3 Phillies most to blame for Game 2 loss that has Dodgers in position to clinch

The atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park was despondent as the Philadelphia Phillies faithful watched the team lose 4-3 to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night. The Phillies have now lost the first two games of the National League Division Series. The NLDS is a best-of-five series so every game from here on out could be the Phillies’ last of the season.

Throughout the early months of the 2025 season some fans felt that the Phillies’ strong record belied how poorly they were playing. This game felt similar. While a 4-3 final score may sound like this was a competitive game that is not how it felt.

Jesús Luzardo’s strong performance on the mound through the top of the seventh inning kept the Phillies in the game despite the team’s collective one hit during the first seven innings. Once the bullpen took over from Luzardo in the seventh it was clear that the game was lost. The Dodgers scored four runs in the seventh and the game’s momentum was on their side.

The Phillies did rally in the bottom of the ninth and a single from the injured Harrison Bader felt like it could have been the type of magical moment that could change the outcome of the game but it wasn’t enough to overcome the inning’s unfortunate baserunning, questionable managerial calls and key members of the lineup not contributing.

3 Phillies most to blame for Game 2 loss that has Dodgers in position to clinch

Nick Castellanos

It may seem unfair to include Nick Castellanos when he had a critical hit in the bottom of the ninth to score Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto. However, watching Castellanos run is hard on the nerves on the best of days and being subjected to it in the postseason is simply too much. Three separate times during this game fans held their breath as Castellanos’ lack of speed felt like it would cost the game, which it ultimately did. 

In the first inning during a critical moment with runners on first and second Castellanos barely made it to catch a line drive hit by Freddie Freeman to Castellanos’ left. He did make the play and the Phillies worked their way out of a tricky start but outfielders are supposed to be the fastest people on the field and there should never have been doubt. 

Then in the ninth, Castellanos came up clutch by poking the ball into left for a hit. However, what was a double in the box score was really a single that he tried to turn into a double. He should have been dead out if not for a bad tag by Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman.

After this display of aggressive baserunning, despite lacking the speed to back it up, Castellanos got thrown out by about 10 feet while trying to advance to third on a bunt. This was a game changing play.

Rob Thomson

Why was Castellanos thrown out at third you might be wondering? Well because manager Rob Thomson seemed to forget that Castellanos is one of the slowest runners on the team and he decided to have Bryson Stott bunt to advance Castellanos which resulted in a fielder’s choice.

If Thomson was going to bunt Stott then he needed to pinch-run for Castellanos and deal with the outfield consequences if they were lucky enough to make it to the 10th. This decision was particularly galling because Thomson subsequently made the gutsy move to bat Bader who singled to left which, had a swift Phillie been on base, would likely have tied the game. 

Much will be made of Thomson's bullpen decisions considering the disappointing parallels between Cristopher Sánchez’s dominant performance and the team’s loss during Game 1 and Luzardo’s during Game 2. However, he was working with what he has.

While Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm gave up four runs in the seventh, neither pitched particularly poorly. Plus, had one key close play at home gone the Phillies’ way during the seventh the outing would have been remembered differently.

Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper has a lot riding on this postseason as he chases a World Series ring, which has eluded him despite his exceptional career. Any Phillies World Series win will have to feature substantial contributions from Harper and yet in Game 2 he was an afterthought.

He didn’t make any major errors or have any tragic at-bats, but he went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the sixth, with two runners on base and one out. The best highlight he could muster was a first-inning walk.

Harper has the largest contract on the team, he has contributed countless electric moments to the team, and for him to get the ring we all know he wants he will have to be a difference maker. In Game 2 he wasn’t.