Philadelphia Phillies

Despite entering Friday's action with a 47-48 record, the Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly looking to add talent prior to the trade deadline. 

Per MLB Network's Jon Heyman, rival teams expect the Phillies will be "aggressive" leading up to July 30, and they could go past the $210 million tax threshold.

It's not a surprise that the Phillies would look to be buying right now. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has a long track record of being aggressive to help the MLB roster win from his time with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. 

Heyman noted the Phillies are believed to be targeting multiple positions, including a starting pitcher, multiple relievers and potentially a center fielder. 

Chicago Cubs president Jed Hoyer told reporters earlier this month they were exploring trade opportunities involving their veteran players after losing 11 straight games from June 25-July 6. 

Arguably the most prominent names on the trade block leading up to the deadline is Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel. 

One of the first moves Dombrowski made as Red Sox president of baseball operations was to acquire Kimbrel from the San Diego Padres in November 2015. That previous relationship between the two could make the eight-time All-Star an attractive option for Philadelphia. 

The Phillies are in a tricky spot right now with their record one game under .500. They only trail the New York Mets by four games in the National League East. Their wild card prospects are significantly lower, as they entered Friday eight games behind the San Diego Padres for the second spot. 

Philadelphia hasn't made the playoffs since losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2011 NLDS. The franchise has just two non-losing seasons over the past eight years.    

Starling Marte may be on the move prior to the July 30 MLB trade deadline.

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Houston Astros are interested in the Miami Marlins outfielder "who seems likely to be traded." Heyman noted that Miami is willing to offer Marte more than the three-year, $30 million contract numbers that have circulated, but added there is still a "sizable gap" in contract discussions.

Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reported Marte and the Marlins are no longer engaged in contract talks.

Marte, 32, is a free agent following this season, and moving him would help the Marlins get something in return before he could sign elsewhere.

Still, he is a productive piece in the team's lineup who brings the ability to hit for average and power, as well as speed and an impressive glove. He is slashing .285/.387/.444 with seven home runs, 22 RBI and 19 stolen bases for a Marlins squad that is in last place in the National League East.

Marte, who played the first eight years of his career on the Pittsburgh Pirates before splitting the 2020 campaign with the Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks, was a 2016 All-Star and has two Gold Gloves on his resume.

At his best, he launched 23 home runs in 2019 and stole 47 bases in 2016. He has five seasons of 30 or more steals and may add a sixth this year if he continues at his current pace.

New York is trying to remain afloat in the American League East at 47-44 and eight games behind the first-place Boston Red Sox. Adding someone like Marte would help it do just that, although the Astros (first place in the AL West) and Phillies (two games back of the New York Mets in the National League East) are in better position.

A potential bidding war is the best the Marlins can hope for if they aren't going to re-sign Marte, with multiple contenders potentially driving the cost up as the deadline approaches.

The Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals are "acting like buyers" ahead of the July 30 MLB trade deadline, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Six games separate the top four teams in the National League East right now, with Passan adding the division's top contenders believe they can chase down the first-place New York Mets.

The Atlanta Braves announced Thursday they acquired Joc Pederson from the Chicago Cubs. Passan cast doubt on them doing anything major, though, reporting they're unlikely "to be in the mix for any big names."

Atlanta's postseason hopes took a big hit when Ronald Acuna Jr. suffered a season-ending torn right ACL. Passan also noted how the team has 18 straight games against opponents that are .500 or better, so the playoff window could shut in short order to start the second half.

FanGraphs gives the Mets a 76.2 percent chance of winning the division, but it's not hard to see why the Phillies and Nationals would feel they still have a shot. The complexion of either team's season could shift based on a few hot series.

Surveying some of the top players who could be on the market, any one of Adam Frazier, Josh Donaldson, Joey Gallo or Starling Marte could help Washington's offense. Marte and Donaldson would likewise be upgrades for Philadelphia.

For both teams, pitching is a clear area of concern as well. The Nationals don't have a ton of depth behind Max Scherzer, and the Phillies bullpen is collectively 23rd in FIP (4.49), per FanGraphs.

The dilemma for their front offices is that they don't want to throw good money after bad. Swinging big ahead of the trade deadline carries plenty of downside risk if a team surrenders long-term assets and doesn't improve its position in the standings too much.

