Phillies pay the price for baffling mismanagement of Spencer Turnbull and the bullpen
The Philadelphia Phillies were tough luck losers in a 7-6 defeat at the hands of the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon. Off to a 3-0 start in the first inning thanks to a three-run shot off the bat of Nick Castellanos, it looked like the Phillies were on their way to an easy three-game sweep with Zack Wheeler set to take the mound. But things don’t always go as planned.
Wheeler’s uncharacteristic performance on Sunday was a complete disappointment, as the usually reliable ace lasted just four innings while allowing six runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two. With everyday catcher J.T. Realmuto unavailable due to knee soreness, Wheeler and backup catcher Garrett Stubbs never seemed to be on the same page.
When Wheeler walked off the mound after 80 pitches, the Phillies found themselves in a 6-3 deficit. It was clear the bullpen was going to have to steady the ship in this one.
Phillies pay the price for baffling mismanagement of Spencer Turnbull and the bullpen
Following Wheeler’s quick exit, manager Rob Thomson gave rookie right-hander Orion Kerkering an opportunity to get quick outs on the mound. The youngster didn’t disappoint. Kerkering was lights out, needing only seven pitches to get three outs, and improved his ERA to a remarkable 1.69.
Everything seemed to fall into place in the sixth when Thomson sent Spencer Turnbull to the mound in his second relief appearance since being placed in the bullpen last week. The plan for Turnbull’s new role was expected to be as a multi-inning reliever capable of piggybacking the occasional short start from the back of the rotation or providing length with multiple innings in games similar to the series finale.
That’s not exactly what went down on Sunday afternoon.
Turnbull was terrific in his lone inning of work, allowing one hit, striking out two, and not allowing a run. That coincided with the Phillies scoring three runs to tie the game in the top of the sixth. With Turnbull on the mound, it looked like the start of a new ballgame. Fully stretched out and boasting an impressive 1.53 ERA, it looked like the right time for Thomson to show off his newest bullpen weapon.
But when the Marlins came up to bat in the seventh, it was José Alvarado, not Turnbull, toeing the rubber. But why?
It’s not like Alvarado didn’t do a great job, he held down a weak Marlins offense in his lone inning of work. Matt Strahm followed with three strikeouts the following inning, and Jeff Hoffman kept the Marlins off the board in the ninth. Everything seemed to be working out for the Phillies until Gregory Soto took the mound in the 10th.
With a runner starting the inning at second base, Soto intentionally walked Josh Bell to get to Emmanuel Rivera. Rivera promptly hit a ball that took a wicked bounce off of Soto into right field, and the Marlins scored the game-winning run. This was a situation that was entirely preventable.
