Pollen counts fall, swimming pools open, and the Phillies end a five-game losing streak. Alas, May, a distant memory.
A story in pictures would look something like the third act of Reservoir Dogs.
And although you may have winced at the symphony of wet farts that composed May, it’s truly June that has been a pain in the Phillies’ behind.
Philadelphia has not had a winning record in June since 2011 – the last season they made the playoffs. Another lackluster month will certainly cement their playoff hopes, given they’re 12.0 games back in the NL East and 5.5 in the Wildcard race.
Many thought this team was too big to fail, but these next 30 days will give us our answer. So let’s take a look at game one against the Los Angeles Angels, featuring Mike Trout’s second-ever visit to Citizen’s Bank Park.
Pitching matchup – Friday, 6/3 – 7:05p @ Citizen’s Bank Park
Chase Silseth (1-1, 3.07 ERA) v. Zach Eflin (1-4, 4.60 ERA)
Silseth is a 22-year-old fresh face who’s faced the Oakland Athletics in 73% of his total Major League innings. Good chance for the Phillies veteran lineup to jumpstart some momentum and start the summer off on the right foot.
On the other hand, Eflin looks to recover from his worst start of 2022, in which he surrendered seven earned runs against the, cough, New York Mets. Here’s hoping he can return to the 12 strikeout form we saw against the Los Angles Dodgers.
Series Spotlight
Nick Castellanos needs to stay hot, but it won’t be easy.
The Phillies start this series facing two right-handed pitchers, and Castellanos’ batting average is .78 points lower against righties this season.
Still, Castellanos’ .900 OPS is second-best on the team over the last week, behind only J.T. Realmuto’s .988.
With Alec Bohm, and Rhys Hoskins struggling, coupled with the extended loss of Jean Segura, it’s worth monitoring how Castellanos responds to his most impressive stretch since joining the Phils.
Daily Fantasy Pick of the Day
Let’s ride Nick Maton. He should be relatively cheap on the DFS vehicle of your choice, and he’s fresh off a triumphant return to the bigs, which included three runs driven in and a homer.
Not to mention, there’s not a single batter on the Phillies roster that’s officially faced Silseth, so it remains to be seen how the team handles the rookie in his fourth major league start.
Let’s hope Joe Girardi finds room for him in the starting lineup…
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Kyusung Gong
