Dylan Covey gifted Atlanta a seven-run lead in the top of the first inning last night as the Braves took the series finale against the Phillies 11-4, splitting the four-game series.

Covey, who was signed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers, got his first start for the Phillies, and honestly, it couldn’t have gone any worse, surrendering seven runs (five earned) on six hits in just 0.2 innings of work.

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That allowed Braves’ ace Spencer Strider to settle in and cruise through six innings of work, allowing just two hits and two earned runs on the night, shutting the Phillies down on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball.

In the past, I’ve been overly critical of the Sunday Night Baseball broadcast and the pointless in-game interviews they do with players. I am, however, a huge fan of the umpire UmpCam.

Listen, I don’t like the Braves or Spencer Strider in the slightest; however, since no pitcher on the Phillies can do much of anything on the mound, we were stuck with ESPN’s Strider love-fest last night.

Regardless, check out this view of Spender Strider’s 97mph fastball against Edmundo Sosa.

Spencer Strider, 97mph Fastball (home plate view) pic.twitter.com/GrkkpbIN0J

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 29, 2023

ESPN’s UmpCam is made possible by a camera mounted to the mask of the home plate umpire, and while it still doesn’t really do it justice, it does provide a better perspective on how hard it really is to hit major league pitching.

Honestly, I would take this a step further and figure out how to get a stabilized, high-definition camera behind home plate.

This has the chance to be the one good upgrade to Major League Baseball this season.

With the four-game split, the Phillies drew no blood against the Braves and will now head to New York to play three against the Mets starting tomorrow.

Ranger Suarez will get the start in Queens tomorrow, as the Phillies rotation will head back to the drawing board to find a reliable fifth starter.

Falter didn’t work. Covey didn’t work either. 

I would suggest looking in Reading, where Griff McGarry has been solid since returning from injury.