Pitcher Aaron Nola was one of four Philadelphia Phillies placed on the COVID-related IL Sunday:

Phillies have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/RZbWJp3DWj

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 11, 2021

Nola was scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Boston Red Sox, the final game before the All-Star break.

The pitcher had been up-and-down in the first half of the year, producing a 4.53 ERA in 18 starts that would rank as the second-worst of his career. Despite his struggles, an extended stretch of missed time would be damaging for the Phillies as they try to compete in the NL East.

Nola has been one of the top pitchers in baseball at his best. He truly broke out in 2018, finishing third in NL Cy Young voting. He posted a 17-6 record with a 2.37 ERA and 224 strikeouts in 212.1 innings. He put together another solid performance in 2019, though not up to the standard he set the previous year. 

In 34 starts, Nola finished with a 3.87 ERA and 229 strikeouts in 202.1 innings. Last season saw him get back to peak form with a 3.28 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 71.1 innings. 

The Phillies don't have great pitching depth, with Zack Wheeler the only other top-of-the-rotation starter on the roster. 

The bullpen also took a hit with the latest news losing right-hander Connor Brogdon and left-hander Bailey Falter. Third baseman Alec Bohm has just a .243 batting average to begin 2021, but he appeared in 85 of the team's first 87 games and finished second in voting for Rookie of the Year last season.

Philadelphia begins its second half of the season with a doubleheader against the Miami Marlins on Friday.

Philadelphia Phillies starter Aaron Nola tied Tom Seaver's MLB record of 10 consecutive strikeouts 51 years after the New York Mets legend accomplished the feat against the San Diego Padres. 

Making the moment even more special, Nola did it against the Mets at Citi Field on Friday. 

Put @AaronNola027 in the history books.

He struck out TEN STRAIGHT Mets, tying Tom Seaver's Major League record. pic.twitter.com/HoRtkAwzHS

— MLB (@MLB) June 25, 2021

A double down the right field line by Pete Alonso in the bottom of the fourth inning broke up Nola's bid for sole possession of the record.

The Phillies righty hit Jeff McNeil with a pitch to start the bottom of the first before a Francisco Lindor double moved the runner to third. Nola then struck out the next 10 Mets batters, getting Michael Conforto swinging on an 84 mph changeup to tie the record Seaver set in Queens half a century ago. 

Nola set a Phillies record when he recorded his ninth consecutive strikeout while becoming the ninth pitcher all-time to reach the mark—all but one of whom did so after Seaver set his record of 10 in 1970.

Mets star Jacob deGrom was the last pitcher before Nola to reach nine consecutive strikeouts, doing so in April against the Colorado Rockies. Tyler Alexander (2020), Max Scherzer (2015), Doug Fister (2012), Aaron Harang (2012), Ricky Nolasco (2009), Jake Peavy (2007) and Mickey Welch (1884) are the only other hurlers to strike out nine in a row.

Aaron Nola, 7th, 8th and 9th Consecutive Ks.

9Ks thru 3. 😳 pic.twitter.com/98WBd3JIWJ

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 25, 2021

Following Lindor's double in the first inning, Nola struck out Conforto, Alonso, Dominic Smith, James McCann, Kevin Pillar, Luis Guillorme, Taijuan Walker, McNeil, Lindor and Conforto again. 

Even after Nola's streak ended, his career day continued. The lifetime .082 hitter smacked a line drive to left in the third inning before adding an RBI double to right in the top of the fifth inning to give himself a 1-0 lead. 

Through five frames, the 28-year-old has 12 strikeouts on two hits with no runs allowed. 

It took all of two days for Major League Baseball's new ban on foreign substances to go from potential embarrassment to actual embarrassment.

The ban had a smooth rollout Monday, with New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom notably serving as the first pitcher to be inspected for Spider Tack and other outlawed sticky stuff. Things hit a snag Tuesday, however, because Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi didn't think two checks was enough for Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer.  

The three-time Cy Young Award winner—who lives up to his Mad Max moniker even on the best of days—was none too happy as umpires carried out mandatory inspections after the first and third innings of the Nationals' eventual 3-2 win. Accordingly, he was even less happy when Girardi insisted on a third inspection in the middle of the fourth inning:

The pitcher substances controversy isn't going away anytime soon!

Joe Girardi asked the umpires to inspect Max Scherzer in the middle of the fourth inning and the Nats were NOT happy. pic.twitter.com/M1B5OsM2of

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) June 23, 2021

Like the first two checks, the umpiring crew's third inspection of the 36-year-old right-hander didn't uncover any wrongdoing. Though Scherzer had been taking his cap off to run his right hand through his hair, all that was there was sweat.

Of course, more drama ensued anyway. Scherzer gave Girardi an intense staredown as he walked off the mound at the end of the fourth, and the Phillies' second-year skipper was eventually ejected after leaving his dugout to yell at coaches in the opposing dugout: 

After being checked for sticky substance 3 times tonight, Max Scherzer stared down Phillies Manager Joe Girardi while walking to the dugout. Girardi then left his dugout and had some words for Scherzer, which led to Girardi being ejected.https://t.co/3laApv2YdR

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 23, 2021

Welcome to the new normal in Major League Baseball. It's equal parts baffling, outrageous, tragic, comic and, ultimately, unsustainable.

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MLB Must Close the Girardi Loophole

For all of the criticisms that can be lobbed at MLB's sudden crackdown on sticky stuff, at least the actual inspections are designed to be minimally invasive.

As was the case with the first two checks on Scherzer, the mandatory substance checks are meant to take place between innings or after pitching changes. This way, they don't interrupt the action. And even if they're still annoying, pitchers at least know to anticipate them.

But as was the case for years even before MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred deemed the use of foreign substances an "unfair competitive advantage," managers can still implore umpires to check an opposing pitcher if said pitcher is doing something suspicious. As Girardi explained, this is the right he was exercising:  

Joe Girardi on asking umps to inspect Max Scherzer

“I’ve seen Max pitch a long time. I’ve never seen Max wipe his head like he did tonight. I was suspicious. I’m trying to win games here. I’m not playing games”

pic.twitter.com/jaNda4rbGw

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) June 23, 2021

However, Girardi also had little to lose in asking the umpires to take another look at Washington's ace. If Scherzer had something, then he would be promptly kicked out of the game. And if not, oh well. Maybe the third interruption would get him out of a rhythm in which he'd allowed only a solo home run to Bryce Harper to that point.

That Girardi was engaging in a bit of gamesmanship was the general consensus on social media and, certainly unsurprisingly, within the Nationals organization. General manager Mike Rizzo was still fuming during a radio appearance on 106.7 The Fan on Wednesday morning.

"What are we idiots? Of course he was," he said, referring to the idea of gamesmanship on Girardi's part. "It's embarrassing for Girardi. It's embarrassing for the Phillies. It's embarrassing for baseball."

Mind you, this is not to suggest that Girardi had absolutely nothing on the line. As Hannah Keyser of Yahoo Sports noted, MLB's memo on the foreign-substance ban actually does include possible punishment for managers who don't act in good faith:

From MLB's memo to teams last week:

"Please note that a manager will be subject to discipline if he makes the request in bad faith (e.g., a request intended to disrupt the pitcher in a critical game situation, a routine request that is not based on observable evidence, etc.)"

— Hannah Keyser (@HannahRKeyser) June 23, 2021

But unless Statcast is suddenly capable of measuring a manager's faith level like it can, say, exit velocity and spin rate, this is ultimately a subjective call. And in situations like this, managers are always going to have plausible deniability.  

Instead, MLB might want to take a cue from Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who modestly proposed that there should be automatic penalties for managers who come up empty on optional inspections, per Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington:

Maybe if they lose a challenge, or maybe if they have a challenge they can't do it. I don't know. But I do think there should be repercussions for managers doing that on a whim like that because if you call somebody out -- anybody, but somebody of Max Scherzer's caliber -- and you don't find anything, I think that looks pretty bad on his part, the manager's part.

A lost challenge is one idea. Another would be subjecting the offending manager to the same punishment as pitchers who do get caught with a foreign substance: an automatic ejection and a 10-game suspension.

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The One Silver Lining of Tuesday's Silliness

On the plus side, now we know that umpires aren't about to start giving pitchers the ol' heave-ho on account of sweat and rosin.

The question of whether they would first emerged when MLB granted an exception for rosin under its new foreign-substances rule but with the stipulation that pitchers "may not intentionally combine rosin with other substances (e.g., sunscreen) to create additional tackiness or they risk ejection and suspension."

