The Phillies’ momentum stalled as quickly as it started.
After opening the Don Mattingly era with four straight wins, the Phillies were shut down Saturday in Miami, falling 4-0 to the Marlins in a game that underscored how fragile their early progress remains.
Miami right-hander Max Meyer controlled the afternoon from the outset, delivering the most dominant start of his young career. The former No. 3 overall pick worked seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out seven and walking one. He faced one batter over the minimum.
That lone hit came off the bat of Garrett Stubbs, who made an unexpected start in left field following a late scratch to Justin Crawford (migraine) and an injury to Brandon Marsh. Stubbs singled in the third inning but was quickly erased on a double play — emblematic of a Phillies offense that never found rhythm.
Philadelphia managed just that one hit all afternoon, its lowest output of the season and a sharp contrast to the offensive surge that had accompanied its recent turnaround.
On the mound, Andrew Painter showed flashes but lacked the command to match Meyer’s efficiency.
The 23-year-old rookie struck out seven over five innings but labored through traffic, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks. Trouble found him early. After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the second, Painter wasn’t as fortunate in the third, issuing consecutive two-out walks with the bases loaded to force in two runs and give Miami a 2-0 lead.
In the fifth, Xavier Edwards added to the damage, lifting a solo home run to push the lead to three. The Marlins tacked on another run in the sixth, and with Meyer in control, that was more than enough.
Painter’s ERA rose to 5.28 through his first six appearances — a number that doesn’t fully reflect the flashes of swing-and-miss stuff, but does capture the inconsistency that has defined his early outings.
The Phillies, meanwhile, never mounted a response. They went quietly after Meyer’s departure as well, turning in consecutive 1-2-3 innings late to finish the game.
One bright spot during their recent stretch had been improved offensive production — averaging more than five runs per game since snapping their 10-game losing streak. Saturday served as a reminder of how quickly that progress can disappear.
Kyle Schwarber’s struggles also continued. The slugger struck out three times, extending his streak to eight consecutive strikeouts — putting him within reach of an unwanted place in the record books.
With the loss, the Phillies fall to 13-20, their first setback under Mattingly and another indication that, despite a brief surge, the climb back into contention remains steep.
The series continues Sunday, with former Marlin Jesús Luzardo scheduled to take the ball against Chris Paddack.
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