Here’s the Guardians lineup:
Here’s the Angels lineup:
Let’s go, Guardians!
GUARDIANS AT ANGELS: Messick vs. Klassen, discussion
Tigers skid extends to six as they drop series opener to Rays
The Tigers continue to lose at the worst possible time, dropping the first game of their series against the Rays 4-1.
Let’s throw our memories back a ways, to the last time the Tigers squared off against the Rays. Detroit was down and out, and the Rays were red hot. That series defied all expectations as the Tigers triumphed and went on to continue winning for almost a month. The Tigers once again find themselves struggling, while the Rays are having an incredible season. Perhaps magic could strike twice, as the Tigers hoped to bust out of their present slump, and do it against a team that helped turn things around for them once this season already. To do it, they’d have Framber Valdez on the mound for the first game of the series, up against one of the hottest pitchers in the Rays’ rotation, Drew Rasmussen.
The Rays got things going with some early contact. Yandy Diaz singled. Ryan Vilade then singled, and thanks to a fielding error from Brett Callahan, both runners advanced into scoring position. A Junior Caminero groundout allowed the first run of the game to score. Jonny DeLuca then singled, bumping Vilade to third. A Jonathan Aranda groundout scored another run for the Rays. Jorge Mateo drew a walk before Valdez finally got the last out of the inning. In the home half, the Tigers went 1-2-3.
Valdez turned things around in the second, getting the side out in order, a much-needed adjustment. The final out of the inning was in thanks to an incredible throw from Kevin McGonigle.
Unfortunately, the Tigers also went 1-2-3 again in the home half.
With one out in the third, Junior Caminero drew a walk. A Jonny DeLuca double then appeared to score Caminero, but the Tigers challenged the safe call at home, and after a review the call on the field was overturned. Depending on the view it didn’t even look like he touched the plate, but it definitely confirmed Dillon Dingler tagged him before he reached the plate. A groundout then ended the inning. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Javier Baez singled, but that was followed by a Colt Keith strikeout to end the inning.
Jorge Mateo opened the fourth with a leadoff double. Then a Nick Fortes sac bunt advanced Mateo to third. Chandler Simpson then singled, scoring the third Rays’ run of the night. Two outs followed, but the Tigers had more work ahead of them if they were going to stage a comeback. In the home half, McGonigle got a one-out double. Dingler then singled, pushing McGonigle to third. Callahan then made up for his earlier error with a sac fly to bring McGonigle home and put the Tigers on the board at last.
Caminero got a one-out single in the fifth, but DeLuca then hit into a double play to end the inning. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the home half.
Aranda opened the sixth with a solo home run. Three outs followed, but the Rays had boosted their lead to 4-1. The Tigers went three-up, three-down again in the home half.
Valdez was done after six, with a final line of 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 HR on 84 pitches. We haven’t seen a ton of consistency from Valdez in his recent starts, but him getting through six innings really helped the Tigers’ bullpen. He was replaced by Tanner Rainey. Rainey got the first strikeout of the game for the Tigers, then walked Yandy Diaz. Two outs followed, though, leaving the runner stranded. Garrett Cleavinger replaced Rasmussen in the bottom of the inning. The Tigers once again went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
In the eighth, Mateo drew a walk with two outs. He then stole second, but was caught stealing (after narrowly avoiding a tagout at first right beforehand). While Mateo did indicate he wanted a review, the Rays didn’t challenge the call. Manuel Rodríguez was the new Rays’ reliever in the bottom of the inning. Spencer Torkelson got a leadoff double. Two outs later, Keith walked. The Tigers were not able to take advantage of their baserunners, though, and a final out ended the inning.
Tyler Holton came in for the top of the ninth. He gave up a one-out single to Simpson, but the Rays weren’t able to capitalize on the baserunner or add to their lead. Bryan Baker was the final Rays’ reliever for the bottom of the inning. With one out, Dingler was hit by a pitch, then Ben Malgeri singled, sending Dingler to third. The Tigers were not able to take advantage of a perfect scoring opportunity and dropped the first game of the series to the Rays.