Because neither umpires nor anyone else can prevent pitchers from sweating, whether sweat in and of itself would count as an "other substance" was perhaps absurd.

But as Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez noted on Twitter, sweat and rosin together make for a powerful gripping agent. And in one for the "Of Course He Did" file, outspoken Dodgers ace Trevor Bauer even offered a demonstration:

If you said trick question, good job. This was created by mixing sweat and rosin together. No other substance was used. No sunscreen. No pine tar. No firm grip. No spider tack. Just sweat and rosin. So, question! As you can hear and see, the ball is quite sticky. But I used legal https://t.co/g8t7O9DkiB

— Trevor Bauer (トレバー・バウアー) (@BauerOutage) June 16, 2021

Scherzer himself, meanwhile, admitted that a mixture of sweat and rosin is what he was going for Tuesday. Per Bradford Doolittle of ESPN: 

The whole night, I was sick of licking my fingers and tasting rosin. I couldn't even get sweat from the back of my head, because it really wasn't a warm night. So the only part that was sweaty on me was actually my hair, so I had to take off my hat to get any kind of moisture on my hand, to try and mix with the rosin. For me, that's the confusing part, because I'm just trying to get a grip of the ball.

Had the umpiring crew determined that Scherzer was breaking the new rules by mixing sweat and rosin, a clear precedent would have been set that such an action was now a no-no for pitchers.

Suffice it to say that it's a good thing the crew determined otherwise and let Scherzer continue. Because even if there's an argument that a sweat/rosin mixture is technically illegal, to actually take that stance would require holding both pitchers and umpires to an impossible standard on a game-by-game, inning-by-inning and pitch-by-pitch basis.

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This Is Not Sustainable

To be clear, the problem with MLB's foreign-substance crackdown is not its intent.

When Manfred referred to the use of sticky stuff as an "unfair competitive advantage," he had plenty of anecdotal evidence to back him up. He was likewise backed by loads of statistical evidence, including an ever-rising spin rate, an increasing percentage of swings and misses on high-spin pitches and, of course, this season's historically low .238 batting average.

But even if pitchers should have known their days of getting away with using sticky stuff were numbered, the timing of MLB's crackdown couldn't have been worse. By implementing a ban in the middle of the season instead of, say, during the winter or before spring training, the league willfully cultivated a situation that was never not going to be awkward as players, coaches and umpires adjusted on the fly to a new environment.

What's more, this is quite literally a waste of everyone's time.

Maybe the odd pitcher will get popped for sticky stuff here and there, but it figures that most inspections will yield nothing. And any inspections that managers insist on will cause in-game delays, which is the last thing Manfred should want. Pace of play is his passion project, after all, and the average game already lasts well north of three hours.

Though it's doubtful that anything will happen before the 2021 season is over, the best way forward still involves the league office compromising with pitchers on what should be allowed for the sake of getting a better grip on the ball.

For instance, pine tar or the formerly oh-so-popular mix of sunscreen and rosin. Or better yet, the mythical proprietary substance that, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post and Jesse Rogers of ESPN, the league had been working on before it decided that grip-enhancers are bad, actually.

The worst way forward looks a lot like what everyone is seeing now. It's just baseball with added doses of agitated pitchers and conniving managers, which are things that nobody asked for.

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Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and Baseball Savant.

Professional baseball player Dylan Cozens announced that he is leaving the sport to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.

https://twitter.com/dylancozens/status/1407381846174883844

Cozens was a 3-star prospect at strong-side defensive end in the high school class of 2012, per 247Sports. The Chaparral High School (Scottsdale, Arizona) standout had offers from Washington, Boise State, Missouri and Utah before signing with Arizona.

However, the Philadelphia Phillies took the two-sport star in the second round of the 2012 MLB draft. Cozens ended up choosing the baseball route, playing professionally from 2012-2019 and then in 2021.

Cozens had a cup of coffee in the bigs, playing 27 games over the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Phils, hitting .154 with a homer and two RBI in 45 plate appearances. He was in the Phillies' organization for eight years before heading to the Tampa Bay Rays' system in 2019 and then the Milwaukee Brewers' minor leagues in 2021.

The 6'6", 245-pound Cozens will now attempt to become the first person to make appearances in MLB and the NFL since Drew Henson, who made appearances for the New York Yankees (2002-2003), Dallas Cowboys (2004) and Detroit Lions (2008).

The Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies game was delayed for 20 minutes in the top of the eighth inning after the protective net behind home plate collapsed at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday afternoon.

Well, we’ve seen it all today. The protective netting behind home plate and along the base lines collapsed and the Phillies-Nationals game is in a delay. pic.twitter.com/U1jQBTkXnY

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) June 6, 2021

The Phillies were leading the Nationals 12-6 in the top of the eighth inning during an eventful game.

*very Stefon voice*

This game has everything.

An under-the-weather ump, a seven-run inning, a 1000th career run, a straw hat, a 100th career homer, a straw hat curtain call, a big-league debut, collapsed netting ...

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 6, 2021

Multiple efforts were made to raise the net, with Todd Zolecki of MLB.com providing the play-by-play:

There were 10 people on the field pulling rope to raise the netting. They failed. Fans booed.

— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) June 6, 2021

Now they are trying to pull rope with a four-wheeler. pic.twitter.com/Kpnhs2YW8q

— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) June 6, 2021

Eventually, the problem was solved, and the game carried on:

Collapsed netting delay was 20 minutes, 21 seconds.

— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) June 6, 2021

Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post also provided his insight while recalling the time when a blowtorch was used to dry the Citizens Bank Park field:

Groundscrew members are sprinting in rolls of rope from the right field corner to rig this thing up behind home plate. That last dude was running as if he has a date tonight.

— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) June 6, 2021

They are now rigging the net to the four-wheeler and having it drive away, using its weight to hold it all up. People in the crowd are shouting "Pull! Pull!" This is theatre.

— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) June 6, 2021

Phillies relief pitcher JoJo Romero, who is currently out after undergoing Tommy John surgery, gave everyone high remarks for their efforts:

https://twitter.com/jojothejet6/status/1401645929413767169

As for the game, Philadelphia defeated Washington 12-6 behind home runs from Brad Miller and J.T. Realmuto. Andrew McCutchen also had a pair of hits and two runs, one of which was the 1,000th of his career.

Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper will miss at least some time because of a forearm injury. 

The team announced Tuesday that the right fielder has been placed on the 10-day injured list. The move is retroactive to Sunday, meaning he will be eligible to be activated on June 2. 

Phillies manager Joe Girardi told reporters Monday he was giving Harper a day of rest for their game against the Miami Marlins. 

Harper has been durable throughout his tenure with the Phillies. The six-time All-Star only missed seven games in the previous two seasons combined. He also missed seven games between April 29 and May 6 after being hit in the face by a pitch against St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Genesis Cabrera.

There was concern earlier this year when Harper was removed from a May 15 game against the Toronto Blue Jays with shoulder soreness. 

The Phillies have lost seven of their last nine games to fall to 23-25. Since getting off to a hot start this season, Harper was just 2-for-25 with zero extra-base hits and two RBI in seven games before being placed on the IL. 

Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius are all currently on the 10-day injured list. 

Veteran utility man Brad Miller can take Harper's spot in the outfield.

Philadelphia Phillies star catcher J.T. Realmuto was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic.

Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia noted that Realmuto has been dealing with a bone bruise at the base of his left hand.

Realmuto had sat out the Phillies' past four games before finally getting placed on the IL. Gelb added that since an IL stint can only be backdated by three days Realmuto will have to miss at least a week.

The 30-year-old remains the best catcher in baseball, hitting .294 with four homers and 17 RBI in 35 games this season.

He has been excellent for the Phillies since joining in a trade ahead of the 2019 season, hitting career highs in homers (25) and RBI (83) that year before finishing the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign with a .266 batting average to go along with 11 dingers and 32 RBI in 47 games. 

That offense, combined with his excellent coverage and throwing arm behind the plate, has made Realmuto a valuable part of a Phillies core that also includes Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler and young third baseman Alec Bohm. 

The team remains a threat to win the NL East and reach the postseason for the first time since 2011, but it will be hard to do so without a healthy Realmuto. 

While he's out of action, look for Andrew Knapp to step into the starting catcher role, with Rafael Marchan likely to serve as the backup.

Neither Knapp nor Marchan will come anywhere close to providing the type of offensive output Realmuto does, as Knapp is hitting just .175 this season, while Marchan has appeared in just five career MLB games.