Phillies vs Rangers: Five questions to ask going into the series
Texas is playing sub-.500 baseball going into the Phillies arrival this week
Interleague play continues for the Phillies with their first opportunity to use the designated hitter on the road. Texas has seen a rough start to the 2017 season, losing several of their major pieces to injury.
One loss was Cole Hamels, who’ll miss the opportunity to face his former team after landing on the disabled list with an oblique strain. Reliever Jake Diekman, who went to Texas with Hamels in the blockbuster trade, is also out for several months with ulcerative colitis.
Carlos Gomez, Adrian Beltre, and Shin-Soo Choo are also unlikely to play during the three-game series. Beltre is on the disabled list with a calf strain and Gomez is out for multiple weeks with a hamstring injury. Choo could return during the series but is currently nursing a back injury.
Despite the early struggles and injuries the Rangers still have a potent lineup filled with power and experience. Prospect Joey Gallo is finally hitting his stride, smashing 12 home runs, but leading baseball with 57 strikeouts. Rougned Odor, Mike Napoli, and Jonathan Lucroy continue to threaten pitchers with their bats, combining to hit 15 home runs.
Here’re five things to know going into the Phillies series in Arlington.
Can Jerad Eickhoff get a win against his former team?
Jerad Eickhoff was considered more of a throw-in piece when the Phillies traded Cole Hamels to the Rangers two years ago, but he is the player who has contributed the most at the major-league level since the trade. In 48 career starts, Eickhoff has a 3.63 ERA and 14-20 record.
Eickhoff now has the opportunity to make his first career start against his former team. He could very well show them what they are missing out on. It could also be a chance for Eickhoff to turn around his recent struggles.
In his last three starts, Eickhoff has a combined 8.40 ERA, 5.01 FIP, 4.80 BB/9, and 2.00 WHIP. Altogether, he has a 4.76 ERA through his first seven starts and is still looking for his first win of the season.
Many expected Eickhoff to carry over his success from 2016 to this year, but his recent string of poor starts has soured those plans. If Eickhoff can open the series with his first win of the season against his former team, it could both set the tone for the series and give Eickhoff a good starting point to turn his 2017 around.
How do the Phillies handle the designated hitter rule?
One of the largest differences between playing in Texas and Philadelphia is obviously the use of the designated hitter in a lineup instead of the pitcher. With two righties and a lefty starting for Texas in the series, expect the Phillies to load their lineup with lefties the first two games.
Against Yu Darvish on Tuesday, I anticipate Daniel Nava starting in the outfield and Michael Saunders being the designated hitter. Having a switch-hitter like Nava in the lineup is a valuable tool against American League pitchers. This allows Altherr and Herrera’s gloves to stay in the game.
Wednesday versus Andrew Cashner, Saunders might get the night off despite having the lefty-righty matchup. Cashner has held Saunders hitless in seven at-bats, while Herrera is 6-11 with two home runs. This could be a chance for Brock Stassi to get more plate appearances against Cashner as the designated hitter.
Having Saunders on the bench to potentially pinch-hit against a right-handed relief pitcher is a major tool for Pete Mackanin. Although with a lefty on the mound Thursday the Phillies may want Saunders in since he’s likely out the final game of the series.
Finally, with lefty Martin Perez on the hill, the Phillies are likely to fill the lineup with righties. That means either Nava or Andres Blanco gets to hit somewhere in the lineup.
Don’t be surprised if Maikel Franco gets an opportunity to be the designated hitter in this series. It could give him a chance to think about hitting and watch the opposing pitcher more frequently in the dugout with Matt Stairs.
Can Nick Pivetta Handle an American League Lineup?
Nick Pivetta started off 2017 dominating Triple-A hitters, prompting the Phillies to promote him to the majors when Aaron Nola went on the disabled list. He has done anything but dominate in three starts since being called up.
Through 14.2 innings, Pivetta has given up 10 earned runs, five home runs, and five walks. In his last two starts – both against Washington’s fearsome lineup – Pivetta gave up four runs, allowed nine baserunners, and didn’t last beyond the fifth inning. While Pivetta has recorded 16 strikeouts in the majors, it hasn’t been enough to carry over his success from Triple-A.
Pivetta’s task doesn’t get any easier Thursday when he has to face an American League lineup with a designated hitter. He doesn’t get the chance to face the opposing pitcher, instead facing a player whose entire game is predicated on offense.
Thankfully, the Rangers aren’t among the deadliest lineups in the AL. Their collective 89 wRC+ is 12th among all AL teams. However, they still have multiple dangerous players in their lineup lead by Joey Gallo, who has 12 home runs through 39 games, and Elvis Andrus, who has a .790 OPS and 114 wRC+ for the season.
Pivetta was tested early with the Nationals and Dodgers, and he gets another test facing the first American League team of his major-league career. With Nola making his second rehab start Monday, this may be Pivetta’s last chance to show his worth at the major-league level before Nola comes back.
Can Tommy Joseph sustain his early May success?
Someone in Tommy Joseph’s body must have flipped his hitting switch back on May 1 because the first baseman has been on fire since the new month started. In 12 May games, Joseph has a .400/.512/.886 line with four home runs and nine RBI. He and Aaron Altherr have led an otherwise bone-dry Phillies offense in recent weeks.
As pointed out by George Stockburger Monday, Joseph has a better batting average than Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge along with a higher OBP than Harper and the same amount of home runs as Judge.
The question is if Joseph can continue this success against the Rangers. The series starts against Yu Darvish, who has a 2.96 ERA and 9.06 K/9 this season. Darvish has been strong against righties especially, posting a 1.05 WHIP against them this season.
Andrew Cashner starts the second game of the series for the Rangers, and his season has been a bit polarizing. His 2.43 ERA says he has been doing quite well, but his 5.14 FIP and the fact that he has more walks than strikeouts says otherwise. Cashner has actually been worse against righties than lefties, as opposing righties have a .326 wOBA but opposing lefties have a .293 wOBA.
The final game of the series will be started by the lefty Martin Perez, who has fared better against righties than lefties this season. As a whole, he has a 3.89 ERA and 0.6 fWAR over eight starts this year.
Overall, Joseph is facing a strong pitcher, a mixed bag, and an average lefty with reverse splits. His numbers may decline a bit, but he should be able to continue his success through the series in Texas.
Can Jonathan Lucroy be stopped after a dominant start to the season
No hitter in the Rangers lineup is hotter than catcher Jonathan Lucroy in the final year of his contract in Texas.
While hitting only .263 this season, Lucroy’s bat has picked up over the last two weeks in Texas. He’s hit .361 in his last 40 plate appearances over 10 games, which includes their current six-game winning streak.
Lucroy went 2-4 with a walk on June 2 last season as a Brewer versus the righty Eickhoff in the lone meeting of their careers. He’s yet to face the young Pivetta and Eflin, who may struggle to pitch versus a catcher nearly a decade their elder.
Jonathan Lucroy will be a tough hitter for Phillies pitchers to get out in the next three games against Texas pic.twitter.com/iGtdE1QfQH
— PHILLIES TBOH (@FS_TBOH) May 15, 2017
Very few spots are available for the Phillies pitchers to hit and not find Lucroy’s bat blazing through the strikezone. Unfortunately, you’ll have to either pitch to him up or away for the best chance to get him out.
When the pitcher can get ahead, going to the inside appears to be the most effective way to catch Lucroy off guard. When behind in the count, Lucroy has 22 hits when the pitch is thrown to the outside of the plate.
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Just count Lucroy as one of many hitters the Phillies pitchers and catchers need to prepare for as they head into Arlington.