Rasmussen has great outing in win over Tigers: Rays 4, Tigers 1
The last time the Rays faced the Tigers, it went very poorly for Tampa Bay. They went into the series looking to topple an easy opponent, and instead the series seemed to turn everything around for the Tigers, at least for a brief period of time. The Tigers once again find themselves down and out, so it remains to be seen if it will be an easy series for the Rays, or if it will once again be a surprise turnaround for Detroit. To open the three-game series, the Rays had Drew Rasmussen on the mound. The Tigers, meanwhile, had gutted much of their pitching core at the trade deadline, and had a groundball-heavy pitcher Framber Valdez up in the rotation.
The Rays got on the board right out of the gate with some early contact. Yandy Diaz got a leadoff single. Ryan Vilade then singled, and thanks to a fielding error from Tigers’ outfielder Brett Callahan, so both runners advanced into scoring position. A Junior Caminero groundout allowed the first run of the game to score. Jonny DeLuca then singled, bumping Vilade to third. A Jonathan Aranda groundout scored another run for the Rays. Jorge Mateo drew a walk before Valdez finally got the last out of the inning, but he was showing some obvious early signs of struggle, so the Rays would need to chip away and try to get to the Tigers’ struggling bullpen early.
In the home half, the Tigers went 1-2-3. Chandler Simpson had an ugly catch in the outfield and it appeared he might be injured, but he came up to bat at the top of the next inning.
Despite a rough first inning from Valdez, he turned things around to get a three-up, three-down inning. Thankfully, the Tigers did the same in the home half to keep the score even.
With one out in the third, Junior Caminero drew a walk. A Jonny DeLuca double then appeared to score an additional run, but it wasn’t a clear safe. The Tigers challenged the safe call at home, and after a review, the call on the field was overturned. Depending on the view it was possible Caminero might have missed touching the plate altogether, but it definitely confirmed Tigers’ catcher Dillon Dingler tagged him before he reached the plate. A bummer for the Rays, but they still held a two-run lead. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Javier Baez singled, but that was followed by a Colt Keith strikeout to end the inning.
Jorge Mateo opened the fourth with a leadoff double. Then a Nick Fortes sac bunt advanced Mateo to third. Chandler Simpson then singled, scoring the third Rays’ run of the night.
In the home half, McGonigle got a one-out double. Dingler then singled, pushing McGonigle to third. Callahan then made up for his earlier error with a sac fly to bring McGonigle home and the Tigers got their first run of the evening.
Caminero got a one-out single in the fifth, but DeLuca then hit into a double play to end the inning. The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the home half.
Aranda opened the sixth with a solo home run. Three outs followed, but the Rays had boosted their lead to 4-1.
The Tigers went three-up, three-down again in the home half.
Tanner Rainey was the first reliever out of the Tigers’ pen and got the first strikeout of the game for Detroit. He then walked Yandy Diaz. Two outs followed, though, leaving the runner stranded. Rasmussen was also done for the day, going 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, on 103 pitches. A really nice outing from Rasmussen. Garrett Cleavinger replaced him. The Tigers once again went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
In the eighth, Mateo drew a walk with two outs. He then stole second, but was caught stealing (after narrowly avoiding a tagout at first right beforehand). While Mateo did indicate he wanted a review, the Rays didn’t challenge the call. Manuel Rodríguez was the new Rays’ reliever in the bottom of the inning. Spencer Torkelson got a leadoff double. Two outs later, Keith walked. The Tigers were not able to take advantage of their baserunners, though, and a final out ended the inning. The Rays just had to get through one more inning.
Tyler Holton came in for the top of the ninth. He gave up a one-out single to Simpson, but the Rays weren’t able to capitalize on the baserunner or add to their lead. Bryan Baker was the final Rays’ reliever for the bottom of the inning. With one out, Dingler was hit by a pitch, then Ben Malgeri singled, sending Dingler to third. The Tigers were not able to take advantage of a great scoring opportunity and the Rays held on to win the first game of the series.
Final: Rays 4, Tigers 1
Mariners Game #132 Preview and Discussion
The Mariners start this series today against the Phillies of Philadelphia fame (the city, not the cream cheese), coming off of a huge series victory over the Chicago Cubs. Granted, the victory also included a more-than-15-run loss in game three, but it was a series victory nonetheless. The Phillies come into today’s series on a huge 9-game winning streak, including three sweeps. The Mariners are still very much in play for the division and the Wild Card, so a couple of back-to-back series victories over two of the best teams in the NL could be just the momentum the Mariners need heading into the last month of the season. With the lowest-rated strength of schedule for their remaining games, the Mariners could easily put themselves back in the playoff picture.
