Philadelphia’s 7-2 win over the Mets on Sunday brought a little breathing room to the standings and a little relief to the pitching room. Jesús Luzardo, sidelined by left shoulder inflammation, threw for 10 minutes in the Citi Field outfield and came away encouraged as the Phillies head into their final six regular-season games.
| Game | Result | Key scheduling note |
|---|---|---|
| Phillies at Mets, Sunday | Phillies 7, Mets 2 | Cristopher Sánchez started; Alex McFarlane entered with Philadelphia ahead 4-1 in the seventh. |
| NL Wild Card Series | Begins Sept. 29 | Philadelphia could clinch a berth as soon as Wednesday. |
Luzardo is on the 15-day injured list, but he said the Sunday throwing session was a positive checkpoint. “I’m happy about it,” he said, adding that he expects to have a better sense of his condition Monday.
The club still sees a postseason role for the left-hander, whether that means taking a start or working from the bullpen. Dave Dombrowski described the outlook as “very optimistic,” an important bit of good news for a staff trying to settle its relief picture before October.
Wild Card race remains the first order of business
The Phillies began Sunday alone in the National League’s third Wild Card position, four games ahead of Arizona while trailing the Cubs and Padres by one game. Their immediate assignment is a three-game home set against Milwaukee at Citizens Bank Park.
The postseason plans can wait until the berth is secure. Sánchez was scheduled for Sunday, Zack Wheeler is set for Tuesday, and the club intends to let the week unfold before locking in a larger October blueprint.
“We’re focused on getting into the playoffs,” Dombrowski said. “That is the priority.”
Andrew Painter, Sánchez and Wheeler are currently lined up for the season’s last three games. If Philadelphia has punched its ticket by then, the rotation could be adjusted to preserve Sánchez and Wheeler for the opening games of the Wild Card Series, even with potential home field still at stake.
Dombrowski said the club values its rotation more than any theoretical advantage attached to a venue. He would welcome home field, but said taking this group on the road would not be a concern.
Relief work is still the loose end
The Phillies made a hard decision Saturday night, optioning Orion Kerkering to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after a difficult stretch. The right-hander surrendered at least one run in eight of his past nine outings, producing an 11.57 ERA in that span. Since July 22, he had a 10.24 ERA over 22 appearances.
Kerkering allowed four runs in the eighth inning Saturday, and the club decided it could not keep asking him to navigate late leverage spots. Max Lazar was recalled to take his bullpen place.
“He needs time away from this environment,” Dombrowski said, noting that a step back can sometimes help a pitcher reset.
Interim manager Don Mattingly said Kerkering appeared to lose his confidence and needed a chance to straighten himself out away from a pennant chase. He will keep pitching at the club’s stay-ready camp in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
The option lasts 15 days, leaving Kerkering unable to return before the NL Championship Series unless an injury creates an opening. That makes a quick October return unlikely.
McFarlane and Alvarado carry the setup load
Jhoan Duran remains the anchor at the back end, but reaching the closer has been the challenge. At present, rookie right-hander Alex McFarlane and lefty José Alvarado appear to be Mattingly’s leading setup choices.
McFarlane got the call after Sánchez exited Sunday with a 4-1 lead in the seventh. He likely would have continued into the eighth had Justin Crawford not cleared the bases with a triple and opened the game up.
| Phillies bullpen possibilities | Current role or outlook |
|---|---|
| Jhoan Duran | Closer |
| Alex McFarlane, José Alvarado | Primary late-inning options behind Duran |
| Chase Shugart, Tim Mayza, Max Lazar, Brooks Raley, Tanner Banks | Other active relief options |
| Jonathan Bowlan | Recovering from a mild right groin strain; could be available for the Wild Card Series |
| Jesús Luzardo, Andrew Painter | Potential postseason bullpen additions from the rotation group |
Bowlan also played catch Sunday morning. Philadelphia is hopeful that his mild groin issue will allow him to pitch in the Wild Card round if the club qualifies. If healthy, he could move ahead of McFarlane in the late-inning pecking order.
José Urquidy could start Thursday against Milwaukee as the Phillies look to cover innings, though he is not eligible for the postseason roster. Nestor Cortes threw three scoreless innings for Triple-A on Saturday and could also help during the final week, particularly if the club begins arranging its starters for October.
Mattingly said the Phillies would like to give Painter a relief outing this week if the right situation presents itself. Luzardo could become the second starter moved into the bullpen if his shoulder permits him to pitch but does not allow him to build back toward a full start.
Philadelphia used only six pitchers in its 2022 Wild Card sweep of St. Louis and seven in its 2023 sweep of Miami. If Wheeler, Sánchez and Aaron Nola are set to start next week, the Phillies may need only four additional arms to navigate a short series.
That group could include Duran, Painter, Luzardo and one or more of Alvarado, McFarlane and Bowlan. For now, though, the clubhouse has no reason to look beyond the next series. The bullpen needs steadier outs, the starters need to remain intact, and Luzardo’s shoulder may yet give Philadelphia another October option.
“We have to improve in the bullpen,” Dombrowski said. “But we believe we can get there.”
