Game 20 - Reyes Homers in First AB, Phils Still Lose

Atlanta Braves	1
Philadelphia Phillies	3

2024 Choice Jersey Shore
BlueClaws #27

Saturday Night, April 18th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
8-12, 4th Place, 5 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Felix Reyes provided a momentary spark with his first career home run, but otherwise it was the same disappointing offense from the Phillies in this 3-1 loss.

What It Means:  I keep wondering when and if they've hit the low point for the season, and maybe this is it?

What Happened:  All three Braves runs scored in the third and were unearned as Edmundo Sosa committed a costly error.  Christopher Sanchez allowed just those three unearned runs in his six innings of work, on eight hits while walking one and striking out eight.  J.T. Realmuto left the game in the seventh with back tightness.  Nothing is going right.

Featured Card:  Reyes, who has been raking for Lehigh Valley, earned a promotion and a start in left field.  He blasted a 2-0 pitch from Braves' starter Chris Sale to right field in the second inning for his first big league hit, run, home run and RBI.  It was a great moment in an otherwise forgettable game.  Reyes' first card can be found in the 2024 BlueClaws team set.

Transaction:  In a flurry of pre-game moves, Reyes (of) was selected from the IronPigs, Otto Kemp (of) was optioned down, Jhoan Duran (rhp) was placed on the injured list with a left oblique strain and Seth Johnson (rhp) was added back to the bullpen.  Pedro Leon (of) was released to make room for Reyes on the 40-man roster.

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Game 19 - Yuck, Part II

Atlanta Braves	9
Philadelphia Phillies	0

1990 Bowman #147

Friday Night, April 17th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
8-11, 4th Place, 4 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies continued to play uncompetitive baseball in this 9-0 loss to the first place Braves.

What It Means:  The Phillies stink right now, and they own the worst run differential in the National League with a -34 mark.

What Happened:  Taijuan Walker's first inning woes continued.  He allowed two first inning runs and seven runs overall in four painfully long innings.  The bullpen contained things a little, but the Phillies couldn't muster any offense, managing six hits overall and  going 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position.  Bryce Harper had three of those hits, including a triple.

Featured Card:  The Phillies have lost three consecutive games at home by at least six or more runs for the first time since the awful 1989 season.  That happened May 16th, 17th and 19th in 13-5 and 6-0 losses to the Giants, followed by a 8-2 loss to the Padres.  Mike Schmidt would announce his retirement on May 29th, and blockbuster trades would follow in June, shipping out Chris James, Steve Bedroscian and Juan Samuel and bringing in John Kruk, Terry Mulholland and Lenny Dykstra, among others.  Maybe a blockbuster trade is what the 2026 Phillies need now?

Ken Howell was battered in the second game in that 1989 streak, allowing six runs on five hits and four walks over four innings of work.

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Game 18 - Yuck

Chicago Cubs	11
Philadelphia Phillies	2

1969 Topps #477

Wednesday Night, April 15th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
8-10, Tied for 3rd Place, 3 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  In maybe the worst loss of the year, the Phillies lost ugly with lifeless at-bats and ineffective pitching in this 11-2 drubbing.

What It Means:  Yuck.

What Happened:  Both teams wore blue #42 on their jersey backs, as part of the annual Jackie Robinson Day celebration.  The Phillies book-ended this game with solo home runs in the first from Trea Turner and the in the ninth from Bryce Harper, with nothing remotely exciting happening in the seven innings in-between.  Jesus Luzardo continued his struggles, getting hit hard and earning his third loss with an ugly pitching line - 5 1/3 innings, 12 hits, 9 runs, 8 earned, a walk and a wild pitch.  His ERA shout up to 7.94.  Utility player Dylan Moore pitched in his second game of the season, allowing a run.

Featured Card:  Jeff James doesn't like what he's seeing.  My work schedule and life have conspired to keep me away from my other blogs chronicling my set building of the 1969 Topps and 1955 Bowman sets.  I'll get back to the them soon, especially if further distractions are needed based on the way the Phillies have been playing recently.

Field Report:  Jenna and I sat through most of this game from our perch in Section 207 with our friends from ALS United Mid-Atlantic.  The pre-game appetizers from Pass & Stow and the late game funnel cake were highlights.

Transaction:  Zach Pop (rhp) landed on the injured list with a right calf strain and Kyle Backhus (lhp) rejoined the bullpen.

