Phillies Week in Review: 7/11 – 7/17
Due to the four-day MLB All-Star Game break, the Phillies only participated in three scheduled games last week.
It was a short week of Phillies baseball thanks to that 2016 All Star break. The team played a weekend series against the division-rival New York Mets at home, dropping two of the three games.
The Phillies faced Jacob deGrom on Sunday and managed just one hit (from starting pitcher Zach Eflin) against the flame throwing right-hander. Ryan Howard was the only other base runner to reach against deGrom, drawing a walk in the 8th inning.
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Speaking of Howard, the veteran slugger belted his 370th career homer in Saturday’s 4-2 win. Howard is now tied for 77th place on the all-time Major League Baseball home run list with Gil Hodges.
Odubel Herrera was the Phillies lone National League All Star representative this year and went 0-1 in his only at bat, but made a nice defensive play against Carlos Beltran in the outfield. The American League won the game 4-2, and secured home field advantage for the World Series.
Let’s see who which Phillies position players and pitchers were surging and which were struggling to start the traditional second half of the 2016 MLB season.
Next: PHILLIES SURGING BATS
SURGING BATS
It was a good weekend for the two most senior Phillies veterans, as catcher Carlos Ruiz finished the weekend batting .667 with a homer, and 1st baseman Ryan Howard also had a nice series against the Mets, hitting .286 over the weekend and blasting his 370th career homer.
Honorable mention goes out to Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin. He didn’t finish with a great pitching line, but his single against deGrom on Sunday saved the Phils from a no-hitter.
Next: PHILLIES STRUGGLING BATS
STRUGGLING BATS
Fresh off of his All Star Game appearance, Odubel Herrera struggled mightily against the Mets, finishing the series 1-12.
Cesar Hernandez had a terrible weekend as well, finishing the series 0-8 with four strikeouts, while his middle infield partner Freddy Galvis also performed poorly at the plate, finishing 1-11.
After several strong weeks at the plate, catcher Cameron Rupp managed just one hit in seven at bats to open up the second half of the season.
Next: PHILLIES SURGING ARMS
SURGING ARMS
The bullpen, with the notable exception of righty Andrew Bailey, pitched very well against the Mets, combining for 7.2 scoreless innings and eight strikeouts over the weekend.
Jerad Eickhoff bounced back nicely after a poor start right before the All Star Break. He gave up just two runs over six innings in the Phillies 4-2 win on Saturday.
Next: PHILLIES STRUGGLING ARMS
STRUGGLING ARMS
Jeremy Hellickson struggled a bit this week, giving up four earned runs (including two homers) in six innings pitched in the Fightins’ 5-3 loss to the Mets on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Andrew Bailey was the only member of the bullpen to struggle this weekend. Bailey gave up three earned runs in just 1.1 innings pitched over the weekend against the division rivals.