WASHINGTON — If you’re feeling a surge of optimism over the Phillies’ chances of finally returning to the playoffs, it’s probably because they’ve reeled off 11 wins in 13 games since firing the manager. Or maybe it’s because they’re averaging 6.4 runs per game in June.
But here’s one more reason to buy Phillies stock: Nearly 20% of their remaining games are against the Washington Nationals.
A revised schedule after the owners’ lockout forced the Phillies to wait 64 games to get a look at what has become of their division rival, and well, they feasted. They scored seven — yes, seven — unearned runs in the third inning Thursday night, and backed by two homers from Kyle Schwarber and seven easy-breezy innings from Zack Wheeler, they laughed to a 10-1 victory.
Was it really only three seasons ago that the Nationals won the World Series? They will honor Ryan Zimmerman this weekend, and while it figures to be a fitting tribute to a franchise icon, it also will be the latest reminder of how far the mighty have fallen.
The Nationals are 23-43, the worst record in the National League, and on pace for 105 losses. They’re 5-21 against NL East teams. The New York Mets are 8-2 against them; the Atlanta Braves are 4-2; the Miami Marlins are 8-1.
Eighteen of the Phillies’ final 98 games will be against Washington. Try not to drool.
Credit the Phillies for taking advantage of the Nationals’ mistakes, but man, do the Nationals make a lot of them. César Hernández, a fixture during the Phillies’ rebuilding years and now a face of the Nationals’, made the biggest one in the first matchup between the teams, booting No. 9-hitting Yairo Muñoz’s two-out grounder in the third inning.
Instead of being out of the inning, Nationals starter Patrick Corbin had to face the top of the Phillies’ order. He gave up a two-run homer to Schwarber, a double to Rhys Hoskins, a walk to Bryce Harper, RBI singles to Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto, and a two-run double to Didi Gregorius.
And with that, the rout was on.
The Phillies sent 12 batters to the plate, scored seven runs, and made Corbin throw 46 pitches in the fateful third inning. There wasn’t any coming back from that, especially against Wheeler.
With four games in the next three days, including a day-night doubleheader Friday, the Nationals turned to infielder Ehire Adrianza to throw 60 mph sliders in the ninth inning. The Phillies, meanwhile, emptied the bench like it was spring training, giving Hoskins, Castellanos, and Gregorius a couple of innings off.
Mr. Schwarber goes to Washington
It isn’t a stretch to say that Schwarber was positioned to land a four-year, $79 million contract in free agency because of what he did last June for the Nationals.
Schwarber was plodding along, batting .218 with nine homers and a .716 on-base plus slugging last June 11 when manager Davey Martinez elevated him to the leadoff spot for a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants. Schwarber homered in the first game, the start of a 24-for-73, 16-homer tear in 19 games over the rest of the month.
With the Phillies, Schwarber is having a similarly impressive June.
When the month began, he was hitting .185 with a .721 OPS. He went 2 for 4 with a walk and two homers in the opener against the Nationals, his second trip back to Washington since getting traded last July. Over the last 14 games, he’s 16 for 53 (.302) with seven homers and a .422 on-base percentage.
Wheels keeps rolling
Staked to the big lead, Wheeler barely broke a sweat. He gave up four hits, struck out three batters and got 10 groundouts in seven walk-free innings. The lone blemish against him: a solo homer by Josh Bell in the fourth inning.
Over his last nine starts, Wheeler has given up eight earned runs in 57 2/3 innings for a 1.25 ERA.
Kelly, Muñoz contribute
The blowout also provided a soft landing for reliever Michael Kelly to make his major league debut. He tossed a scoreless eighth inning, allowing one walk.
Muñoz notched his first Phillies hit, a homer in the eighth inning.