Lineups
Game Info
First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. PT
Radio: Seattle Sports (710 AM) and Mariners.com
TV: Mariners.TV
Facts and Stats
- Randy hit his 20th home run of the season in yesterday’s game, recording his 6th consecutive 20+ home run, 20+ stolen bases season, becoming the 11th player in MLB history with at least 6 such seasons and the 5th to do it in at least 6-consecutive seasons, joining Barry Bonds (1990-98), Bobby Bonds (1969-75), Bobby Abreu (1999-2005) and Willie Mays (1955-1960).
- Logan Gilbert has registered a quality start in his last 6 home starts (June 16-c), going 4-1 with a 2.01 ERA (40.1 IP, 9 ER), 9 walks and 47 strikeouts during that span.
- Julio Rodriguez is six RBIs away from reaching the 400 career RBIs mark
- The Mariners announced Rick Rizzs will be inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame during the 2027 season, becoming the 12th member and joining longtime broadcast partner Dave Niehaus as the only non-uniformed members of the Mariners Hall of Fame.
Ezequiel Tovar exits Rockies-Nationals game with left wrist strain
After being shaken up on a diving play in the fifth inning, Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar left tonight’s game against the Washington Nationals in the sixth inning.
Prior to exiting, Tovar had a solo home run and a double in two at-bats.
The club confirmed that Tovar sustained a left wrist strain. Tovar was replaced by Ryan Ritter at short.
More to come about the severity of Tovar’s injury and his timeline to return to the lineup.
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How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Cincinnati Reds
The San Francisco Giants welcome the Cincinnati Reds to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, who enters tonight’s game with a 7.03 ERA, 5.65 FIP, with 23 strikeouts to 20 walks in 32 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 8-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians last Tuesday, in which he allowed seven runs (six earned) on nine hits with one strikeout and two walks in four innings.
He’ll be facing off against Reds right-hander Chase Burns, who enters tonight’s game with a 2.51 ERA, 3.07 FIP, with 159 strikeouts to 48 walks in 136 innings pitched. His last start was in the Reds’ 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals last Wednesday, in which he allowed two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
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Game #131
Who: San Francisco Giants (52-78) vs. Cincinnati Reds (62-69)
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California
When: 6:45 p.m. PT
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
National broadcast: Fox Sports 1
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
Game 132: Twins at A’s
First Pitch (CT):8:40 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App
Know Yo’ Foe:Athletics Nation
Today in my weekly game thread pontification, let’s look at the Twins’ two top prospects in St. Paul who are banging down the door to get a shot: Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez.
Rodriguez had his best game as a pro with a two homer effort on Saturday. Aidan dove deep on him last week so I won’t spend too much time there. Jenkins is coming off his second multi-homer game in the past week and third this month. He is hitting .415/.493/.800 in August with 7 homers, 6 stolen bases, and an insane 225 wRC+, meaning he is hitting 125% better than league average. The only real remaining question for the 21 year old was his in-game power and fair to say that has arrived. Jenkins is beyond ready.
The common argument against Jenkins or Rodriguez getting the call is, “where would we play them?” Well, that was a valid argument a month ago, not so much these days. For one or both of these outfielders to get time it will come at expense of one of the following players: Keaschall, Clemens, Lewis, Lee, Larnach, Bell, or Buxton. The outfielders are the most straightforward solution, but any of the infielders could be moved around with Bell getting more time at first base (ie: Lee to the bench, Lewis to 3B, Bell to 1B, DH opens up for one of the outfielders).
Since July 1, here are the relevant batting figures for each of that group.
- Keaschall: .953 OPS, 169 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR
- Bell: .806 OPS, 127 wRC+, 0.7 fWAR
- Lewis: .755 OPS, 109 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR
- Clemens: .733 OPS, 99 wRC+, 0.5 fWAR
- Lee: .712 OPS, 97 wRC+, 0.6 fWAR
- Larnach: .674 OPS, 88 wRC+, 0.2 fWAR
- Buxton: .471 OPS, 35 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR
Larnach has already had his role diminished. After leading off for most of the past three months, he has hit sixth, seventh, and then was benched yesterday for Roden, who deserves an extended look of his own. But honestly, I would be totally comfortable benching anyone below Lewis on the list above.
