The Final Countdown: Phillies vs. Tigers Series Preview, July 10-12

Only three games remain until the Phillies reach the all-star break, giving all but the Phils’ six representatives some well-deserved time off. There’s no doubt that the first half of the Phillies’ 2026 season had its ups and downs—with one of those downs resulting in the firing of then-manager Rob Thomson—but the resilience this team has shown since Don Mattingly took the reigns is beyond noteworthy. The Phillies are 43-23 since that point, and they are just three games behind the Braves for first place in the NL East.

Needless to say, if someone had predicted all of this in April, any reasonable Phillies fan would have chuckled, especially with the team once having a dismal 9-19 record. Now, however, the tides have turned in the Phillies’ favor, and the Phils will look to close out the first half by continuing their winning ways against the 43-50 Detroit Tigers.

Harper’s Derby Warm-Up

Lost in the all-star fanfare, Bryce Harper has experienced one of his worst slumps of 2026. Harper has not recorded a hit since the first game of the Kansas City series, and he has just a .107 batting average in July.

On July 9, Harper announced that he would be participating in Monday’s Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park. Harper has competed twice before, and he even earned the win on his home turn in 2018. Having not left the yard so far in July, it would be nice to see Harper break that streak before Monday’s festivities get underway, helping him escape this slump ahead of the second half.

Harper is also set to represent the Phillies in Tuesday’s all-star game, serving as the “legends” pick by the commissioner’s office. Harper has a .261 batting average, an .870 OPS and 20 home runs through 94 games in 2026.

A Challenge for the Bats

Don’t let their record fool you. Despite their sub-.500 record, the Tigers have a lot to play for. Competing in a weak AL Central, they trail the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians by just 4.5 games for the first-place spot. They are also coming into this series as one of the hottest teams in baseball, having won five in a row in addition to eight of their last ten games. Much of this success can be credited to the pitching staff’s 3.66 ERA, which is good for third-best in the American League.

Atop the Tigers’ rotation is southpaw Tarik Skubal, who has been one of baseball’s best pitchers over the last four seasons. Skubal, who is getting the start in game three, has a 3.06 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 12 starts this season, also racking up 84 strikeouts in 70.2 innings. After missing just over a month earlier this season with a left elbow injury, the Tigers have been on the protective side when it comes to his pitch count, so the Phillies should work Skubal early in the game to reach the Padres’ bullpen.

In games one and two, the Phils will face Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize, respectively. Mize is putting up a career year despite two stints on the 15-day IL, and Flaherty has been one of the Tigers better pitchers of late, posting a 3.03 ERA in his last seven starts.

Nonetheless, the Phillies will have some work to do on the offensive side of the game, and forcing these starters out of the game early will be critical, especially since the Tigers lack in middle relief.

Wheeler’s Final Rebuttal

There’s no denying that Zack Wheeler is this year’s biggest all-star snub. In his age 36 season, Wheeler is 9-1 with a 2.28 ERA and 0.91 WHIP across 14 starts. If that alone does not convince you of his worthiness for all-star selection, he is doing all of this after returning from thoracic outlet decompression surgery in September 2025.

His return has been nothing short of spectacular, and he will not earn recognition for this, even with this year’s all-star festivities taking place in his home ballpark. Some may argue that it partially has to do with the Phils already having six representatives, and Wheeler is also set to pitch the Phillies’ final game before the all-star break, meaning he likely would not be available to pitch in the all-star game. If Wheeler were to have been selected as a replacement like Jesus Luzardo, he would have needed to be immediately replaced. It makes sense why the league did not select him, but there’s no reason why he shouldn’t earn the distinction.

When asked about not being selected, Wheeler was quite blunt: “It’s kind of B.S. Maybe if I wasn’t necessarily right in [all-star consideration], I wouldn’t be saying this. But I feel like I’ve earned it.”

Wheeler did state that despite his start on Sunday, he would actually be comfortable throwing an inning in Tuesday’s all-star game.

After learning about not being selected, Wheeler put together one of his best starts of 2026, throwing seven innings of one-run ball while striking out 14. It was a rebuttal like none other, and he will have a chance to prove why the league made a mistake again on Sunday.

Game Times and Broadcasts

Friday, July 10, 6:40 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP

Saturday, July 11, 6:10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP

Sunday, July 12, 1:40 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Aaron Nola (RHP, 3-6, 5.87 ERA) vs. Jack Flaherty (RHP, 2-8, 4.60 ERA)

Game 2: Cristopher Sanchez (LHP, 10-4, 2.62 ERA) vs. Casey Mize (RHP, 4-5, 2.64 ERA)

Game 3: Zack Wheeler (RHP, 9-1, 2.28 ERA) vs. Tarik Skubal (LHP, 5-4, 3.06 ERA)

By the Numbers

• Record
  • Phillies: 52-42
  • Tigers: 43-50
• Run Differential
  • Phillies: -9
  • Tigers: 23
• Runs Scored Per Game
  • Philles: 4.39
  • Tigers: 4.25
• Runs Allowed Per Game
  • Phillies: 4.49
  • Tigers: 4

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