Philadelphia Phillies

Former Philadelphia Phillies teammates Jake Arrieta and Carlos Santana probably aren't going to have each other over for dinner anytime soon.  

Arrieta turned heads when he said "the culture was better here this year without him" when talking about Santana, per Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Why it was better without Santana? We had better guys in the clubhouse. That's it. A lot more veteran presence."

Santana responded to the comments with a statement on Twitter:

"It's not my style to focus on the past or call out teammates but I saw Jake's comments and want to address it. You can ask any teammate I've EVER played with, I take my job seriously. So if Jake isn't doing the best thing for the team or setting a bad example for the young guys, I'm not going to sit back and support it. Maybe he didn't agree with that .... Actions speak louder than words. I LOVED my time in Philly and wish them the best. Turn the page Papi."

Santana played in Philadelphia during the 2018 season and slashed .229/.352/.414 with 24 home runs and 86 RBI. While his batting average left something to be desired, he provided a solid power bat in the middle of the order.

However, the Phillies traded him to the Seattle Mariners this offseason, who proceeded to trade him back to the Cleveland Indians. He played the first eight years of his career in Cleveland and made his first All-Star Game there in 2019 by slashing .281/.397/.515 with 34 homers and 93 RBI.

Philadelphia could have used that version of Santana on a 2019 roster that underachieved and finished fourth in the National League East at 81-81.

Yet as Breen noted, Santana revealed he smashed a television in the Phillies clubhouse last year because he was upset his teammates were playing so many video games. It is a notable anecdote given Arrieta's comments.

This year, Arrieta wasn't the version of himself that won the 2015 NL Cy Young Award and 2016 World Series as a member of the Chicago Cubs. He underwent elbow surgery in August and finished with a 4.64 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, which were his worst numbers since he was a Baltimore Oriole from 2010 into the 2013 season.

Both will look to help lead their respective teams to the playoffs in 2020 and likely won't look back on their time together fondly.

As teams around Major League Baseball have made managerial changes in the days following the conclusion of the 2019 regular season, Philadelphia Phillies skipper Gabe Kapler's future remains uncertain.

According to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury, a decision on Kapler's fate is not expected to be made until next week. Salisbury noted owner John Middleton has "spent much time over the past week seeking opinions on whether Kapler is the right man to lead the Phillies in 2020" and is expected to continue to do so over the weekend.

Howard Eskin of SportsRadio 94WIP previously detailed the situation:

Kapler was hired by Philadelphia in October 2017 despite having no big league managerial experience. He did, however, manage the Greenville Drive (a Class-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox) in 2007 and Team Israel in the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifiers.

He served as the Los Angeles Dodgers' director of player development before arriving in Philadelphia.

When Kapler was hired, the Phillies were in the midst of a six-year playoff drought. Although the team has been competitive under him, the streak is now at eight seasons. But it's not for a lack of trying by ownership.

Following the 2017 season, Middleton opened up his checkbook by signing 2015 National League Cy Young award winner Jake Arrieta and slugger Carlos Santana. That in part led to a 14-win improvement in 2018, helping the team to an 80-82 record.

Last offseason, Middleton famously said he was willing to spend "stupid" money as Philadelphia attempted to take the next step. The club acquired 2015 National League MVP Bryce Harper, 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen, 2018 All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, two-time All-Star shortstop Jean Segura and 2011 All-Star David Robertson.

As the team struggled to find a rhythm early in 2019, it acquired three-time All-Star Jay Bruce in June.

Unfortunately for the Phillies, Robertson, McCutchen and Bruce were all plagued by injuries. That, combined with a pitching staff that ranked 17th in ERA, led to a .500 performance and fourth-place NL East finish.

Though he has yet to lead the franchise to the postseason, Kapler—who is 161-163 in two seasons—said on Sept. 24 that he believes he is the right man for the job, via Salisbury: 

"I love this organization. I love this team specifically. I love working for this front office. I love working for this ownership group. And look, I'm going to manage this club as long as I can. Because I think I give us a great chance to win and I think because I care deeply about the success of this franchise."

For now, he must wait to see if he is brought back for 2020.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper said some fans of the Washington Nationals, his former team, crossed the line with their heckling late in the Nats' 5-2 victory over the Phillies Wednesday night at Nationals Park.

"They were fine all game, talking about myself and things like that," Harper told reporters. "I get it everywhere I go. That's nothing new. But the last two innings, it's just not right. It's not right."

He didn't provide any further details about the nature of the fans' remarks.

