Rob Thomson
NEW YORK -- It felt inevitable, and the Phillies finally paid the price—in the most gut-wrenching way. In the sixth inning on Wednesday, José Lindor launched a grand slam into the dark Queens night, delivering a crushing blow to Philadelphia's postseason hopes. It was the knockout punch.

The Mets handed the Phillies a 4-1 loss in Game 4 of the National League Division Series at Citi Field, ending their season in heartbreaking fashion. This one will sting for a while, especially coming at the hands of a division rival.

“Well, it's not how you start; it’s how you finish,” Nick Castellanos said. “We were the best team in baseball in the first half. Everyone believed, 'This is our year.' I don't know if expectations put on the pressure. I can speculate, but one thing I know is that we didn’t cross the finish line.”

Ranger Suárez did all he could, grinding through 4 1/3 gutsy innings. He threw 97 pitches, allowed five hits, and issued four walks, but he kept the Mets off the board. As it has been throughout the series, though, the bullpen crumbled. Jeff Hoffman recorded two outs to end a threat in the fifth but faltered to start the sixth, surrendering a J.D. Martinez single, hitting Starling Marte, and walking Tyrone Taylor to load the bases. Though he induced a grounder for a force out at home, the trouble continued.

Carlos Estévez came in to extinguish the fire. On his fourth pitch—a 99.4 mph fastball—Lindor connected, sending it into the night sky with an exit velocity of 109.5 mph.

“It’s tough to lose a game like that,” Estévez said. “But I know this is a really good group. This isn’t the last time they’ll be in the playoffs.”

Just like that, the Phillies' hopes vanished beyond the center-field fence. A season that began with so much promise—one that, at times, felt destined for something special—came to an abrupt and crushing conclusion.

Ironically, Estévez was acquired at the trade deadline from the Angels specifically for moments like this. That he surrendered the season-ending blow wasn’t lost on him.

“I came over for situations like that,” Estévez said, reflecting on the bitter outcome.

The Phillies' offense managed just a .186 batting average in the series, with a .295 OBP, while the bullpen posted an 11.37 ERA. An offense built to overpower opponents stalled when it mattered most, and the bullpen’s collapse sealed their fate.

“We weren’t able to make the pitches we needed to,” J.T. Realmuto said. “You saw what [the Mets] did to Milwaukee—they grind out at-bats, put the ball in play, and take their walks. We have to give them credit, but we could have executed better in key spots.”

Realmuto admitted the team was hoping for a postseason turnaround. “We knew we weren't playing our best baseball coming into the postseason, but we were hoping that once the lights turned on, we'd flip the switch. It just didn’t happen for us.”

Still, he remains optimistic about the team’s future. “Of course, I know we can [win a World Series],” he said. “We haven’t done it the last couple of years, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a really good ballclub.”

Despite being the best team in baseball up until the All-Star break, the Phillies coasted with a 33-33 record in the second half and a meager plus-four run differential. The collapse will be scrutinized: Was the roster flawed from the outset, or was there complacency in the clubhouse that left the team unable to elevate when it mattered most?

Manager Rob Thomson acknowledged the challenges. “It’s something to look at, for sure. My sense in the clubhouse was that the players never lost their edge. They may have gotten tired over the course of the year, but that’s part of the grind. The thing we did do during the first third of the season was have guys step up when we needed it. But we fell off a bit after that."

The offseason will be pivotal. Decisions made now could determine if this core can capitalize on its potential—or if more October disappointments await. The Phillies have increased their regular-season win total each year since 2022, but they’ve been eliminated one round earlier each postseason.

“You really have to play your best baseball at the right time,” Realmuto said. “We showed this year that we just weren’t doing that. We have the talent, but it has to come together at the right moment.”

For now, the hotter team advances to the National League Championship Series, leaving the Phillies with a long winter of reflection and decisions.

“It [bleeping] hurts,” Kyle Schwarber said. “It’s not a good feeling. It’s a weird feeling. Give credit to them because they did a great job, but it felt like we couldn’t get anything going. That was the battle—trying to get that big inning. We just couldn’t get it done.”

2 Comments

Anonymous said…
I am always very happy when the Phillies lose !! No I am not a Mets fan
Wilmer Leaman said…
No, I am not a Mets fan !!! I am always happy when the Phillies lose !!!!!
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