Five things we learned from Phillies sweep of the Giants
The Phillies swept the Giants for the first time since 1982 this week at Citizens Bank Park. Here are five things we learned from the series.
Even just a month and a half into this season, the Phillies have already provided one roller coaster of a year. It started off poorly before the team hit their stride for a few weeks in mid-April. Things fell off again at the end of April.
Now Philadelphia is riding high again after a four-game sweep of the Giants. They scored 11 runs twice and got some great performances from their starting pitchers. Now they turn their attention to the Mets in a pivotal National League East series.
First, let’s take a look back at five things we learned from the Giants series.
Odubel Herrera keeps on hitting
The Phillies got plenty of strong performances in this series, but Odubel Herrera’s was easily among the best. After Thursday, his on-base streak now sits at 39 games.
Herrera started off the series by driving in five runs with two home runs. He then picked up another RBI and two hits in Tuesday’s game. He went hitless but drew three walks in Wednesday’s win. Herrera then finished off the series with two RBI singles and a double Thursday.
Overall this year, Herrera has a .353/.420/.541 line with 23 runs batted in. He has a 166 wRC+, 9.3 percent walk rate, and 15.3 percent strikeout rate for the season. Herrera now easily ranks as the team’s best hitter.
Maikel Franco and Carlos Santana getting hot
The Carlos Santana–Maikel Franco buddy comedy started way back in spring training when the veteran Santana got the locker right next to each other at the Carpenter Complex. The two have been inseparable ever since. We get to watch Santana fire the ball at Franco every time an inning ends. Now we get to watch them heat up at the plate together.
Franco has been producing all year, but he really has taken off in the last few weeks. He finished out the Giants series 0-for-4 Thursday, but he had a .400 batting average with three home runs and five RBI in the six games prior. He picked up three hits in Wednesday’s win.
Santana has also come alive in the last two series. He has at least one hit in each of the last seven games. He played a huge part in both of Philadelphia’s 11-run wins, driving in four and five runs. Santana has hit four home runs since the Washington series began.
With both Santana and Franco now heating up, it should help this offense tremendously. If other players turn it around, this offense can really start firing on all cylinders.
Rhys Hoskins falling behind
While Franco and Santana are heating up, Rhys Hoskins is dropping off from his stellar pace from the start of the season. He started off the year on fire, posting a .303/.457/.528 line with four home runs and a 0.83 walk-to-strikeout ratio through April.
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Now, Hoskins is hitting just .188 with one home run in April. He has struck out 15 times in nine games, good for a 39.5 percent strikeout rate. Meanwhile, he only had a 25 percent strikeout rate through April.
Hoskins’ overall numbers this season are still strong. He has a .273/.416/.479 line with a 149 wRC+. However, his recent struggles are a major concern as he is expected to be a cornerstone of this lineup.
He struggled at the end of last year to but was able to turn things around to start this year. Hopefully, he can turn things around again.
Zach Eflin’s first start wasn’t a fluke
Zach Eflin’s 2018 debut certainly turned some heads. He pitched five perfect innings against the Marlins before allowing one run on a solo home run in the sixth. Overall, he gave up just three hits and issued no walks, striking out four. It was a tremendous start, but certainly not enough to change the narrative around Eflin.
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Eflin then went out against the Giants and looked even better. He blew away his previous career high for strikeouts with nine, going 6.2 shutout innings. It was his best game score v2 in any start since his two complete games in July 2016.
After his two starts this year, Eflin now has a 0.71 ERA, 2.85 fielding-independent pitching, 27.7 percent strikeout rate and 6.4 percent walk rate. Eflin is generating more swinging strikes and less contact overall with his pitches, which is important for a pitcher without any overpowering stuff.
Eflin has been able to string some good starts together before everything blows up in the past.
He at least showed in this series he can still do that. Now it remains to be seen if he can continue to.
Aaron Nola is that good
Aaron Nola has been utterly dominant all season long. On Tuesday night he took it to the next level.
Nola set a career high with 12 strikeouts, generating 26 whiffs. He was able to jump from 24th to 10th in the National League in swinging strike rate in just one night. He allowed just one run in seven innings, allowing five hits and walking none. It was a masterful performance, easily ranking among the best in his career.
After his start Tuesday, Nola ranks among the best in the league in several categories. His pitching 2.5 wins above replacement are the best in the entire league. He also ranks eighth in ERA (2.05), WHIP (0.892), and fielding-independent pitching (2.56).
Next: Carlos Santana finally showing life at the plate
It shouldn’t surprise anyone when I say this, but Aaron Nola is an ace. Not a “solid No. 3”, or even a No. 2. He is an ace. He compares with the best pitchers in the league and very well could be a Cy Young candidate when this is all said and done.