PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies had eight players named to the 2024 MLB All-Star game. Rob Thomson is immensely proud of his players but won’t be joining them on the trip to Texas with them.
“I’m going home,” the Phillies manager said. “I’m getting in my truck, and I’m driving to Canada.”
Thomson quipped that he’ll have plenty of time to think about the Phillies’ final game before the break, an 18-3 beatdown at the hands of the Oakland Athletics. It was the A’s second win of the series, snapping the Phillies’ streak of 14 home series without a loss. The blowout defeat will soon be put in the rearview mirror by the All-Star festivities and then, eventually, the second portion of the season and the trade deadline that sits just over two weeks away.
The Phillies tied MLB records with eight total players and five first-time All-Stars while setting a new record of five pitchers. It’s the eighth All-Star game for Bryce Harper, the third for Trea Turner, the second for Zack Wheeler, and the first for Alec Bohm, Ranger Suarez, Cristopher Sanchez, Matt Strahm, and Jeff Hoffman.
Suarez won’t be available for the game, but Harper, Turner, and Bohm are all starters for the National League, and the other pitchers are expected to be available on Tuesday. Bohm is also participating in the Home Run Derby the prior night. For those seven players, the break lasts just two full days before their next series. Although they’ll only be off their feet for half the time of the rest of their teammates, having a chunk of time to kick back with some stress-free baseball can still be quite helpful.
“I think it’s huge,” Thomson said of the break. “They’ve been grinding for a while now and playing a lot of baseball. I think everybody needs the four days off.”
Phillies pitching plans
After the layoff, the Phillies will hit the road to face the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Minnesota Twins. The order of their starting pitching is roughly mapped out but will be fully determined based on how certain things go during the handful of days off.
One of the main takeaways from the first part of the season, in Thomson’s eyes, was the starting pitching. Sending three starters to the All-Star game and having another who ranks second in the National League in innings pitched and sports a 3.38 ERA underscores how incredible the Phils’ starting rotation has been. It will be extra important for Philadelphia to keep its biggest strength going for the home stretch.
“It’s kind of ironic that you say that on a day you give up 18 runs, but the starting pitch has been really good, and we just gotta keep ’em healthy,” Thomson said, touting his staff as “really good” and “consistent.”
Aaron Nola will start the first game out of the break for the Phillies on Friday. He’ll come into that start with eight days of rest after finishing his pre-break slate of games with five consecutive quality starts.
Sanchez and Tyler Phillips will follow Nola in the series against the Buccos, but the order depends on whether Sanchez pitches in the All-Star game. Phillips made his first MLB start in the second-to-last game before the break, going six innings, allowing four runs and collecting five strikeouts. With Spencer Turnbull (right lat strain) not slated to return until August and Taijuan Walker working his way back from a right index finger issue, the 26-year-old Phillips will be in an important role for the time being.
Wheeler and Suarez will be pushed to the back of the rotation to get them some extra rest, Thomson said, putting them in line to start the Twins series. Each of them is dealing with back issues that don’t necessitate a stint on the IL but are serious enough to find them some extra rest. Suarez, in particular, has looked ready for the break for a while now.
Thomson said that the Phillies had “a really good first half.” It’s hard to argue otherwise for the team with the most All-Stars and the only one entering the break north of 60 wins. Everyone should enjoy the break because the real work — and the real goal of this season — lies just ahead.