Unfortunately, the best answer right now is that Buxton needs to, at a minimum, play less often and potentially head back to the IL. He has been very clearly hurt for the past two months and while he deserves praise for fighting his way back and playing through pain, he’s hurting the team. They have two top prospects banging down the door in St. Paul who play Buxton’s position and it’s past time to give them a shot.
Even if Buxton doesn’t go on the IL, they’re wasting a roster spot on Alex Jackson who hasn’t sniffed the field since being re-added to the roster last week. Use that spot on Buxton who can still play 2-3 times per week and be used as a lefty pinch hitter late in games the rest of the way. The whole point of a manager is building relationships to have these tough conversations with your players. It’s time for Derek Shelton to earn his keep.
The Twins are slated to face lefties in their next two games, so maybe it doesn’t make sense to add either Rodriguez or Jenkins to the roster today. But if we don’t see one of them by this weekend, I would be very surprised at this point.
For now, let’s win this series against the worst team in baseball who is missing nearly their entire starting lineup and pitching numbers that even the Rockies scoff at. Nothing like some late night, late summer baseball in the beautiful city of Las Oakramento, Calivada!
Lineups
| Twins | Opponent |
| SP: Zebby Matthews | SP: Jeffrey Springs (LHP) |
| 1. Luke Keaschall, RF | 1. Henry Bolte, CF |
| 2. Byron Buxton, CF | 2. Jeff McNeil, 1B |
| 3. Ryan Jeffers, C | 3. Zack Gelof, 2B |
| 4. Josh Bell, DH | 4. Lawrence Butler, RF |
| 5. Kody Clemens, LF | 5. Tommy White, 3B |
| 6. Royce Lewis, 1B | 6. Donovan Walton, SS |
| 7. Kaelen Culpepper, SS | 7. Max Muncy, LF |
| 8. Brooks Lee, 3B | 8. Carlos Cortes, DH |
| 9. Ryan Kreidler, 2B | 9. Jonah Heim, C |
D-backs vs Cubs Discussion
After having scratched our way to a series win against the Reds, albeit with the need of a late comeback, another NL Central team, in the shape of the Cubs come to town. They currently occupy the first NL wild-card spot, and with the Brewers enjoying a healthy lead (six games), the Cubs will probably be looking to solidify that position as we head toward the final month of the season. In the NL wild-card standings, they are two games up on the recently unstoppable Phillies, with the almost as immortal Padres two games further back, then the D-backs two more behind, and currently out of a playoff spot.
Of these teams, Arizona definitely has the toughest first half of the week. Philadelphia are in Seattle, who had an… interesting week. They went 3-3, but were outscored 24-62, due to 22-0 and 19-2 losses. With the Phillies on a nine-game winning streak, including that astonishing comeback yesterday to preserve the run (overturning a 0.66% Win Probability), they have all the momentum imaginable. Still, if the Mariners could do us a solid… Meanwhile, San Diego host Pittsburgh, who are basically the Reds. The Padres will have to face Paul Skenes tomorrow, but with his 3.95 ERA that’s not the same scary proposition it would have seemed on Opening Day.
Merrill Kelly starts. After an excellent July, with a 1.95 ERA across five starts, the regression has been strong in August. As in 0-3 over four starts with an ugly 8.24 ERA, so I’m approaching this recap more in hope that expectation. The three losses saw Kelly throw fourteen innings, and give up seventeen earned runs. As well as too many home-runs (four over 19.2 innings in August), he has walked more people (15) than he has struck out (13). For a command/control artist like Kelly, that’s uncharacteristic. His K:BB has cratered this year to 1.47, compared to 3.48 last year, and 3.04 for his career before this season. The Cubs are probably the last team you want to put on base.
Except for PCA. I’m probably fine with walking him…
Game #132: Twins at Athletics Game Thread
Back at home in West Sacramento. The A’s escaped Houston with the series win and are riding high on a two-game winning streak. Can they make it three in a row with a victory in the series opener tonight against the Minnesota Twins?