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Game 17 - Cubs Thrash Phils, Bullpen

Chicago Cubs	10
Philadelphia Phillies	4

2025 Choice Reading Fightin
Phils (Series 3) #21

Tuesday Night, April 14th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
8-9, Tied for 3rd Place, 2 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola, Tim Mayza and Tanner Banks each allowed at least three runs and the Phillies couldn't come up with many clutch hits in this 10-4 loss.

What It Means:  The Phillies are not fun to watch right now.  Not even a little.

What Happened:  Edmundo Sosa hit a three-run home run in the second, and then once again, the Phillies offense pretty much shut down for the remainder of the evening.  They did push across a fourth run in the eighth inning when Sosa doubled and Trea Turner singled him home.  Nola left after five innings, having allowed three runs on eight hits (no home runs!) while striking out five.  The to-this-point-reliable Mayza imploded in the sixth, allowing four runs (three earned) on just one hit, a hit batter and a pair of walks.  Mayza took the loss.  Banks gave up a three-run home run to Carson Kelly in the top of the ninth, putting the game out of reach.

Featured Card:  Former top prospect Griff McGarry (rhp) left the organization for a second time this year as he was dealt to the Dodgers for international bonus pool money.  McGarry had been selected by the Nationals in the rule 5 draft and returned to the Phillies following spring training.

Transaction:  In addition to the McGarry deal, Chase Shugart (rhp) was recalled from Lehigh Valley and Seth Johnson (rhp) was sent back down.  Shugart fared well in his Phillies debut, pitching two scoreless innings.

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Game 16 - Schwarbombs x 2 Leads to Big Win Over Cubs

Chicago Cubs	7
Philadelphia Phillies	13

2026 Topps 1991 Topps Baseball
35th Anniversary #T91-5

Monday Night, April 13th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
8-8, 3rd Place, 1 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Kyle Schwarber blasted a pair of home runs in this much-needed slugfest of a win, 13-7 over the Cubs.

What It Means:  This was to be the be the last exciting/good baseball the Phillies would play for at least the next three games.

What Happened:  Everybody who hadn't been hitting in the Phillies line-up collected at least one hit in this game, with the exception of Justin Crawford, who had been hitting well.  The rookie went 0 for 5 with a pair of strikeouts.  Schwarber hit home runs #5 and #6.  Brandon Marsh was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs.  J.T. Realmuto was 3 for 5 with three RBIs, and even Alec Bohm had a hit and a pair of RBIs.  Cristopher Sanchez was the beneficiary of the run support, allowing two runs on a two-run home run to Dansby Swanson in the fourth and striking out eight.  This game should have been more of a laugher, but Seth Johnson gave up five runs (three earned) in a lengthy eighth inning.

Featured Card:  I'm happy to keep featuring Schwarber cards, as long as he keeps hitting home runs.  This is his 1991 Topps-inspired card, with an unnecessarily long name, from an insert set found within packs of 2026 Topps Series One.

Transaction:  Jonathan Bowlan (rhp) was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right groin strain and Johnson (rhp) was recalled to take his place in the bullpen.

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Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies: Phils Need to Get Going

2006 Topps #438

2026 Chachi 2006 Topps Missing Links #12

Friday, April 17th - 6:40
Saturday, April 18th - 7:15
Sunday, April 19th - 7:20

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
There's a Jordan Davis postgame concert tonight following the game.  On Saturday, all kids 14 and under will receive a Trea Turner replica jersey.

Atlanta Braves 12-7
1st Place in the N.L. East, 3 games ahead of the Marlins and Nationals

Braves Probables
Martin Perez (0-1, 3.14)
Chris Sale (3-1, 3.27)
Grant Holmes (1-1, 3.32)

Braves Leaders
Average:  Mauricio Dubon - .333
Runs:  Drake Baldwin - 19
Home Runs:  Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson - 5
RBIs:  Drake Baldwin - 19
Stolen Bases:  Ronald Acuna - 4

Wins:  Chris Sale - 3
ERA:  Bryce Elder - 0.77

Strikeouts:  Bryce Elder - 23
Saves:  Raisel Iglesias - 4

Philadelphia Phillies 8-10
4th Place in the N.L. East, 3 1/2 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Taijuan Walker (1-2, 7.36)
Cristopher Sanchez (2-1, 2.01)
Andrew Painter (1-0, 3.77)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Brandon Marsh - .290
Runs:  Trea Turner - 13
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 6
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 12
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 4

Wins:  Cristopher Sanchez - 2
ERA:  Cristopher Sanchez - 2.01

Strikeouts:  Cristopher Sanchez - 31
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 5

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Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies: Need Some Hits!

