PHILADELPHIA _ Pete Mackanin was asked before Wednesday night's 8-3 win over the White Sox how he felt about the team's closer situation heading into next season. The Phillies manager said the team will worry about that after the season.
But the more intriguing situation is at first base. Tommy Joseph _ who hit his 21st homer of the season _ emerged this season after being an afterthought. The Phillies may not know who will be next season's closer, but they very likely know who will be playing first base.
Joseph is batting .262 with an .833 OPS through his first 98 major league games. He is the fourth Phillies rookie to hit 21 homers in a season. He will likely trail just Willie Montanez (30) and Dick Allen (29) at season's end for the franchise's all-time mark. He reported to Clearwater, Fla., in February as a 24-year-old in minor league camp. He started the season on baseball's fringe and is ending it with a starting role.
He finished Wednesday 2-for-5 with three RBIs as the Phillies chased Chris Sale after just four innings. It was Sale's shortest outing since May 24.
Joseph shared first-base duties this season with Ryan Howard and the pair combined to hit 40 homers when playing first base. No other team has received more homers from the position. Howard has just 10 games left with the organization, which will force the Phillies to make a decision if Joseph is next season's first baseman.
They could play him in a full-time role or acquire a new left-handed first baseman to platoon Joseph with. Joseph _ albeit a smaller sample size _ has found almost the same success this season against left-handed pitchers as he did against right-handers. The 25-year-old entered Wednesday batting .257 in 210 at-bats against right-handers and .267 in 86 at-bats against left-handers. He has a .512 slugging percentage against lefthanders and a .510 slugging-percentage against right-handers.
Jerad Eickhoff allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings, his longest start since July 4. The right-hander struck out six and walked one. It was his sixth-straight start with three earned runs or less. Eickhoff, like Joseph, has certainly played himself into a role on next season's roster. Eickhoff ran into trouble in the seventh as he was tagged for a pair of homers. Mackanin kept him in the game and Eickhoff ended the inning on a deep fly out to Roman Quinn, who leaped against the wall to make the catch.
Joseph's RBI double in the first seemed to get the Phillies started. Cameron Rupp _ the next batter _ followed with a two-run double. The Phillies looked to be in for a good night against one of baseball's top arms. And that was solidified in the third when Joseph lined a two-run homer to left field. Rupp waited near the on-deck circle as Joseph cleared home plate. The players pounded fists and then punched each other in the gut. Joseph, no longer an afterthought, was playing the starring role.
