Phillies reach 40 wins with victory over Cardinals

The Phillies hit a new milestone just about every night nowadays, and Friday was no exception. With a 4-2 W over the St. Louis Cardinals, the Phils became the first team in baseball to reach 40 wins this season.

The 2023 Phillies won their 40th game on June 25. The 2022 squad won their 40th game on June 30. And back in the dismal 2015 season, the Phillies didn’t reach 40 wins until July 31.

Aaron Nola owns seven of those 40 wins after a strong outing in this game. Nola threw 6.1 innings, allowing two solo home runs but not much else. He gave up three total hits, walked two batters, and struck out six. Nola’s season numbers may not look as flashy as Zack Wheeler’s or Ranger Suarez’s at the moment, but a 7-2 record with a 3.03 ERA would make him the ace of many rotations around baseball.

Nola also leads the National League in innings pitched, living up to his reputation as a modern-day workhorse. The righthander’s ability to preserve a bullpen was a big factor in the Phillies’ decision to sign him to a seven-year deal this past offseason. It’s something other free agent pitching options, such as reigning NL Cy Young Blake Snell, didn’t bring to the table.

And that well-preserved bullpen? Well, following Nola’s exit, the Phils’ big three relievers–Matt Strahm, Jose Alvarado, and Jeff Hoffman–finished up the game without allowing a baserunner. The trio served up just four earned runs combined in the entirety of May, contributing to a 20-7 month for the Phillies.

Meanwhile, at the plate, Edmundo Sosa sent a home run ball 439 feet into Ashburn Alley. The second-inning dinger, Sosa’s fourth of the season, pushed the Phillies to an early 3-0 lead. Sosa is hitting .307/.378/.591 (.969 OPS) in 30 games this year, helping the Phils’ offense roll along even after the loss of Trea Turner (out of the lineup since May 3 because of a hamstring strain).

“It’s a good problem to have,” said manager Rob Thomson when I asked him whether he can get Sosa consistent at-bats after Turner rejoins the lineup. “We’ll try and figure it out, because he’s a good player, he comes to play every day, he brings energy every day . . . I really like the kid.”

With May in the books, the Phillies hope to kick off June with another win against the Cardinals on Saturday. Suarez (9-1, 1.75 ERA) will face RHP Sonny Gray (7-2, 2.60 ERA). In the nationally-televised series finale on Sunday, Taijuan Walker (3-1, 5.51 ERA) will take the mound against RHP Lance Lynn (2-3, 3.45 ERA).