Phillies 8, Rays 4: Bleak start to the home stand

Did we ever stand a chance against Wheeler?

Another series opener at home after a big series win on the road. These are the games meant to be won on momentum. Playing winning baseball in front of the home faithful. For the Rays so far this year, that has not been the case. Red shirts and caps filled the stands at George Steinbrenner Field as the Phillies came to town to open a three-game set.

Notably, Taylor Walls got the start at shortstop for the third consecutive game, the first time that’s happened since April 18. Junior Caminero also slid down to the sixth spot in the order for the first time this season.

Kyle Schwarber, after fouling a baseball right into the already-injured Shane McClanahan, added insult to injury by hitting an opposite field solo homer to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. McClanahan went down the tunnel briefly with head athletic trainer Joe Benge, but returned… with protection for Schwarber’s next at bat.

Alec Bohm snuck one over the short porch in right field to extend that lead to 3-0, his first of the year.

To continue with the trend of opposite field homers in this game, Yandy Diaz joined in on the fun to put two runs on the board against an otherwise dominant Zack Wheeler. Diaz would later leave the game with what appeared to be a leg injury after a swing and miss.

Fortunately, Diaz’s injury does not seem serious, and Kevin Cash is hopeful that he’ll be back in the lineup tomorrow.

This was a game that would require a near-perfect performance from Rasmussen and the Rays bullpen to overcome Wheeler. When it was 3-2 in the eighth, I thought Cash might go to Garrett Cleavinger. Instead, he turned to Mason Englert, and shortly after it was 7-2. A Nick Castellanos three-run blast was the nail in the coffin. At that point, the Phillies could pull Wheeler at just 84 pitches and turn to their shaky bullpen. Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm gave up a run each, but ultimately it was an 8-4 Phillies win.

Unfortunately, the next two nights don’t make you feel too much better about the series. Christopher Sanchez, who the Rays traded for Curtis Mead, has settled in nicely in Philadelphia and earned himself a four-year, $22 million contract extension. He has kept an ERA below 3.50 since joining the Phillies rotation in 2023. And then to close the series, the Rays get Jesus Luzardo, who was Philadelphia’s biggest offseason acquisition. He has the fifth best ERA in all of baseball thus far.