2006 Topps #531

2006 Topps #97

Monday, April 13th - 6:40
Tuesday, April 14th - 6:40
Wednesday, April 15th - 6:40

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
It's a hot dog BOGO night tonight at the ballpark and Wednesday is the annual Jackie Robinson Day celebration.

Chicago Cubs 7-8
5th Place in the N.L. Central, 2 games behind the Pirates

Cubs Probables
Javier Assad (1-0, 0.00)
Colin Rea (1-0, 3.18)
Shota Imanaga (0-1, 2.81)

Cubs Leaders
Average:  Nico Hoerner - .316
Runs:  Dansby Swanson - 11
Home Runs:  Ian Happ - 4
RBIs:  Nico Hoerner - 10
Stolen Bases:  Nico Hoerner - 5

Wins:  Seven tied with - 1
ERA:  Edward Cabrera - 1.62

Strikeouts:  Shota Imanaga - 20
Saves:  Daniel Palencia and Colin Rea - 1

Philadelphia Phillies 7-8
Tied for 3rd Place in the N.L. East, 2 1/2 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Cristopher Sanchez (1-1, 1.65)
Aaron Nola (1-1, 3.63)
Jesus Luzardo (1-2, 6.23)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Justin Crawford - .341
Runs:  Trea Turner - 11
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 4
RBIs:  Bryce Harper - 10
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 4

Wins:  Seven tied with - 1
ERA:  Cristopher Sanchez - 1.65

Strikeouts:  Jesus Luzardo - 26
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 5

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Game 15 - Pop, Painter Shine, but Offense Falls Short Again

Arizona Diamondbacks	4
Philadelphia Phillies	3

2025 Topps Mascots #M-18

Sunday Afternoon, April 12th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
7-8, Tied for 3rd Place, 2 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Despite gutsy pitching performances from Zach Pop and Andrew Painter, the Phillies couldn't hold on to a slim lead, dropping this series finale, and the series, to the Diamondbacks.

What It Means:  The Phillies played 27 innings over the weekend, scoring runs in just three of them.  We enjoyed (?) most of this game while celebrating my father-in-law's 80th birthday, surrounded by family.

What Happened:  Pop got the emergency start when Painter came down with a migraine prior to first pitch.  Pop would allow a run on three hits in his two innings before Painter recovered enough to enter in the third.  Painter allowed a run on three hits in five innings of relief, striking out seven.  Jose Alvarado's troubles continued as he allowed the Diamondbacks to take a 4-3 lead in the eighth.  Despite having runners on first and third and no outs in the bottom of the eighth, the Phillies couldn't tie it up, largely due to a huge base running blunder from Brandon Marsh.  Questionable base running was a recurring theme for the Phillies throughout the game.

The offense came to life for one inning only, scoring three in the sixth.  Justin Crawford doubled and Trea Turner hit a home run that just cleared the right field wall.  Kyle Schwarber followed with a double and Bryce Harper doubled him home.  That was it for the offense.  Alec Bohm went 0 for 3 as his average for the season dropped to .148.

Featured Card:  It was the Phanatic's birthday yesterday too, and sadly the Phillies couldn't give him a win.

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Game 14 - Schwarber, Harper Homer in Win Over Snakes

Arizona Diamondbacks	3
Philadelphia Phillies	4

2026 Topps Heritage #159

Saturday Afternoon, April 11th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
7-7, 3rd Place, 1 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper along with a strong pitching performance from Taijuan Walker and the bullpen led to this 4-3 win.

What It Means:  This was to be the only win for the weekend against the Diamondbacks.

What Happened:  Walker's first inning was atrocious, as the Diamondbacks held a 2-0 lead not more than five minutes following first pitch.  Ketel Marie led off with a solo home run, Corbin Carroll walked and Adrian Del Castillo would single Carroll home.  As has been the case recently, the Phillies did all their scoring in one inning.  In the bottom of the third, Alec Bohm reached on an error and Justin Crawford singled before Schwarber connected for his fourth home run of the year.  Harper followed that with a home run of his own into the bullpen.  That was it for the Phillies' offense, but thankfully Walker calmed down and other than a shaky inning from Brad Keller, the bullpen did its job.  Jhoan Duran recorded his fifth save of the season.

Featured Card:  Here's Schwarber's card from the 1977 Topps-inspired Topps Heritage set.

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Game 13 - Phils Lose After Shutting it Down After 1st Inning

Arizona Diamondbacks	5
Philadelphia Phillies	4

2023 Philadelphia Phillies Photocards

Friday Night, April 10th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
6-7, 4th Place, 2 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies wasted a four-run first inning and Jesus Luzardo imploded in the fifth in this 5-4 series-opening loss to the Diamondbacks.

