It’ll be business as usual when the Phillies play a doubleheader on Tuesday
After endless rain showers muddied the field at Citizens Bank Park on Monday the Phillies and Nationals are set to play a doubleheader on Tuesday.
Nick Pivetta will make his scheduled start in game one of the doubleheader against Washington.
Game one is scheduled for 3:05 with the hopes that the afternoon sun will help dry out the field, although that looks unlikely with clouds in the forecast for most of the day.
Jake Arrieta will make his scheduled start in game two of the doubleheader after missing his start Monday night. The veteran righty struck out a season-high 11 batters in Miami during his last outing.
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Philadelphia really needs Pivetta to return to his early-season form when he had a 3.26 ERA in his first 11 starts. Since July 6 he has a 4.66 ERA in 11 games with most of his starts coming against teams out of the playoff race.
In July Pivetta made four starts against the Reds, Padres, Orioles, and Pirates, but came out of that stretch with a 5.66 ERA.
Over his last five starts Pivetta has a 5.33 ERA, but he pitched well against playoff teams like the Red Sox and Cubs. Against those two teams he went 11 innings allowing eight hits, two runs, and struck out 12.
Against the Mets, Blue Jays, and Marlins Pivetta gave up 13 runs in 14.1 innings with 13 strikeouts.
He simply needs to be better, and unfortunately there’s no simple answer to his issues.
Philadelphia starts the doubleheader five games out of the National League East behind Atlanta. A friendly reminder that in 2007 they were seven games back of the Mets before winning their first of five consecutive division titles.