PHILADELPHIA _ Aaron Nola was excellent Wednesday night, tying his career-high with 12 strikeouts, and weaving his way through the Yankees' lineup with a powered-up fastball and always signature curveball. His second start of 2020 was reminiscent of 2018, when Nola emerged as one of the National League's premier pitchers.
But the only stat that mattered Wednesday night was that Nola pitched six innings of a 3-1 loss, which left the bullpen responsible for the final three outs of a seven-inning doubleheader. Those three outs went as expected.
Tommy Hunter faced five batters without recording an out, allowed two runs, and left with the bases loaded. Nola's excellent night was wasted. The Phillies built their bullpen this winter with a shoestring budget as they claimed pitchers off waivers and transitioned starters to relievers. Hunter, who had elbow surgery last summer, was the lone major-league free agent they signed.
So far, the inexpensive bullpen has been costly. It's imploded in each of the team's five losses, and even nearly cost them earlier on Wednesday when they eked out an 11-7 win in the first game of the doubleheader. The Phillies built a lineup that scored 11 runs in seven innings and topped a rotation with Nola and Zack Wheeler, who pitched six strong innings in Wednesday's first game to win his second straight start.
But the bullpen might be a big enough problem that none of that could matter.
Wheeler allowed three runs _ two of which were earned _ in six innings. He has won his first two starts with the Phillies and has allowed just three earned runs in his first 13 innings since joining the Phillies last offseason on a three-year, $118 million contract. Over his last eight starts, Wheeler has a 1.87 ERA in 53 innings since Aug. 30, 2019.
He allowed two early runs Wednesday, but then lassoed the challenging Yankees' lineup and forced weak contact. Wheeler picked up double plays in the fourth and fifth innings and has induced six ground-ball double plays in his first two starts. No other pitcher in baseball who has made at least two starts entered Wednesday with more than four.
There was much attention made to Wheeler's power arm and strikeout rate when the Phillies added him last December, but he's shown the makings in his first two starts of being a complete pitcher. He's more than just gas.
"I've done it a couple times in the minor leagues," Wheeler said of the seven-inning doubleheaders, introduced in the majors for this unique season. "Those were the ones that you try to go out there and get an easy complete game. I think they're good just for this year, keeping guys safe just first and foremost. I think this year it's a good idea."
The Phillies either had an RBI or a run scored in Wednesday's first game from all nine spots in the lineup. Realmuto and Bryce Harper homered. Scott Kingery, Rhys Hoskins, and Didi Gregorius singled in runs. And Phil Gosselin drew a bases-loaded walk, two innings after hitting a double. The Phillies entered the season believing they had a deep lineup. And that's how it looked in the first game Wednesday.
But the lineup scored just one run on three hits in the second game as the Yankees stymied them with five relievers in a bullpen game.
Wheeler, like Nola did later, left the first game after pitching six innings. He left with an eight-run lead, but watched the bullpen make a blowout interesting.
Austin Davis recorded just one out, allowed four runs on four hits, the last of which came on a towering three-run homer by Judge. Trevor Kelley did not fare much better, allowing two hits and picking up one out before Joe Girardi called on Hector Neris. The Phillies had to use their closer for the final out of the game after they started the inning ahead, 11-3.
"I knew it would get done sooner or later," said Wheeler, who has won both of his starts this season. "Hector just came in and closed it down right there at the end."
Nola did not have the same luxury. And the Phillies won't be able to just expect their bullpen to "get it done sooner or later." There are arms waiting in Allentown and it could be time for the Phillies to give their young prospects a chance.