What It Means:  The Phillies continue to have one big inning and then shut things down for multiple innings in a row.

What Happened:  The offense quickly jumped all over Diamondbacks' starter Michael Soroka in the first inning, when Trea Turner singled, Kyle Scwarber walked, Bryce Harper doubled home Turner and Brandon Marsh connected for a three-run home run.  All was right with the world.  

Problem was, the offense had four more hits the rest of the game, and didn't score again.  Luzardo was brilliant through the first four innings, and hadn't allowed a hit.  The Diamondbacks figured something out in the fifth, getting to him for five runs on five hits and three walks.  The big blow, giving the Diamondbacks the lead, was a two-run double from James McCann, chasing Luzardo from the game.  The two biggest bats struggling right now are Alec Bohm (.170) and Adolis Garcia (.229).

Featured Card:  Maybe current Diamondbacks' pitching coach Brian Kaplan tipped off his pitchers on the Phillies' offensive weaknesses?  Kaplan was the assistant pitching coach for the Phillies for three seasons between 2022 and 2024 before taking the job in Arizona.  This is his somewhat rare team-issued photo card from 2023 that was never actually released to the public.

Field Report:  Jenna and I had our first pre-game Bull's BBQ meal of the season and enjoyed the first inning from the surprisingly empty Diamond Club Section C.  Little did we know the only enjoyment we'd get from this game was in the first 10 minutes.

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Arizona Diamondbacks at Philadelphia Phillies: Phils Look to Heat Up

2006 Topps #418

2026 Chachi 2006 Topps Missing Links #5

Friday, April 10th - 6:40
Saturday, April 11th - 1:05
Sunday, April 12th - 1:35

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
On Saturday, all kids will receive a Phillies hooded sweatshirt.  And it's the Phanatic's birthday on Sunday with kids getting a cool-looking Colonial Phanatic bobble head.

Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6
Tied for 2nd Place in the N.L. West, 2 1/2 games behind the Dodgers

Diamondbacks Probables
Michael Soroka (2-0, 0.90)
Brandon Pfaadt (0-0, 6.75)
Zac Gallen (1-1, 3.00)

Diamondbacks Leaders
Average:  Corbin Carroll - .333
Runs:  Corbin Carroll - 9
Home Runs:  Corbin Carroll and Jose Fernandez - 2
RBIs:  Corbin Carroll - 11
Stolen Bases:  Geraldo Perdomo and Alek Thomas - 2

Wins:  Michael Soroka - 2
ERA:  Eduardo Rodrigez - 0.50

Strikeouts:  Michael Soroka - 13
Saves:  Paul Sewald - 3

Philadelphia Phillies 6-6
4th Place in the N.L. East, 1 1/2 games behind the Braves and Marlins

Phillies Probables
Jesus Luzardo (1-1, 4.97)
Taijuan Walker (0-2, 9.31)
Andrew Painter (1-0, 4.82)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Justin Crawford - .306
Runs:  Trea Turner - 9
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 3
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 8
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 2

Wins:  Six tied with - 1
ERA:  Cristopher Sanchez - 1.65

Strikeouts:  Cristopher Sanchez - 23
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 4

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Game 12 - Offense Racks Up 20 Innings with Zero Runs Scored

Philadelphia Phillies	0
San Francisco Giants	5

2008 Philadelphia Phillies Photocards

Wednesday Afternoon, April 8th

Oracle Park - San Francisco, CA
6-6, 4th Place, 1 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies offense continued to snooze in San Francisco and Aaron Nola allowed a three-run home run to Rafael Devers in the seventh in this 5-0 series-ending loss.

What It Means:  Yikes.  The bats are ice cold.  Following an off-day on Thursday, the Phillies open up a nine-game homestead against the Diamondbacks, Cubs and Braves.

What Happened:  This was a 0-0 game heading to the bottom of the sixth, and Nola had authored a strong outing up until that point.  Willy Adames doubled and Luis Arraez walked before Devers hit his blast, giving the Giants a 3-0 lead.  Jose Alvarado was a mess, allowing two more runs in the eighth.  One of those runs was unearned due to Alvarado's own throwing error.  The offense had four singles, including an infield hit, and went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card:  I was sad to learn about the passing of Davey Lopes yesterday.  Famous for his play with the Dodgers dynasties in the 1970s and early 1980s, Lopes was the Phillies' first base coach between 2007 and 2010.  I don't know how you'd determine this, but Lopes might be the best first base coach in the team's history.  He worked with Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley and many others to vastly improve the team's base running game, and he was a huge part of the Phillies' dynasty during those magical years.  He appeared in five team-issued photo card sets during his years with the team.

