The Phillies have the best record in baseball. They are on pace to win the most games in franchise history. They lead the majors in run differential. They are sending seven players to MLB’s All-Star Game later this month.
And they trail the Los Angeles Dodgers in Vegas odds to win the World Series.
The winner of a three-game series in July will not tell us much about a potential October matchup between LA and the Phils. But there’s certainly some extra buzz around Citizens Bank Park as the National League’s two heavyweight teams square up. Round one on Tuesday went to the Fightins… decisively. Final score: Phillies 10, Dodgers 1.
Zack Wheeler set the tone against LA superstar Shohei Ohtani in the first at-bat of the ballgame. Ohtani fouled off Wheels’ first pitch, a 96.7 mph fastball away. He then swung and missed as Wheeler came up and in with a second 96.7 mph fastball. Wheeler threw a third fastball, this one up and in at 97.6 mph. Ohtani waved at it and sat down as the crowd roared.
The 43,000+ in attendance didn’t have to wait long before the Phillies gave them more to cheer about. Brandon Marsh started a two-out rally in the bottom of the second off young Dodgers starter Bobby Miller, walking and stealing a base. Rafael Marchan singled to score Marsh. After Johan Rojas singled and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, Kyle Schwarber singled to bring them home. The Phils’ lead widened to 3-0.
Schwarber and Bryce Harper were in the lineup for the first time since both were injured on June 27. Surprisingly, despite the team’s 10-run offensive outburst, Schwarber’s RBI single was the only hit for the two returning stars. The bottom of the order, meanwhile–Marsh, Marchan, and Rojas–combined for seven hits in nine at-bats.
“That depth is what makes us so good,” said Trea Turner afterwards.
Another thing that makes the Phillies so good? Trea Turner.
Turner went three for four on the night, including a fourth-inning grand slam that turned the game into a laugher. He’s currently hitting .342 with a .903 OPS.
It wouldn’t be a 2024 Phillies game without some injury concerns, of course.
Wheeler exited the game after five innings and 76 pitches with what the Phillies deemed “left lower back tightness.” An MRI showed no structural damage, but it’s unclear whether he’ll make his next scheduled start on Sunday. Wheeler indicated that his back has been bothering him for a few weeks.
“I’ve had to deal with it and treat it here and there,” said Wheeler. “It just tightened up on me a little bit.”
Rojas gave the Phillies a scare as well, taking a 98 mph fastball to the forearm in the seventh inning. But he remained in the game and said afterwards that he’s ok. The Phillies decided Rojas didn’t even need to be x-rayed, but he will get a day off on Wednseday.
Bryce Harper is also out of Wednesday’s lineup. He bruised his right (glove) hand on a line drive.
The team will be cautious with Wheeler, Harper, and anyone else who gets banged up here in July. Because as fun as it would be to win this series with the Dodgers, the Phillies are focused on a bigger prize.
