PHILADELPHIA _ The Phillies returned home Wednesday for the first time in 10 days to find a new addition inside their clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park. Chairs and tables were rearranged to create space for a Ping-Pong table, which instantly became the most popular spot in the room.
Cameron Rupp, the team's catcher stuck in a horrible slump, shaved his beard before the game. Maikel Franco and Luis Garcia taped a mini basketball hoop to an empty locker and shot a foam ball.
It's a long season. They'll do anything to change the mood that hovers over the worst team in baseball.
These are forgettable times _ a 7-3 loss to Boston was the eighth straight defeat. It was punctuated by loud "Let's go Red Sox!" chants greeted with apathy from Phillies fans. Boston slapped Jeremy Hellickson for five innings. The Phillies offense was silent, even after Red Sox starter Brian Johnson succumbed to a shoulder injury in the third inning.
The Phillies are 21-43, the franchise's worst record through 64 games since 1945. That team lost 108 games as ownership attempted to rebrand the team as the "Blue Jays." That, too, generated an apathetic response.
All that awaits the Phillies on Thursday is Chris Sale, the Boston left-hander who leads the majors with 126 strikeouts.
There are holes up and down the lineup. The reinforcements, for now, will not arrive. Pete Mackanin is tasked with finding some sort of cohesive unit with the current options. The Phillies manager has stashed Michael Saunders on his bench to allow more playing time for Daniel Nava. A similar switch has happened with the catchers, and it could tip toward Andrew Knapp's favor soon.
Rupp started for the second straight night. He went 0 for 4 and struck out in the eighth inning as the tying run at the plate. He has six hits in his last 57 at-bats with 22 strikeouts. His OPS has dipped to .637.
This was the team's 13th game in June. Rupp has started seven and Knapp six. Knapp's production has slowed; the rookie just 4 for 25 this month. But Rupp's slump is so deep that Knapp could steal a majority of time behind the plate.
It could be that both catchers have a future in the majors as backups. Jorge Alfaro, far from a finished product, looms at triple A. He must be in the majors next season because he has no minor league options remaining.
So that could prompt a little closer look at Knapp for the remainder of 2017.
