Phillies news and rumors 5/8: Matt Strahm reflects on ejection over anthem standoff

Matt Straham is in his first season with the Phillies. (Cheryl Pursell/Phillies Nation)

Prior to Saturday’s Boston Red Sox-Philadelphia Phillies game, Kutter Crawford and Matt Strahm had a national anthem standoff, something you’ll see a few times a year between players:

The gist is that two players remain outside the dugout standing and staring at the flag after the national anthem, until one player gives up and returns to the dugout.

It’s good-natured fun between two players, and the fans that realized what was going on Saturday evening got a kick out of it. Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs even brought out water for Strahm so that he could stay hydrated while engaged in such a taxing competition.

But the two continued their standoff while the Phillies were preparing for the top of the first inning, and eventually umpires came over to both Crawford and Strahm. From the park, it just seemed like the umpires informed them to return to the dugout so the game could begin. Evidentially, the two were actually ejected, something that Strahm detailed to Rob Bradford of WEEI:

While Crawford is traveling with the team, he was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with a left hamstring strain, so his ejection really didn’t mean anything.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Tuesday that Strahm was not going to be used in Saturday’s game as he transitioned from the starting rotation and the 31-year-old was aware of that.

Both players were also fined for ignoring the initial warning to leave the field from the umpires.

The Week Ahead

The Phillies are off Monday before opening a two-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays, who are currently 21-14. Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler will start the two games for the Phillies.

After wrapping up their series with the Blue Jays, the Phillies will have another off day Thursday before traveling to Coors Field for a three-game weekend set. The Phillies took three of four from the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park in April.

Must-Read (Or Watch) Phillies Content

Over the weekend, I polled a group of Phillies — including Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto — on which of the team’s uniforms they like the best.

It goes without saying that the Phillies are eager for their No. 3 starter to return, and it seems that could happen in Colorado this week:

Trea Turner was removed in the ninth inning of Sunday’s win over the Red Sox, with Josh Harrison coming into play third base and Edmundo Sosa moving to shortstop. While Rob Thomson’s decision to do so raised some eyebrows given that the Phillies only had a five-run lead, evidently there was no reason to be concerned:

Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer penned a cool story about a minor-league broadcaster that served as a mentor to both Tom McCarthy and Sixers radio voice Tom McGinnis.
Nick Nelson impressed in an outing with Double-A Reading Sunday:

Certainly the Red Sox are a draw, but the Phillies sold out all three games over the weekend, and early on it feels like attendance has improved rather dramatically after last year’s run to the World Series:

Here’s something to monitor. Muzziotti is on the 40-man roster, but unfortunately for the Phillies, he’s a left-handed hitter. Still, the production is hard to deny: