Yordan Alvarez crushed three home runs, and rookie Spencer Arrighetti flirted with history as the Houston Astros dismantled the Phillies, 10-0, on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park. For the Phillies and struggling right-hander Taijuan Walker, it was a brutal reality check ahead of a critical stretch in the NL East race.
Arrighetti, a 24-year-old right-hander, silenced the Phillies’ bats through seven no-hit innings, losing his bid for immortality in the eighth when Austin Hays legged out an infield single. Third baseman Shay Whitcomb, in for Alex Bregman after the Astros’ All-Star was drilled in the head by an 88-mph pitch from Michael Mercado, couldn’t corral Hays' grounder, and shortstop Jeremy Peña’s throw from deep in the hole was too late to nab the fleet-footed outfielder.
That marked the end of the night for Arrighetti (7-11), who finished with 11 strikeouts and four walks in what was easily the best outing of his young career. He exited after 7 2/3 innings, having allowed just two hits.
Meanwhile, Walker (3-6) endured another rough outing, surrendering six runs on 13 hits over six innings. The Phillies have now lost all nine of Walker’s last starts—a stark contrast for the 32-year-old who signed a four-year, $72 million deal ahead of the 2023 season. Manager Rob Thomson acknowledged that the Phillies are weighing whether Walker should take his next turn in the rotation. Walker, however, saw some positives. "I thought it was a step in the right direction with a lot of ground balls," he said, trying to find a silver lining in another disappointing start.
The game quickly unraveled for the Phillies in the first inning when Jose Altuve stole home on a throw to first base intended to hold Peña. Bryce Harper, caught off guard, couldn’t recover in time, allowing Altuve to slide in safely, setting the tone for a long night in South Philly.
This 10-0 drubbing marked the Phillies' worst home shutout loss since a similar 10-0 defeat to the Mets on August 10, 2017. The defeat also dealt a significant blow to a team that had appeared to be building momentum with a four-game winning streak. Now, the Phillies face the surging Braves, who sit just five games back in the NL East, in what could be a pivotal series.
