How much more can we take of Phillies baseball? At this point, I’m just numb to the pain. The game is not even over yet. I’m writing this post game in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Phillies are down 12-4. The Phillies notched their seventh blown save of the past week and their 21st on the season tonight against the Cincinnati Reds. Their 21st blown save puts them four away from a franchise record already, and it’s not even July.

Spencer Howard was on the mound. Like clockwork, he pitched less than three innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, and a walk, while striking out one. At this point, I’m officially done with the Spencer Howard experiment. The guy simply can’t pitch more than 3-4 innings as a starting pitcher in the Major Leagues. I’m over it. Just start Bailey Falter or Ranger Suarez already.

Nick Castellanos torched the Phillies all night long. He got things started in the third inning, with a two-run single to give the Reds a 2-0 lead. The Phillies fought right back in the fourth inning, after Alec Bohm doubled to score Bryce Harper, and Ronald Torreyes grounded into a fielders choice to tie the game at two a piece heading into the fifth inning.

Bohm and Torreyes kept things rolling for the Phillies in the fifth inning. Bohm had an RBI single to center, scoring Odubel Herrera. Torreyes had an infield single after Luke Williams was safe at second on a spectacular hustle play to give the Phillies a 4-2 lead.

Back to Bailey Falter, he was fantastic yet again for the Phillies in the Spencer Howard piggyback role. Falter pitched four innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, and a walk while striking out six. Falter was responsible for one man on base when he exited the game for Neftali Feliz in the seventh inning.

I’m going to stop for a second and tell you about Feliz. Last week, the Phillies selected his contract from Triple A Lehigh Valley. The 33 year old Feliz won the 2010 American League Rookie of the Year as a part of the Texas Rangers. He had 40 saves and was an All-Star that year. In 2011, Feliz battled arm injuries, including Tommy John surgery, and has been kept out of the majors ever since 2017.

Feliz has not pitched in the majors since 2017. You might ask yourself, “why is Joe Girardi putting a pitcher into a ball game that hasn’t pitched since 2017 when the Phillies are up 4-2 and their bullpen can’t save a game to save their lives?” Great question! I have zero fucking clue.

I’ll just cut to the chase. Feliz let up a grand slam and the Phillies were down 6-4 with two innings left to play.

Feliz was pulled from the game and next up was Enyel De Los Santos, who promptly had a throwing error to put the game out of reach for the Phillies. De Los Santos got banged around and all of the sudden, the ball game was 12-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Nick Maton is warming up. I’m out.

I turned the game off. I have no idea how bad it got. I honestly don’t care. Just another truly an embarrassing performance for the Phillies. It was so bad I’m questioning if it even happened, but sources can confirm that it in fact, did happen and I wouldn’t be surprised it the final score got even uglier.

Nick Castellanos had seven RBI on the night. lol.

Yet again, a win tonight could have set the tone for the remainder of the week as the Phillies head back to Philadelphia for a six game home stand. This game did anything but that. Just a truly miserable performance from the bullpen and more specifically, Joe Girardi.

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