3 Most memorable Phillies pitching performances of 2021

What were the three most memorable Philadelphia Phillies pitching performances of 2021?

The 2021 Philadelphia Phillies pitching staff was a hot mess. They had the should-be Cy Young in Zack Wheeler, a shocking standout in Ranger Suárez, and statistically one of the worst bullpens ever.

No, seriously, the Phillies bullpen tied the MLB record for most blown saves in a single season, matching the 2004 Colorado Rockies, who set the record with 34. Thankfully, the Washington Nationals decided to blow 35, and mitigate the Phillies’ embarrassment.

But on the last day of 2021, we’re not going to talk about the bad; we’ve done plenty of that. We’re going out on a high note, looking back at the three most memorable (in a good way) pitching performances by Phillies in 2021!

3. Aaron Nola’s Tom Seaver game

Overall, Aaron Nola‘s 2021 was a season we (and probably he) would rather forget. However, hidden among the mess was a diamond in the rough: his performance against the New York Mets in which he evoked one of their own legends.

On June 25, 2021, Nola and the Phillies were in Queens to play their division rivals. Nola was coming off a terrible start against the San Francisco Giants, in which he had allowed a then-season-high six earned runs and only lasted 2 1/3 innings. As such, expectations were low when Nola took the mound.

Nola proceeded to shock baseball fans by striking out 10 consecutive Mets to tie the MLB record, which had been set by none other than Mets legend Tom Seaver on April 22, 1970.

In doing so, Nola also made franchise history; no Phillies pitcher had ever struck out more than seven batters consecutively.

But Nola wasn’t satisfied just yet. In the top of the fifth, he broke up the scoreless game with an RBI double to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead.

By the time Joe Girardi picked up the bullpen phone, Nola had pitched 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball, only allowing two hits and one walk. His 12 strikeouts would set and remain his season-high for the remainder of the year.

2. Ranger Suárez throws a Maddux

Ranger Suárez wasn’t talked about nearly enough in 2021. He was excellent out of the bullpen, and then returned to the starting rotation for the first time since 2018 and continued to excel.

Suárez had a 1.12 ERA over 27 relief appearances when Joe Girardi was essentially forced, by starting pitcher issues, to move him to the rotation at the end of July. The lefty hadn’t thrown more than three innings in any of his appearances at that point in the season, and hadn’t made a start since 2018.

Less than two months later, on September 25, Suárez pitched a complete-game shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He only needed 97 pitches to dispatch the rival Pennsylvania team, a feat that is known as a Maddux.

1. Zack Wheeler’s stunning tribute to Roy Halladay

Zack Wheeler was one of the best pitchers in the game in 2021, but his most incredible moment cannot even be quantified.

On August 8, the day of the late Roy Halladay’s jersey retirement at Citizens Bank Park, Wheeler took the mound and threw a complete-game shutout.

Halladay was tragically killed in a plane crash in 2017. He spent the final four seasons of his big-league career with the Phillies and had thrown two complete games against the Mets himself, including a shutout. Wheeler’s complete-game shutout was the first by a Phillies pitcher since Halladay’s.

Wheeler, who grew up watching Halladay pitch, said he was “lucky enough to pitch on Roy’s day” and “represent him” on the mound.

How can you not be romantic about baseball?