The Phillies arrive in Baltimore needing more than a strong weekend. They need evidence that their season has not begun slipping beyond their control.
Philadelphia opens a three-game series against the Orioles on Friday night at Camden Yards carrying a three-game losing streak, a seven-game deficit in the National League East and an increasingly complicated list of needs ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.
Andrew Painter will receive the first opportunity to stop the slide.
The Phillies recalled Painter from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday and optioned right-hander Brian Keller in the corresponding move. Painter will start the series opener against Baltimore, returning to a rotation he left more than six weeks ago after a difficult first stretch in the majors.
It is an important start for Painter, but it would be unfair to frame him as the answer to everything that has gone wrong.
The Phillies were swept this week by a Marlins team that entered the series having lost a franchise-record 12 consecutive games. Philadelphia lost nine of its first 12 games following the All-Star break and scored one run or fewer in half of them. The series ended with the Phillies blowing a 6-0 lead in an 8-6 loss Wednesday.
The damage is visible in the standings. The Phillies enter Friday at 57-52, seven games behind the Braves and tied with Arizona for the second and third National League Wild Card positions. They are only two games ahead of the first team outside the playoff field, leaving considerably less room for another prolonged stumble.
Painter returns after showing signs of improvement with Lehigh Valley. The 23-year-old allowed two runs or fewer in all but one of his Triple-A starts. In his most recent outing, he held Indianapolis to one run on five hits over six innings while striking out six and walking none.
That progress was necessary after Painter struggled through his first major-league opportunity. He went 1-8 with a 7.06 ERA, 53 strikeouts and a 1.66 WHIP over 65 innings. He was optioned June 18 after making 14 appearances, including 12 starts.
The Phillies do not need Painter to immediately resemble the frontline starter they once envisioned before Tommy John surgery interrupted his ascent. They need him to command the strike zone, avoid the damaging fastballs that plagued his first stint and give the offense a chance to establish control.
Painter will oppose Brandon Young, who enters Friday at 8-2 with a 3.13 ERA. The matchup puts immediate pressure on a Phillies lineup that has repeatedly wasted quality pitching performances and failed to generate consistent production from the outfield.
The remainder of the series should favor Philadelphia on paper. Cristopher Sánchez, 13-4 with a 2.73 ERA, is scheduled to face Shane Baz on Saturday. Zack Wheeler, 10-2 with a 2.53 ERA, will oppose Kyle Bradish in Sunday’s finale.
Baltimore has urgency of its own. The Orioles are 53-56 and 2½ games outside an American League Wild Card position. They remain close enough to contend, but another poor weekend could influence whether their front office buys, sells or attempts to balance both approaches before the deadline.
For the Phillies, there is little ambiguity.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has until Monday at 6 p.m. ET to improve a roster that needs help in the lineup, rotation and bullpen. Bryce Harper publicly acknowledged that the offense could use reinforcements, but no trade will matter enough unless the established players already inside the clubhouse begin performing better.
The Braves are pulling away. The Wild Card cushion is disappearing. A season built around another October run has reached a point at which every losing streak carries greater weight.
Painter’s return provides intrigue. The weekend itself carries something more important.
After looking overwhelmed in Miami, the Phillies must show in Baltimore that they are still capable of responding.
Philadelphia opens a three-game series against the Orioles on Friday night at Camden Yards carrying a three-game losing streak, a seven-game deficit in the National League East and an increasingly complicated list of needs ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.
Andrew Painter will receive the first opportunity to stop the slide.
The Phillies recalled Painter from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday and optioned right-hander Brian Keller in the corresponding move. Painter will start the series opener against Baltimore, returning to a rotation he left more than six weeks ago after a difficult first stretch in the majors.
It is an important start for Painter, but it would be unfair to frame him as the answer to everything that has gone wrong.
The Phillies were swept this week by a Marlins team that entered the series having lost a franchise-record 12 consecutive games. Philadelphia lost nine of its first 12 games following the All-Star break and scored one run or fewer in half of them. The series ended with the Phillies blowing a 6-0 lead in an 8-6 loss Wednesday.
The damage is visible in the standings. The Phillies enter Friday at 57-52, seven games behind the Braves and tied with Arizona for the second and third National League Wild Card positions. They are only two games ahead of the first team outside the playoff field, leaving considerably less room for another prolonged stumble.
Painter returns after showing signs of improvement with Lehigh Valley. The 23-year-old allowed two runs or fewer in all but one of his Triple-A starts. In his most recent outing, he held Indianapolis to one run on five hits over six innings while striking out six and walking none.
That progress was necessary after Painter struggled through his first major-league opportunity. He went 1-8 with a 7.06 ERA, 53 strikeouts and a 1.66 WHIP over 65 innings. He was optioned June 18 after making 14 appearances, including 12 starts.
The Phillies do not need Painter to immediately resemble the frontline starter they once envisioned before Tommy John surgery interrupted his ascent. They need him to command the strike zone, avoid the damaging fastballs that plagued his first stint and give the offense a chance to establish control.
Painter will oppose Brandon Young, who enters Friday at 8-2 with a 3.13 ERA. The matchup puts immediate pressure on a Phillies lineup that has repeatedly wasted quality pitching performances and failed to generate consistent production from the outfield.
The remainder of the series should favor Philadelphia on paper. Cristopher Sánchez, 13-4 with a 2.73 ERA, is scheduled to face Shane Baz on Saturday. Zack Wheeler, 10-2 with a 2.53 ERA, will oppose Kyle Bradish in Sunday’s finale.
Baltimore has urgency of its own. The Orioles are 53-56 and 2½ games outside an American League Wild Card position. They remain close enough to contend, but another poor weekend could influence whether their front office buys, sells or attempts to balance both approaches before the deadline.
For the Phillies, there is little ambiguity.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has until Monday at 6 p.m. ET to improve a roster that needs help in the lineup, rotation and bullpen. Bryce Harper publicly acknowledged that the offense could use reinforcements, but no trade will matter enough unless the established players already inside the clubhouse begin performing better.
The Braves are pulling away. The Wild Card cushion is disappearing. A season built around another October run has reached a point at which every losing streak carries greater weight.
Painter’s return provides intrigue. The weekend itself carries something more important.
After looking overwhelmed in Miami, the Phillies must show in Baltimore that they are still capable of responding.
Loading the latest Phillies coverage...
Loading Phillies schedule...
Loading NL East standings...