It’ll be Jeffrey Springs on the bump this evening for the home team. The left-hander looked sharp in his return from the IL last week, pitching into the sixth inning and allowing just a pair of runs to the Kansas City Royals. He’s likely in the last stretch of his A’s career so hopefully he can wrap his tenure up on a high with a strong final month to end the season.
Here’s the Athletics’ lineup tonight:
As for the visiting Twins, they have right-hander Zebby Matthews going for them this evening in the series opener. Outside of several implosions earlier this year Matthews has been a solid backend type of starter for the Twins. He comes into this contest on a high note as he pitched into the sixth last time out against the Braves, allowing just one run on five hits against the NL East leaders.
Here’s how the Twins look tonight:
We can do this. A win tonight plus some help from the Guardians down south in Los Angeles and we can climb out of the cellar of the league. Let’s go A’s!
Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA
Listen:
Athletics -Talk 650 KSTE, KVMX 92.1/105.5, A’s Cast
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. San Diego Padres: Braxton Ashcraft vs. Robbie Ray
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. San Diego Padres, August 24, 2026, 9:40 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing their nine-game road trip, as they travel to San Diego to take on the Padres in a three-game series.
The Pirates were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, so they are hoping Braxton Ashcraft can help pick them out of their slump. Ashcraft has gone at least eight innings in each of his last two starts, including a win against the Miami Marlins on August 13 and a victory against the Detroit Tigers on August 18. In his last appearance, he gave up five hits and one earned run in a 4-1 victory for the Buccos.
Countering Ashcraft is Robbie Ray, who is making his fourth start with the Padres after being acquired in a trade from the San Francisco Giants earlier this month. Ray is coming off his first Padres victory in his last start against the New York Mets on August 18. He pitched six innings, giving up three hits and one earned run in a 5-2 victory.
The Padres have a two-game lead for the third wild card in the National League, so this is a big series for them as they look to build off of the momentum they got from sweeping the Minnesota Twins over the weekend.
Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Braxton Ashcraft (13-5, 3.68 ERA) vs. Robbie Ray (11-7, 3.20 ERA)
BD community, this is your gameday thread for today’s game. Chime off in the comments section below.
Pittsburgh Pirates at San Diego Padres
Pittsburgh Pirates (63-69) at San Diego Padres (71-60), August 24, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
Watch: Padres.TV
Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.
Listen: 97.3 The Fan
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Beloved Dodgers sideline reporter Kirsten Watson breaks hearts with boyfriend hard launch
Los Angeles Dodgers fans have fallen in love with SportsNet LA sideline reporter Kirsten Watson. But it seems that Watson’s romantic love is elsewhere.
Watson, who has been on the Dodgers’ broadcast team as a reporter and host since 2021, made an Instagram post on Monday that included a mirror selfie video of her being held from behind by a man in a hat. At the end of the video, Watson breaks out in a big smile, indicating how happy she is to be showing her man to the world.
“one lucky girl 
,” the post was captioned.
It’s unclear who this man is, but Watson had been soft-launching him (including not-so-subtle photos of them together without showing his face) for some time. But the couple appears to now have made their relationship official.
Watson has impressed both within the Dodgers’ organization and among Los Angeles fans since starting the broadcasting role. She has a prestigious background, including being awarded the Stuart Scott Internship-Scholarship from the National Association of Black Journalists.
She went viral earlier this year for delivering a no-look fist bump to a member of the Dodgers during a live report from the dugout, as viewers were amazed at how the distraction didn’t impact Watson’s delivery.
Spectrum SportsNet's Kirsten Watson with the no-look fist bump
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 24, 2026pic.twitter.com/ju4xRNdKZD
She also has a secret handshake with Mookie Betts, and fans have noticed that she can elicit a rare smile out of outfielder Kyle Tucker.
There were surely some Dodgers fans that were hopeful about a potential romance with Watson who don’t like seeing this hard launch. But the rest of Los Angeles’ faithful fan base will be happy for her.
Ketel Marte could return to Diamondbacks roughly 2 weeks after strange disappearance
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks hope three-time All-Star Ketel Marte will return to their lineup next week, roughly two weeks after his unexpected disappearance from the team before a game in Boston.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Monday the team’s plan is for the second baseman to return for a home series against the Philadelphia Phillies, which starts on Aug. 31. Marte was initially put on the restricted list after his disappearance, but then moved to the 10-day injured list with mild inflammation in his left knee.