Harper's wife, Kayla Harper, wrote on Twitter they brought up the couple's newborn child:

The 2015 National League MVP left the Nationals to sign a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies in March. The team failed to reach expectations during his first season in Philly as it was recently eliminated from playoff contention.

Nevertheless, Harper told reporters he was excited to finish the regular season at home with a three-game series against the Miami Marlins following Thursday's series finale in D.C.

"I've got 60,000 fans up in Philly that appreciate me as a player, appreciate me as an individual and my family, as well," he said. "I owe a lot to those people up there in Philly because they show up for me every single night and they're there to cheer us on and boo us and keep us going as a team and as individuals as well."

The 26-year-old Las Vegas native hasn't played at an MVP level since his monster 2015 campaign, but he put together a strong first year with the Phils. He's posted a .260/.375/.507 triple-slash line with 34 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 153 games. His .882 OPS ranks 36th in MLB.

A five-game losing streak has dropped Philadelphia to .500 at 79-79 and in fourth place in the NL East behind the division champion Atlanta Braves, Nationals and New York Mets.

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto will undergo surgery Friday to "clean up" the meniscus in his right knee, according to manager Gabe Kapler, who said there are no long-term concerns.

Realmuto has not played since a 10-1 loss to Cleveland on Sept. 22 and had an MRI done on his knee Monday night.

"It would pop, just a little discomfort," Realmuto told reporters about when he noticed the injury against Cleveland. "It wasn't really painful [Sunday], but I woke up [Monday] and it was a little more tender, a little more pain. Definitely sore."

The 28-year-old continued:

"To be honest with you, I've had a little issue in the back of my knee for the last two or three years. I don't know if this is just an instance where it finally flared up enough to feel it a little bit more, but I felt fresher this September than I've ever felt in any years in the past. I don't think it has anything to do with the workload. I just think it was just a bad luck kind of thing."

The 79-78 Phillies were officially eliminated from postseason contention with a 4-1 loss to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. The Phillies haven't made the playoffs since 2011.

Realmuto hinted Monday that Philadelphia's win-loss record would influence how he and the team handled his injury. "We're going to be smart about it," he said. "Because we all know where we stand right now in the standings. I don't want to push it and risk hurting myself for next year or anything like that."

This season was Realmuto's first in Philadelphia after the Miami Marlins traded him in a blockbuster in February. The two-time All-Star appeared in 145 games with 130 starts at catcher. At the plate, Realmuto hit .275/.328/.493 with 25 home runs and 83 RBI—both career-high marks.

Realmuto is set for arbitration next year but won't become a free agent until 2021.

Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper left Friday night's 5-4 loss to the New York Mets in the third inning after being hit on the hand by a 92 mph pitch by Steven Matz.

According to Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer, X-rays on Harper's right hand—which was wrapped following the game—came back negative. Harper reportedly couldn't grip a bat after getting hit.

Harper, 26, has slashed .254/.372/.869 to go along with 30 home runs and 100 RBI for the 72-68 Phils, who are tied for third in the National League East. They are four games out in the NL wild-card race following their third straight loss.

He has had a few injured list stints during his eight-year MLB career. A knee injury kept him off the field for all of June 2013, and a torn UCL in his left thumb forced him to miss over two months in 2014.

A hyperextended left knee and bone bruise in 2017 sidelined him for a month-and-a-half.

The six-time All-Star and 2015 National League MVP joined Philadelphia with massive expectations after signing a 13-year, $330 million contract.

While the ex-Washington National's power stroke remained, Harper struggled a bit at the dish early on, hitting just .219 through May 14.

However, Harper was near-invincible during a nine-game stretch from Aug. 7-16, hitting seven home runs, adding 17 RBI and compiling a 1.366 OPS. That included a walk-off grand slam against the Chicago Cubs.

If Harper has to miss time, it would be the latest blow to the Phillies outfield, which is already without 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen (ACL). Three-time All-Star Jay Bruce (flexor strain) has also been limited to pinch-hitting duties since coming off the injured list Sunday.

Bryce Harper is a six-time All-Star, the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year and the 2015 NL MVP. Now, he can add another title to his resume, the most important one yet: Dad.

Harper and his wife, Kayla, are the proud parents of Krew Aron Harper, who was born Aug. 22. 

It's been a big year for the 26-year-old Harper, who signed one of the most lucrative contracts in sports history over the offseason after agreeing to a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. He's posted solid numbers in his maiden voyage with the Phillies, hitting .254 with 27 homers, 92 RBI and 77 runs. 

Philadelphia Phillies superstar right fielder Bryce Harper exited Sunday's game against the San Diego Padres due to dehydration.

