Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
PHILADELPHIA – One of the things that has been missing for the Phillies since the All-Star break has been their best player.
Oh, Bryce Harper has played plenty of games. He’s only missed one since. But the guy who has been the straw that stirs the Phillies drink has not been himself. He hadn’t been hitting. He hadn’t been taking walks. He was chasing. He was over-swinging.
In short, he was subpar.
But that started to change in Kansas City over the weekend. He started to put some good at bats together. He started getting some better swings and making harder contact.
It didn’t change him from being frustrated about rolling over a double play grounder in his first at bat Monday. But from there, he looked a lot more like the guy many in Philadelphia expect to carry this team to the highest of heights.
There was a beauty of an opposite field double and a couple of walks sprinkled in there, but the big hit came in the bottom of the 10th, when he slapped a single through the hole on the right side, scoring Kyle Schwarber from second base to give the Phillies a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros. It was the Phillies third straight win, and they’ve now won 8-of-12.
“I felt good,” Harper said. “Usually when I’m taking (pitches) and walking, I’m doing pretty well. I thought I had some good at bats. I was happy that I got to 3-2 in both of my first at bats. So that felt good.”
Harper had only walked eight times since the All-Star break entering play on Monday so, getting a couple of walks means he’s seeing the ball again, which is a particularly good sign.
“Even in the last couple of days, I thought he was right on pitches,” manager Rob Thomson said. “He just had nothing to show for it and was fouling a lot of balls off. So, I think his balance is pretty good. I’m not dure he thinks that, but I do. It looks like his bat path and bat speed is there.”
The Phillies trailed this game 2-0 entering the fifth inning when Brandon Marsh hit a solo homer off Ronel Blanco to cut the lead in half. It was Marsh’s 13th homer this season, which is a new career high.
Zack Wheeler gave the Phillies six solid innings allowing just two runs. He said he wasn’t as sharp as he wanted to be and that he had some long innings early, but he retired the final seven hitters he faced, and had a very quick top of the sixth, which Thomson said changed some momentum in the game because it forced Blanco to go right back out and pitch without much of a breather. The Phillies touched him for three hits in the sixth, as Harper scored on an RBI single by Nick Castellanos.
The Phillies bullpen had another strong night, throwing four scoreless innings. Matt Strahm (6-2) stranded the ghost runner on base in the top of the 10th, all while facing the top of the Astros lineup.
Trea Turner and Bryson Stott also had two hits each for the Phillies (77-54) who remained six games ahead of the Atlanta Braves in the N.L. East.
MISSING ALVY
In a bit of strange news, the Phillies placed LHP Jose Alvarado on the restricted list about an hour before game time. The team reported that Alvarado had to leave the team for personal reasons.
When asked after the game how long he expected to be without Alvarado, Thomson replied, “I have no idea,” and the team ended the press conference.
Alvarado was in the clubhouse when it was opened to the media three-plus hours before the game.
The Phillies recalled RHP Michael Mercado to replace Alvarado on the active roster.
Once a player is placed in the restricted list, they can recall players from the minors who are on the 40-man roster to replace him without a corresponding move.
ROTATION SHUFFLE
With everyone expecting the Phillies to make a roster move to replace RHP Taijuan Walker, imagine their surprise when Thomson announced that not only would Walker stay in the rotation, but that he would move up a day, and pitch Wednesday afternoon against the Astros.
"You can always make a change, but I'm confident he's going to bounce back at this point," Thomson said. "Maybe not everybody is, but I am, and that's who I am."
One has to wonder if the Phillies aren’t throwing Walker to the wolves by asking him to start a game at home in front of a near sellout crowd against a hot team like the Astros.
The Phillies’ options besides Walker are a bit limited.
Kolby Allard has been good, but the Phillies optioned him back to Triple-A Monday. He also couldn't throw again before Friday after pitching on Sunday in Kansas City, and the Phillies want to give Sanchez an extra day of rest and weren't about to move up Ranger Suarez a day after he just missed more than a month with back spasms. So, Allard wasn't the answer.
Tyler Phillips was sent down to the minors last week. He's not yet eligible to return.
Seth Johnson, who was acquired from the Orioles in the Gregory Soto trade, is on the 40-man roster and is the pitcher on Lehigh Valley that is throwing on the same day as Walker. However, although he's been impressive, he's made just two starts at the Triple-A level.
The only other starters on the 40-man roster are Kyle Tyler, who has not looked great since being claimed off waivers from Miami and Mick Abel, whose 2024 struggles have been well-documented.
ON DECK
There’s a heck of a pitching matchup on Tuesday as RHP Aaron Nola (11-6. 3.45) pitches for the Phillies against RHP Justin Verlander (3-3, 3.92) for Houston.
