“This is a team that you don’t want to get swept by,” Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler said after Thursday’s 6-2 loss. “It’s just true. We need to take that personally and go out there and finish strong. Start winning some games. Start playing some good baseball and just be consistent.”
The Phillies will open their series in San Diego four games behind the Braves in the National League East; this after having a two-game lead in the division less than two weeks ago.
“We just have to do a better job of coming in and consistently playing the same baseball,” Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “I feel like we were on such a high a week ago and playing so good, and all of a sudden, it tanks out and we don’t have any consistency. We have to be more consistent across the board, no matter who we’re playing."
Left-hander Matt Moore will start the series opener for the Phils. He was outstanding this past Saturday, tossing six hitless innings against the Reds while collecting eight strikeouts. The Padres counter with veteran left-hander Blake Snell who has a 1.58 ERA over his previous three starts.
Offensive woes
The Phillies are hitting just .180 over the last week, the worst mark in the Majors. The club has also lost seven of its last nine games since putting together an eight-game winning streak.
"We haven’t been hitting for 10 days" manager Joe Girardi said. "This is not just something that just came up today or yesterday. We just haven’t been swinging the bats, and it’s costing us."
Eflin update
Zach Eflin will begin a rehab assignment on Saturday with Double-A Reading. He may rejoin the Phils' rotation next week. The right-hander has been on the shelf since July 20 due to patellar tendinitis.
