The Philadelphia Phillies need more good results on the field when they take on the host Baltimore Orioles in the rubber match of a three-game series Sunday afternoon.
But with the trade deadline looming Monday, there are distractions for both teams.
The Phillies evened the series with Saturday night’s 5-0 victory, holding Baltimore to three hits.
Philadelphia is 2-8 in its last 10 games. It’s too soon to tell what the latest victory might mean for the Phillies, who suddenly seem to be dealing with more attention about retaining their wild-card status than chasing the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East.
“This too shall pass,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said of recent struggles.
The Orioles continue to waver when it comes to looking like a playoff contender. They’re 5-6 in their last 11 games and they’ve been shutout victims in two of their last four games.
“Still a lot of season left,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “We’re still trying to win every game.”
Baltimore was without an extra-base hit against four Philadelphia pitchers Saturday night.
The Orioles’ trade of starting pitcher Dean Kremer to the Minnesota Twins late Friday night shouldn’t impact the pitching for this weekend because the right-hander wasn’t slated to work against the Phillies.
Yet it might take time for the Orioles to absorb Kremer’s departure as team members reflected on the move Saturday.
“Dean’s been a leader here, a staple here for seven years he’s been here,” Albernaz said. “He has made a great impact on our clubhouse with all those players, and also the coaching staff, including myself, in the short time (I’ve) been around him.”
Right-hander Zack Wheeler (10-2, 2.53 ERA) will head to the mound for the Phillies on Sunday. He already has matched last year’s win total, but he’s without a victory in his past two starts. He lasted only three innings and gave up five runs in Monday’s no-decision at Miami.
“You have a bad day every once in a while, I’m sure,” Wheeler said.
Six of Wheeler’s victories have come in road games. In five all-time matchups against Baltimore, he’s 1-1 with a 4.18 ERA covering 28 innings.
Expect the Orioles, who are 2-3 at home since the All-Star break, to have lineup adjustments compared to Saturday, when the batting order was set to face a left-handed starter. That’s why designated hitter Coby Mayo was put in the leadoff position.
Baltimore used newly acquired catcher Jake Rogers in the starting lineup for the first time Saturday. He went 0-for-3 and struck out twice.
Right-hander Kyle Bradish (7-9, 3.74) will have the starting assignment on the mound for the Orioles, going for a victory in a third consecutive decision. He had two strong starts prior to a no-decision Monday when he gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings at Detroit.
This will mark only the fourth home start in a 10-game stretch for Bradish. He already has issued a career-high 52 walks this season. He’s 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two career starts vs. Philadelphia.
–Field Level Media
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