“That’s what we’re thinking about,” Lovullo said. “I think that will be the 10th day or the 11th day, so there is definitely a strategy to get him back on the field, get him healthy.”
Lovullo said Marte started taking batting practice Monday at the team’s facility in Scottsdale and hitting coach Joe Mather was encouraged by the veteran’s progress.
The 32-year-old Marte still hasn’t addressed his teammates about why he left them in the middle of a playoff race. The D-backs came into Monday’s game against the Chicago Cubs with a 69-62 record, two games behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild-card spot.
It’s the second straight year Marte has gone AWOL from the team. Last season, he went on the restricted list when his home in Arizona was broken into during the All-Star break. He missed three games after flying back to his home in the Dominican Republic and later apologized for his absence.null
Lovullo said Marte is very private and the team would figure out the right time for him to address his teammates.
“We’re trying to create the softest space for him to re-emerge back in this environment,” Lovullo said. “That’s up to him however he wants to do it. I cannot force a human being to do something that I want to do, or anybody in this room wants to do, or a fan wants to do.
“One of the things that makes Ketel such an extraordinary player is he goes to the beat of his own drum. I respect that.”
Lovullo also addressed the concern that Marte might receive a less-than-warm reception from D-backs fans when he returns.
“Ketel is a very loving young man,” Lovullo said. “I don’t want (booing) to happen. I understand it’s a possibility it could happen, but we’ll all rally around him.”
Cincinnati Reds vs. San Francisco Giants – Chase Burns vs. Carson Whisenhunt
The Cincinnati Reds continue their West Coast road trip with big eyes on the permanent basement of the National League Central within reach.
Chase Burns will do his best to stem that tide in the opener between the Reds and San Francisco Giants, while the G-Men will send a lefty to the mound to start in the form of Carson Whisenhunt.
First pitch is set for 9:45 PM ET.
Here’s how both clubs will line up to start:
‘Uncharacteristic' Wheeler searches for answers as Phillies' win streak ends
‘Uncharacteristic' Wheeler searches for answers as Phillies' win streak ends originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
SEATTLE — This is not the Zack Wheeler the Phillies are used to seeing.
And for a team trying to fight its way to a fifth straight postseason trip, this is not what they need right now.
That stood out Monday night at T-Mobile Park, where Philadelphia’s nine-game winning streak ended in a 9-2 loss to the Mariners.
Wheeler allowed five runs in the first inning. His command drifted. His misses were big. When he did come into the zone, too many pitches caught too much of the plate.
He frankly did not look like himself.
“Uncharacteristic,” Don Mattingly said.
After the Phillies manufactured a run on Alec Bohm’s run-scoring forceout in the top of the first, Wheeler walked Seattle leadoff man Randy Arozarena and allowed a single to Dominic Canzone.
He quickly got Julio Rodríguez into an 0-2 count, but left a splitter, one of his better offerings lately, over the middle of the plate. Wheeler seemed to know it right away as the ball sailed over the left-field wall.
In a blink, the Mariners had a 3-1 lead.
And one of the worst offenses in baseball lately kept going.
Josh Naylor was thrown out by Bryce Harper trying to stretch a single into a double, but Wheeler walked Taylor Ward and found himself in trouble again. Cal Raleigh, who entered the night batting .159, got a fastball up and in and drove it into the right-field seats.
5-1, Mariners.
Twenty-four pitches in, Philadelphia’s co-ace had already put the Phillies in a deep hole.
“Command was probably the biggest thing,” Mattingly said. “His stuff still seems good. Just command. It puts us in trouble.”
Wheeler settled down in the second, but loaded the bases in the third before another run scored on a wild pitch. He pitched in and out of trouble in the fourth, and with 94 pitches and seemingly in more of a rhythm, Mattingly sent him back out for the fifth.
Seattle kept slugging.
Raleigh hit his second homer of the night before adding a third later on against Alex McFarlane. Wheeler stayed in after Raleigh’s second homer and later allowed another, this one to Cole Young.
The decision to send him back out came down to need and trust.
