced the Braves since losing two of three to them at Citizens Bank Park to start the season. Aaron Nola (9-4, 3.43 ERA) will face LHP Max Fried (7-3, 2.91 ERA).