3 Numbers to Remember: Phillies drop weekend series to Red Sox

Zack Wheeler and the Phillies rotation has struggled in 2023. (Cheryl Pursell/Phillies Nation)

On Friday night, the Phillies returned home to Citizens Bank Park to kickoff a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox after a tough West Coast roadtrip. As losers of four straight games, the Phillies sent Zack Wheeler to the mound in hopes of putting an end to their winless streak . However, the Red Sox had other plans.

Philadelphia lost the series opener 5-3 after a-less-than-ideal start from Wheeler and another low-scoring night for the offense. The club then sent Bailey Falter to the bump on Saturday evening and he did not pitch well in a 7-4 loss. All of a sudden the Phillies found themselves right in the middle of an ugly six-game losing streak.

The streak came to an end on Sunday afternoon in the series finale, though, after Taijuan Walker put together his best start in a Phillies uniform and Kyle Schwarber — who began the afternoon in the middle of an 0-for-20 streak at the plate — drove in three runs to help Rob Thomson’s squad secure a 6-1 victory over the Red Sox.

Here are three numbers to remember from this weekend’s series between the Phillies and Red Sox.

6.00 — Phillies Starting Pitcher’s ERA

One of the strengths for the Phillies this season was supposed to be starting pitching. But between an injury to Ranger Suárez — who could return to the big leagues this weekend in Colorado — in Spring Training, and sub-optimal starts to the season from co-aces Aaron Nola and Wheeler, Philadelphia’s starting pitching has been more of a weakness. And that theme continued this past weekend in two of the team’s three games.

Wheeler’s performance on Friday night looked like a step backward after he looked to have righted the ship after tossing six shutout innings in his previous start in Houston.

Overall, the veteran right-hander pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed five runs, four of which were earned, to score on seven hits in his outing against the Red Sox. Wheeler struck out five batters and walked none before being pulled. It was another start that left a lot to be desired for a guy who the Phillies are counting on to help carry the top of their rotation.

With Falter looking to provide Philadelphia with a better start on Saturday, the 26-year-old lefty did the exact opposite. He got off to a strong start by retiring the first nine batters he faced, but things did not go as well the second time through the lineup — something that isn’t new when it comes to the Phillies fifth starter.

Falter allowed five earned runs to score in the fourth inning on Saturday night and was pulled from the game after pitching 3 2/3 innings.

Walker toed the rubber for the Phillies on Sunday and provided a much-needed strong performance for the team and himself. After allowing 13 earned runs over his last two starts, the veteran right-hander only allowed one run on three hits across six innings of work. But more importantly, Walker did not walk a batter after issuing at least two free passes in each of his first six starts this season.

As a staff, Phillies starters have a 4.91 ERA — which ranks 21st in the big leagues — through the team’s first 35 games of the season.

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3 — Number Of Home Runs By The Phillies

Without a question, one of the things plaguing the Phillies offense this year has been their inability to hit the long ball. Even though that was to be expected at the start of the season without Bryce Harper — who has since returned — and Rhys Hoskins in the lineup, there are plenty of other hitters in the batting order for Philadelphia that can leave the yard at any moment. However, that has yet to happen on a consistent basis.

Entering this past weekend, the Phillies hit 35 home runs in their first 32 games — good for 1.09 per game. That’s down from their 1.26 home run average on a per game basis from 2022.

After not hitting a home run on Friday night, both Trea Turner and Harper homered in the team’s Saturday night loss. Harper’s homer — which was his first of the season — came in the bottom of the fifth. Turner left the yard for the fourth time this season two innings later in the home half of the seventh. Both home runs were of the solo variety.

Schwarber, who has been off to a slow start this year, hit a two-run home run — his eighth so far this year — for Philadephia on Sunday. It traveled 434 feet and ended up in the second deck out in right field.

With three home runs over weekend, it brought Philadelphia’s team total to 38 — keeping their average of home runs per game at 1.09. That’s a number that will surely have to go up if the Phillies want to put more runs on the scoreboard on a consistent basis.

Those home runs could be coming soon as warmer weather — or “hittin’ season” as former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel would say — is on its way.

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1.50 — Phillies Bullpen ERA

The Dodgers series was a nightmare for the Phillies bullpen. They allowed 19 total runs — 20 if you count the run Kody Clemens allowed in his second appearance on the mound in L.A. — to score.

This past weekend was much better, however, as they allowed just two runs across 12 innings. Even though Philadelphia’s relievers didn’t pitch in many high-leverage situations, it was a good sign to see them bounce back so quickly.

Connor Brogdon and Gregory Soto each made two appearances against Boston. The right-handed Brogdon was the only reliever to surrender a run as he allowed two runners to cross the plate on Saturday. Soto, on the other hand, pitched two scoreless, and hitless, innings this past weekend while striking out two batters and not walking anyone.

Outside of Brogdon and Soto, Andrew Vasquez, Luis Ortiz, Jeff Hoffman, Seranthony Domínguez, José Alvarado and Matt Strahm each made appearances without allowing a run.

Through the team’s first 35 games, Phillies relievers have a 5.20 ERA. That ranks 26th in baseball.