Series Preview: Phillies at Diamondbacks, August 17 – August 19
Photo by Rob Schumacher/The Republic via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The past six games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds might’ve showed who the Phillies really are, a flawed team that can’t quite match up with the better teams in the National League.
The good news is that the Phils’ next three games are against a team that is not among the better teams in the NL, at all.
If the Phillies are serious about making the playoffs, they better win these games.
The Phils face up against the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three game set in Arizona.
Last time they met
The Phillies played a three-game set against Arizona in August 2019 that saw the D’Backs take two out of three. The Phillies starting pitchers for the series were Vince Velasquez, Jason Vargas, and Jake Arrieta, so winning one out of three seems like quite an accomplishment honestly.
This season for the D’Backs
They D’Backs have the worst record in the league thanks mostly to a pitching staff whose team ERA ranks dead last. The situation is made worse by having a bunch of pitchers on the IL. The haven’t even announced the starters for the final two games of the series.
They’re nothing exciting on offense either with Ketel Marte being the only real standout. And even his power has abandoned him, with just five home runs on the season, two years after he hit 32. That’s not surprising since home runs aren’t exactly the D’Backs’ thing. They only have two players in double digits: Eduardo Escobar (22) and Josh Rojas (11).
The news hasn’t been all bad for Arizona this season, as they recently had a pitcher throw a no-hitter in his debut — Tyler Gilbert.
Pitching matchups
Game 1: Kyle Gibson (RHP | 8-4, 3.12 ERA) vs. Taylor Widener (RHP | 1-1, 4.89 ERA)
Game 2: Ranger Suárez (LHP | 5-3, 1.07 ERA) vs. TBD
Game 3: Zack Wheeler (RHP | 10-7, 2.56 ERA) vs. TBD
The numbers
Run Differential:
Phillies: -18
D’Backs: -173
Runs Scored Per Game:
Phillies: 4.52
D’Backs: 4.18
Runs Allowed Per Game:
Phillies: 4.67
D’Backs: 5.63
Game times and broadcasts
- Tuesday, August 17 at 9:40pm ET on NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP
- Wednesday, August 18 at 9:40pm ET on NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP
- Sunday, August 19 at 3:40pm ET on NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP
