MILWAUKEE — The last three Phillies hitters to bat Wednesday night struck out on 19 pitches from Devin Williams, the talented Brewers closer who throws a unicorn changeup. Milwaukee boasts a collection of good pitchers. They will be playing in October, a time when pitching typically rules. The Phillies know they will see good pitching in the postseason.
So, the three days here at American Family Field served as a reminder of how thin the margins are. The Phillies struck out 16 times Wednesday in a 2-1 walk-off loss to Milwaukee, which celebrated its National League Central title. They had struck out 16 times the night before — a solid 5-1 win.
“It doesn’t always tell the whole story,” third baseman Alec Bohm said. “I do think, obviously, we’re going to not want to keep doing that.”
It marked the first time in franchise history the Phillies struck out at least 16 times in consecutive games.
“That’s a lot,” manager Rob Thomson said. “We’ve got to get back to our two-strike approaches and using the field. Eliminate chase.”
The Phillies can win the NL East this weekend in New York during a four-game series against the upstart Mets. The magic number is stuck at four. As the Phillies packed for a late-night flight, they could hear the celebration as the Brewers partied.
They might see each other again in October. The two teams combined for 26 runs scored in six games this season. Aaron Nola pitched well Wednesday, striking out nine in seven innings with only one blemish — a solo homer to old friend Rhys Hoskins. Phillies pitchers surrendered only two homers to the Brewers in those six games this season. Both were hit by Hoskins.
The Phillies had won 34 straight games when their starter went seven innings. That streak ended.
“I thought we played really well,” Thomson said. “They just pitched really well.”
Everything changes in October, and the Phillies are still debating their optimal lineup configuration with 10 regular-season games to go. Bohm has hit fifth after missing two weeks with a sprained hand. He could soon return to his cleanup spot, occupied in the interim by Nick Castellanos. The outfield remains unsettled. Johan Rojas started in center field Wednesday and struck out twice. Cal Stevenson had started in the two previous games.
“Just really evaluating it,” Thomson said. “You know? Stevenson’s put together really good at-bats. You have one of the best defenders in baseball in Rojas. So how do you measure that?”
The Phillies envisioned Austin Hays, their lone hitting acquisition at the trade deadline, having a significant role. He has not played much; a hamstring injury and kidney infection have limited Hays. He will meet the team Thursday in New York. The Phillies have been encouraged by his progress this week during workouts at Citizens Bank Park.
But, although the Phillies thought Hays could be an everyday player in left field for them, he might be better suited in a platoon and deployed against lefty pitchers.
“It’s hard to say,” Thomson said. “It’s hard to say.”
The Phillies will make some postseason lineup decisions based on matchups. If they’re facing a lefty, there is a decent chance that Rojas is in center and Hays is in left. Rojas — or even Stevenson — could be in center against a righty while Brandon Marsh is in left.
“It might be a case-by-case basis,” Thomson said.
They have time to work Hays back into the outfield mix; even if he’s not ready until next week, they could have five days of sim games with a first-round bye. (The Phillies remain in a strong position to secure that.) But, without set guys in center and left field, Thomson will be more willing to manage aggressively.
The Phillies could carry 14 hitters in a five-game series, allowing them to pinch hit for Rojas in the middle of a game if the situation dictates it. That could be Kody Clemens’ role. If Hays returns, they might have two roster spots for three reserves — Clemens, Weston Wilson and Stevenson. Hays’ readiness could damage Wilson’s chances. He might be redundant in that scenario.
Edmundo Sosa is back in the infield mix, and he showed energy in his at-bats Tuesday night. The Phillies have not signaled any intentions to platoon Bryson Stott at second base, but Sosa will have some playing time in the season’s final 10 days. Like Hays, he is much better against lefty pitchers.
The Phillies can make lineup tweaks and more substitutions, but they know the stars atop the lineup are most important. They will have to deliver against better pitching. Bohm, even before the two-week injury, had fallen into a rut. They could use the early-season version of him. He homered and walked Wednesday night.
“We take pride in being able to hit good pitching,” Bohm said. “Typically we do a pretty good job of it.”
The Phillies are 29-18 against the six other NL teams in postseason contention. They have scored 210 runs in those 47 games, an average of 4.5 runs per game. That’ll play.
Putting the ball in play would help.
“I don’t think it’s anything to really freak out about or anything like that,” Bohm said. “Obviously, we could put the ball in play a little more, but we’re also going up against a pretty good pitching staff over there. I don’t think it’s anything that we’re going to go bang our heads against the wall about. I think it’s just running into a good pitching staff.
“We’re down to the end of the year, bigger games and things get amplified a little bit. People notice a little more, but I don’t think it’s a thing that we’re going to keep seeing.”
It’s amplified because, soon, everything matters more. Three days against the Brewers were a chance to emphasize that message.
“Two really good teams,” Thomson said. “Low-scoring-type games. Those are the games you certainly like to win and hate to lose. But that’s the little detailed things you got to do.”
(Top photo of Alec Bohm and Dusty Wathan: John Fisher / Getty Images)
