Rob Thomson swears he’s not trying to turn his lineup into a game of Keeping Up with the Joneses.
But then again, when guys like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber are stacking doubles, launching moonshots, and setting the tone night after night? Yeah, you want to keep up.
“It’s contagious,” Thomson said. “You see one guy get on, the next guy’s trying to match him. It’s that kind of lineup.”
That kind of lineup has powered the Phillies to a series win in New York and now they’ll ride into the South Side Monday night with their hottest starter on the mound and a lineup that suddenly looks deeper than it has all season.
Cristopher Sánchez — who might as well be throwing darts at this point — takes the ball for Philadelphia in the opener of a three-game set against the White Sox. All he’s done this month? Go 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings. He hasn’t walked a batter in his last two starts and is fresh off a complete-game masterpiece against Boston that might’ve been his best outing as a pro.
On Sunday in the Bronx, it was rookie Otto Kemp who stole the show — clubbing his first multi-homer game in a losing effort. Not to be outdone, Nick Castellanos returned to the lineup after a brief knee scare and added a solo blast of his own. J.T. Realmuto added a sixth-inning single and has now hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games.
“They’ve carried the load,” Brandon Marsh said of the Phillies’ veteran bats. “For someone like me, it’s just about getting on base and letting them do the heavy lifting. But watching it up close? It’s awesome. It’s a good lineup to be part of.”
Right-hander Davis Martin (2-8, 3.89 ERA) will start Monday's opener for Chicago. He hasn’t won since May 14 and spent a chunk of June on the injured list with a forearm strain. He returned last week and allowed four runs (three earned) in five innings against the Rays, walking a season-high four in the process.
In contrast, Sánchez has pitched at least six innings in nine straight starts. He’s become the rotation’s stealth weapon — a lefty with elite command, swing-and-miss stuff, and ice in his veins.
So the Phillies have the better record, the deeper lineup, the hotter starter, and momentum on their side.
But as Thomson will tell you — there’s no stat for keeping up with the Joneses. At least, not yet.
So the Phillies have the better record, the deeper lineup, the hotter starter, and momentum on their side.
But as Thomson will tell you — there’s no stat for keeping up with the Joneses. At least, not yet.
Pitching Matchups
Monday: LHP Cristopher Sanchez (9-2, 2.40) vs. RHP Davis Martin (2-8, 3.89)
Tuesday: LHP Jesus Luzardo (8-5, 4.58) vs. RHP Jonathan Cannon (4-7, 4.48)
Wednesday: RHP Taijuan Walker vs. RHP Adrian Houser (6-2, 2.10)
Loading Phillies schedule...
Loading NL East standings...
Support the Mission. Fuel the Movement.
You’re not just funding journalism — you’re backing the future of youth baseball in Philly.
👉 Join us on Patreon »