Rubber Match: Phillies send Taijuan Walker to the mound on short rest at 1:35 EST

The Philadelphia Phillies take the field today at 1:35 looking to secure a series win vs. the Chicago Cubs.

Starting Pitchers

Justin Steele (6-1, 2.44 ERA)
Taijuan Walker (3-2, 6.53 ERA)

The Phillies offense got a much-needed breakout on Saturday afternoon, as an early Kyle Schwarber grand slam set the tone. The Phils got out to an early 6-0 lead and never looked back.

SCHWARSLAM pic.twitter.com/rbCTSmJk4X
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 20, 2023

Aaron Nola was masterful in yesterday’s game, logging a season-high 10 strikeouts in seven innings of work. Nola allowed just four hits and two earned runs on the day, while Connor Brogdon and Yunior Marte finished the job once Nola exited.

Now back in the win column, the Fightins take the field today at 1:35 looking to get back to two games under .500 while currently sitting at 21-24, seven games behind the 28-17 Atlanta Braves.

Taijuan Walker will start today’s game on short rest as the Phillies are still working their way around their starting pitching depth. The team did claim Dylan Covey off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday, who could turn into a potential option in the near future.

Trea Turner returns to the lineup after a much-needed day off yesterday. Turner is hitting just .257/.302/.390 on the year and has really struggled to find consistency at the plate so far in 2023.

Phillies Starting Lineup

Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh get the day off. Josh Harrison plays second and Dalton Guthrie is in center. Nick Castellanos remains in the 2-hole.

Last of the series #RingTheBell

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— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 21, 2023

Justin Steele vs. Taijuan Walker

Taijuan Walker takes the field on 3-days rest as the Phils continue to shuffle their rotation. Walker is coming off a brutal start out in San Fran, where he didn’t make it through the first inning, allowing four hits and four earned runs on 40 pitches.

The Phils knew Walker would be able to go early due to his extremely low pitch count from Wednesday. Walker has been better at home this season, holding a 4.91 with a 1-0 record and 17 Ks.

Justin Steele has been masterful for Chicago but has struggled slightly on the road compared to Wrigley, holding a 2-1 record with a 3.60 ERA. Steele has totaled a 2.44 with a 6-1 record on the year but is coming off a tough start in Houston, allowing five hits and five earned runs in six innings.