July 20, 2025
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
The Phillies didn't have their best this weekend against L.A.
An ironic series loss to start the season's second half — how Phillies.
After dominating their way through the first half with the league's best starting pitching staff, the Phillies' starters let them down with the Angels in town this weekend, allowing 13 runs and 24 hit in just a combined 13 innings. As a result, Philly lost the opener (6-4) and finale (8-2), with heroic home runs from two of their biggest stars overcoming pitching shortcomings in the middle game (9-5).
The Phillies' are slipping in the NL East race as they lead by a half game now, and will have a quick turnaround with the Red Sox in town Monday. Before turning the page, here's a trio of winners and losers from their latest series setback:
Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper has played through pain for a lot of the last few years. Is he finally feeling like an MVP again? Since his return from the injured list, he's looked like one.
In his last seven games, Harper has gone 12-for-28 with 11 extra base hits (all of this including an 0-for-4 Sunday). Those 11 extra base hits in the first six games of the stretch are the most in any six-game stretch in his career. On Friday he went 3-for-4 with two homers and on Saturday a double and insurance two-run homer.
Harper has enough talent to carry an offense. But he probably won't have to, thanks to our next winner from the weekend...
Kyle Schwarber
Through 99 Phillies games this season, Schwarber has 32 home runs. He's fourth on a pretty ridiculous list (of total home runs hit through 100 games):
| Player | Year | HR |
| Mike Schmidt | 1979 | 35 |
| Ryan Howard | 2006 | 33 |
| Chuck Klein | 1929 | 33 |
| Kyle Schwarber | 2025 | 32 |
After winning All-Star MVP thanks to three homers in three swings in the first ever tie-breaking "swing off," Schwarber hit a solo shot with his first swing in the series opener against the Angels. And then on Saturday, he did this (his 32nd):
GO-AHEAD GRAND SLAM
— MLB (@MLB) July 20, 2025
Kyle Schwarber can't stop hitting home runs 😱 pic.twitter.com/6vKrdm3Rdo
All-American
Even after dropping the series to the Angels, the Phillies still have a winning record against the American League this season — and have played the fewest interleague games of any team in baseball.
That will change, as Philly continues its stretch of playing AL opponents. Next on the docket are the Red Sox, coming to town Monday for a trio of games. After that, they head to Yankee Stadium and then to the south side of Chicago before returning home to host the Tigers. Then it's the Orioles, and then the Rangers. The Phillies don't play another NL team until the Reds series on August 11th.
Last year, the Phillies went 26-20 in interleague games, 6th best in the majors. In 2023, it was 28-18, 5th best. Philly has been adept against their AL counterparts since the new MLB schedule was implemented a few seasons ago. Perhaps it'll be a winning stretch for them this year as well.
Alec Bohm
The Phillies' every day third baseman went 0-for-4 to start the second half of the year Friday, and was added to the injured list on Saturday. He apparently has a fractured rib that he's been dealing with for a while. The offense could miss his presence at the plate. Bohm hit .324 in May and .301 in June — but he's clearly being impacted by the injury. Over the last month of the season Bohm has hit just .206.
He was replaced on the roster by Weston Wilson, but will likely be spelled at third by Otto Kemp (who homered in his start Sunday but also had two errors) for most of his absence.
Jesús Luzardo
The roller coaster season for Luzardo continues, as the Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde routine continued into the second half. On Friday he probably pitched well enough to win, but allowed four runs in 4.2 frames and two more runs relented by Tanner Banks led to the 6-4 loss. Here's a refresher on how things have gone for him since he allowed 20 runs in 5.2 innings to end May/start June:
| Start | Stats |
| Win vs. Cubs (6/11) | 6 IP, 1 ER, 10 K, 0 BB |
| Loss at Marlins (6/17) | 5 IP, 4 ER, 4 K, 4 BB |
| Win vs Mets (6/22) | 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 7 K, BB |
| Loss at Braves (6/28) | 5 IP, 2 ER, 7 K, 3 BB |
| Loss vs. Reds (7/4) | 2 IP, 5 ER, 5 K, 3 BB |
| Win at Giants (7/9) | 7 IP, 0 ER, 7 K, BB |
| Loss vs. Angels (Fri) | 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 K, 2 BB |
He's due for a good outing next time out.
Ranger Suárez
With an ERA hovering just above 2.00 and many clamoring for him getting an All-Star nod, Suárez has been one of the NL's best pitchers this summer. But after having some time off during the All-Star Break, something looks off.
The lefty took the mound Sunday after a rain delay and didn't have his best stuff. He didn't have great control either. Suárez allowed five runs in the second frame, surrendering four consecutive singles. He then walked in a run and allowed a bases-clearing double to Taylor Ward.
In all he surrendered six runs and a miserable 13 base runners in 4.1 innings. Many will remember Suárez had a red-hot start in 2024 as well, earning an All-Star not before he catapulted back to earth and looked much worse later in the year.
His next start will be in the Bronx against the high-powered Yankees.
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