“He wanted to go back out,” Mattingly said. “I kind of wanted him to go back out. We were going to keep it short. We weren’t going to let him go far. At that point, we’re down 6-2 … so I kind of really needed that inning, but didn’t get there.”
“He just hasn’t been able to make that pitch to get out of innings as much as anything that we’ve seen lately.”
The final line was jarring: four-plus innings, eight runs, four homers and five walks. It marked the first start in Phillies history in which a pitcher allowed at least four home runs and walked five batters. The eight runs tied Wheeler’s career high.
Wheeler did not search for excuses.
“I’ve just been really struggling the past few,” Wheeler said. “Throwing strikes, quality strikes with the fastball right now, hasn’t been fully consistent. Just got to get ahead of guys and get into counts where I want to be.”
The walks have become the loudest part of the skid.
“It’s really frustrating,” Wheeler said. “Leadoff the game, walking guys, and then it tumbles into a big inning for them. I hate walking guys. I used to walk guys and get bit, and I kind of got away from that. Now, this little stretch, I’ve been walking guys. It’s really frustrating.”
J.T. Realmuto has caught Wheeler through dominant stretches and off nights. This one looked different mostly because of where the misses were.
“Big misses, and then more pitches in the heart of the plate,” Realmuto said. “As a hitter, it just makes the ball look a little bigger when your misses are big, and then when you do throw it in the zone, it’s covering a little more plate than usual.”
That has become the concern.
Wheeler, 36, underwent thoracic outlet surgery last year and raised the bar quickly after his April return. He posted a 2.16 ERA over his first 16 starts, even pitching himself into the National League Cy Young conversation.
That makes the recent stretch feel even more jarring.
He has now allowed four or more runs in four of his last six starts. For a pitcher who has been one of baseball’s most reliable arms for years, each ineffective outing lands differently.
But Wheeler and the Phillies pushed back on the idea that this is about health or endurance.
“I feel perfectly fine,” Wheeler said. “Healthy, strong. Everything’s there. Just got to zone back in and figure it out.”
Mattingly said the same.
“He’s going to be fine,” Mattingly said. “I’m not worried about that part of it. If he’s not walking people, he’s not throwing as many pitches, he’s going deeper.”
So the focus shifts back to command, execution and whether anything else is giving hitters an edge.
Wheeler said the Mariners took enough good swings that he will look into more than one area.
“At this point, you’ve got to check off all the boxes,” Wheeler said. “We’ll sit down tomorrow and kind of dig in and see what’s really going on.”
Realmuto said the Phillies will review the possibility of tipping, though nothing stood out in real time.
“We’re just going to look into the tipping stuff because they took some pretty good swings on some offspeed pitches today that aren’t usual,” Realmuto said. “But nothing glaring that we noticed in game. For me, it’s really just command. The stuff still feels sharp. It’s coming out of his hand good.”
That is what makes the stretch complicated.
The Phillies do not sound alarmed about his body. But the results have not matched the pitcher they are used to handing the ball every fifth day.
“It’s been a while,” Wheeler said. “I haven’t had a stretch like this in a while. That’s why I’m so frustrated.”
Wheeler issued five free passes Monday and has now walked 15 batters over his last four starts, his most in a four-start span since late April to mid-May of 2014.
The Phillies did not have Wheeler last October. Their clearest path to a 2022-like pennant run this year involves leaning heavily on their top three starters. That is what makes this stretch so important.
Cristopher Sánchez has not been quite his top-flight self lately, posting a 3.84 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over his last 13 starts. Like Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo allowed four runs in his most recent outing. But in those games, the Phillies’ offense answered back and found a way to win.
That did not happen Monday.
Philadelphia scored in each of the first two innings against Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert, but had no real answer after that.
Mattingly is not treating Wheeler like a lost pitcher.
“Anytime guys struggle, you’re concerned about it, you keep working, you get better,” Mattingly said. “But you’re not like, ‘Oh, this guy’s lost it. He’s never going to be good again.’ I don’t worry about that.”
The Phillies will send Aaron Nola to the mound Tuesday. Nola has surged lately, carrying a 5-9 record and 5.12 ERA into a matchup with George Kirby, who is 8-10 with a 4.18 ERA and has allowed 11 earned runs over his last two starts.