FYI: The Phillies 5th starter in the rotation is an irrelevant issue once Red October begins

Looks like the Phillies’ fifth-starter spot is still a bit of a revolving door, and the latest pitcher to walk through didn’t pan out, just like the others. Seth Johnson, making his big-league debut, had a rough outing on Sunday, lasting just 2.1 innings while giving up nine runs in a 10-1 blowout loss to the Miami Marlins, who as I’m sure you know, sit at the bottom of the NL East standings.

Seth Johnson’s postgame thoughts? Well, he admitted that he has some things to work on and some things to clean up, so at the very least, he knows how horrible he was in yesterday’s series finale. Johnson’s comments are obviously hard to argue with that after becoming the first Phillies starter to allow that many runs in a debut since Michael Plassmeyer last year.

Still, Johnson kept it in perspective, expressing gratitude for the opportunity—though it’s pretty unlikely he’ll get another shot this season.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson isn’t ready to commit to a plan just yet for the next fifth-starter outing. Thursday’s off-day gives them options, but he’s not keen on pushing the rest of the rotation to pitch on short rest.

If you’re wondering who might (and should) take the mound instead, lefty Kolby Allard could be in line for a recall from Triple-A to make a start this weekend against the Mets.

Last Starts from the Phillies’ 5th Starter:

• Seth Johnson: 2.1 IP | 8 H | 9 ER | 3 BB | 0 K | 1 HR
• Tyler Phillips: 0.2 IP | 8 H | 6 ER | 0 BB | 1 K | 2 HR
• Taijuan Walker: 6.0 IP | 13 H | 6 ER | 1 BB | 0 K | 1 HR
• Taijuan Walker: 3.0 IP | 8 H | 6 ER | 1 BB | 2 K | 2 HR

The Carousel Continues: Seth Johnson gets shelled by the Marlins in 10-1 loss on Sunday >>

If you’re stressing about the Phillies’ fifth starter right now, let me stop you there. Seriously, it’s the last thing anyone should be sweating over. With an October rotation led by Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez, do you really think a fifth starter is going to be a big deal come playoff time? Spoiler: they’re not.

The Phillies have four absolute studs anchoring the rotation—exactly what you need when the lights get brighter in October. Sure, we’ve got 19 games left in the regular season, but let’s keep it real. Philly is sitting comfortably at the top of the NL East with a seven-game cushion over both the Braves and Mets. So yeah, maybe if things were tighter, we’d be talking, but right now? Not even worth worrying about.

Plus, it’s not just about the division. The Phillies are neck-and-neck with the Dodgers, battling for the best record in the entire National League and Major League Baseball. So, it’s more about positioning and fine-tuning than stressing over who’s starting Game 162.

Let’s talk strategy here. The key? Lean into the guys already holding down those top four spots in the rotation. Pray that whoever slots into that fifth spot can at least keep things competitive over the next few weeks. That’s all you really need.

If you’re still sweating, take a look at this:

• Zack Wheeler: 17-11
• Aaron Nola: 19-10
• Ranger Suárez: 16-7
• Cristopher Sánchez: 14-13
• Spencer Turnbull (pre-injury): 6-1
• Total: 72-42
• (John Foley / On Pattison ‘X’)

Now, anyone outside of those four (mainly the revolving door of fifth starters)? A less-than-stellar 13-16. Not great, but again—who cares?

In an ideal world, Spencer Turnbull would’ve never hit the IL. He’s been out for a while on the 60-Day IL, and the hope is that he might make it back to the bullpen for the postseason.

Turnbull has been throwing bullpen sessions, and also throwing up to 120 feet, but there’s no clear timeline for his return. It’s wait-and-see mode right now, so we’ll have to sit back and watch how he progresses over the next three weeks.

Bottom Line: Chill. The so-called “fifth starter problem” is just a minor inconvenience, not a crisis. The Phillies have their eyes on wrapping up the season with the NL’s top seed and nothing else matters at this point. Everything else? Noise.

Phillies Standings Update:

With the loss, the Phillies now lead the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets by seven games in the NL East standings with 19 remaining in the 2024 MLB season.

The Phillies continue to go back-and-forth with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League standings and are back to a one-game deficit for the best record and overall, the Phillies trail the Dodgers by one game for the best record in Major League Baseball, while holding a three-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers – who are in third place. 

Cristopher Sanchez (10-9, 3.45 ERA) will be on the mound for the Phillies tonight as they return home to face the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park.

Join The Chase