Harper, 26, famously signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies this offseason, a huge splash that catapulted Philly to contender status. He was one of many major additions, which included trades to bring aboard catcher J.T. Realmuto and shortstop Jean Segura and the signing of outfielder Andrew McCutchen and reliever David Robertson.

The star outfielder has responded by hitting .252 with 26 home runs, 90 RBI and 74 runs scored.

Harper was the high-profile addition the Phillies craved. The six-time All-Star was the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year and 2015 NL MVP and is one of the faces of baseball. The left-hander also gave the Phillies a power surge in their hitter-friendly park, giving the team a scary trio in the middle of the lineup in Harper, Rhys Hoskins and Realmuto.

Suffice to say, Harper checked off a lot of boxes, and any missed time for the superstar is a blow for the Phillies. It's also an ongoing concern, given his history of injuries. Harper has played in 140 or more games in a season only three times.

Odds are this will be a short-term absence.

Philadelphia Phillies reliever David Robertson is expected to be out until the 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery Thursday.

Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reported the news. 

Robertson, 34, was limited to seven games this season after injuring his elbow April 14. He had been healthy throughout his MLB career before arriving in Philadelphia, making at least 60 appearances in the previous nine seasons.

The Phillies signed Robertson to a two-year, $23 million contract in January to serve as their closer. This injury means he'll almost certainly finish his Phillies career with seven total games in uniform. The team has a club option at $12 million for 2021, but it seems unlikely they would exercise it for an aging closer coming off Tommy John surgery.

"Obviously, I've had those thoughts," Robertson told reporters of the possibility his career could be over. "It's tough for me to deal with that."

Robertson spent his first seven MLB seasons with the Yankees before signing with the Chicago White Sox in 2015. The White Sox sent him back to New York midway through the 2017 season, and he spent the next season-and-a-half with the Bronx Bombers.

The Phillies also announced starter Jake Arrieta will have season-ending surgery on his elbow Saturday. The team is currently tied for the second wild-card spot after running off a four-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs.

Philly was already planning for the rest of this season without Robertson, so this won't affect its outlook. However, the team will almost certainly be back out on the market for a top-flight reliever this winter in hopes of shoring up its ninth inning. 

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jake Arrieta will have season-ending surgery at the end of August for a bone spur in his elbow, according to Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic.

Arrieta is expected to be ready for spring training.

The right-hander was placed on the injured list Wednesday, and before he underwent an MRI on Thursday, he thought his season was over.

"I'll probably miss the remainder of the season," Arrieta said Wednesday, per Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.

Arrieta has had his worst year since he emerged with the Chicago Cubs in 2013. In 24 starts, he is 8-8 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, both his worst marks in five-plus years.

He last pitched Sunday, allowing five earned runs in three innings against the San Francisco Giants. That outing signaled to the veteran that it was time to address the injury, and he said, per NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury:

"I wanted to try and make it work for as long as possible while I could remain effective and help the team. After my start in San Francisco, I realized that I'm not able to give the team what it needs. I'm confident and we're confident that we have options that can contribute to a further level than I was able to. The pain is something I can deal with, but it's the loss of feel and the ineffectiveness as the outings wear on."

As Arrieta's ERA and WHIP have gone up each season since 2015, there have been questions as to whether age or usage caused a decline in performance. Arrieta, though, said the surgery should help him return to his old form:

Arrieta can opt out of his deal after this season. If he stays with the Phillies, he will be owed $20 million for 2020, and the club has contract options for 2021 and 2022 at $20 million apiece.

Even though Arrieta was not pitching like he did in winning the 2015 National League Cy Young Award, his absence will be a blow to the rotation. Philadelphia starters rank 16th in the majors with a 4.56 ERA.

The Phillies (64-58) are tied with the Cubs for the second NL wild-card spot.

Prior to hitting a walk-off grand slam Thursday night against the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper put a heckler in their place.

As seen in the following video (Warning: Some language NSFW), a fan said, "$330 million, 0-for-3," to which Harper responded, "Shut the f--k up, stupid."

Then, in the bottom of the ninth with the Phillies trailing 5-3, Harper crushed a walk-off grand slam to give Philadelphia a 7-5 win and a three-game sweep of the visiting Cubs:

Harper has had something of an up-and-down first season with the Phillies, as he is slashing .253/.374//.490 with 25 home runs and 87 RBI in 120 games. His bat has come to life recently, though, with three home runs over the past two games and six homers over his past eight outings.

While Harper still may not quite be living up to the 13-year, $330 million deal he signed with the Phillies, he has them firmly in the playoff hunt.

Following Thursday's win, the Phils are just one game out of the final wild-card spot in the National League at 63-58.