Game Notes: Phillies bullpen finally returns to form, Zack Wheeler labors through 5 innings with back tightness
The Philadelphia Phillies split a doubleheader yesterday against the Chicago White Sox.
Zack Wheeler Back Tightness
In the first game, Zack Wheeler, while dealing with back tightness, labored through five innings, throwing 94 pitches, while allowing eight hits and four earned runs. Wheeler struck out five and really, outside of a miserable bottom of the third inning, pitched pretty well.
Still, the back tightness and the fact that Wheeler only pitched five innings as we approach the 20-game mark of the MLB season is definitely something to keep an eye on.
According to reports, Wheeler received treatment on his back after the third inning, which apparently helped relieve some pressure but still, his fastball velocity took a significant drop to 93mph after entering the day averaging 96.5mph.
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Phillies Bullpen…Finally
Wheeler exited the game with the lead and thankfully, we finally saw the Phillies bullpen do what we all expected them to do entering the 2023 season.
Gregory Soto, Craig Kimbrel, Seranthony Dominguez, and Jose Alvarado retired all 12 batters they faced with two strikeouts each and the Fightins walked away with a 7-4 win in the first game of a doubleheader against the White Sox.
Not talking about Game 2. Thank Brandon Marsh.
The Phillies will wrap up their series in Chicago this afternoon with Taijuan Walker (1-0, 4.20) on the mound against White Sox stud Mike Clevinger, who’s 2-0 on the year with a 2.20 ERA.
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Walker allowed just one run over six innings of work in Cincinnati last time out but of course, none of that matters if you’re not hitting at the plate, which is exactly what happened in Game 2 yesterday with Brandon Marsh getting the lone hit for the Phillies to avoid being the first team to get no-hit in the 2023 season.
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Series Finale vs White Sox: Phillies Starting Lineup
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