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Game 11 - Phils Look Awful in Loss to Giants

Philadelphia Phillies	0
San Francisco Giants	6

2026 Topps Heritage #357

Late Tuesday Night, April 7th

Oracle Park - San Francisco, CA
6-5, Tied for 3rd Place, 1 game behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies dropped a sloppily played ballgame, 6-0 to the Giants, managing four hits in a late night defeat.

What It Means:  West Coast road trips seem to be kryptonite for this team, and I question my sanity every time I decide to stay up late (or later) and watch lackluster baseball.

What Happened:  Cristopher Sanchez was hit early and often, allowing four runs (two earned) over five innings, but giving up 11 hits.  Left field adventures from Otto Kemp, errors from Trea Turner and Rafael Marchan and an offense that went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position didn't help matters.  J.T. Realmuto departed the game early after fouling a ball off his foot.  Orion Kerkering made his season debut and ironically had the first batter he faced ground a ball back to him, which he wanted nothing to do with.  Giants' starter Robbie Ray baffled the righty-heavy line-up.

Featured Card:  New Giants' outfielder Harrison Bader is struggling mightily to start the season.  He entered this game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth and went 0 for 2 to drop his season average to .125.  Here's his card from the 2026 Topps Heritage set, commemorating his brief, but successful, stint with the Phillies last season.

Transaction:  In the first roster move of the season, Kerkering (rhp) was activated from the injured list and Kyle Backhus (lhp) was optioned to the IronPigs.

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Game 10 - Harper Leads Phils to Impressive Comeback Win

Philadelphia Phillies	6
San Francisco Giants	4

2026 Topps Heritage #72

Late Monday Night, April 6th

Oracle Park - San Francisco, CA
6-4, Tied for 1st Place, 1/2 game ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  A four-run seventh inning, which included a two-run single from Bryce Harper, helped lead the way to this 6-4 comeback win against the Giants.

What It Means:  I'm catching up following Wednesday afternoon's game, and suffice it to say this game was the only highlight from a dismal San Francisco series.

What Happened:  The Giants held a 4-0 lead after four innings, with Andrew Painter not faring well in his first career road start.  Painter departed after four having allowed four runs on nine hits and striking out only one.  The comeback began in the fifth when Justin Crawford doubled and came home on a Trea Turner ground out.  Harper would then single Crawford home, making it a 4-2 ballgame.  In the seventh, Harper drove home two runs with a single to right, tying the game.  Alec Bohm broke the tie, doubling home Kyle Schwarber and Brandon Marsh would later score Harper with a sacrifice fly.

Relievers Jose Alvarado, Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran did their jobs over the final three innings, keeping the Giants off the board.  Duran recorded his fourth save.

Featured Card:  Harper went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, raising his season average to .200.  He's already got a ton of 2026 cards, including this one from Topps Heritage.

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Philadelphia Phillies at San Francisco Giants: Looking for a Winning Road Trip

2006 Topps #396

2006 Topps Updates & Highlights #UH136

Monday, April 6th - 9:45
Tuesday, April 7th - 9:45
Wednesday, April 8th - 3:45

Oracle Park - San Francisco, CA
There are a few college theme nights during this series as tonight is Santa Clara University night and tomorrow is San Francisco State University night.  Wednesday afternoon is STEAM day at the ballpark.

Philadelphia Phillies 5-4
4th Place in the N.L. East, 1 game behind the Marlins

Phillies Probables
Andrew Painter (1-0, 1.69)
Cristopher Sanchez (1-0, 0.79)
Aaron Nola (1-0, 3.18)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Justin Crawford - .321
Runs:  Trea Turner - 8
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 3
RBIs:  Alec Bohm - 7
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 2

Wins:  Five tied with - 1
ERA:  Cristopher Sanchez - 0.79

Strikeouts:  Jesus Luzardo - 18
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 3

San Francisco Giants 3-7
5th Place in the N.L. West, 4 1/2 games behind the Dodgers

Giants Probables
Adrian Houser (0-1, 1.69)
Robbie Ray (1-1, 3.38)
Tyler Mahle (0-2, 7.00)

Giants Leaders
Average:  Luis Arraez - .275
Runs:  Matt Chapman - 5
Home Runs:  Four tied with - 1
RBIs:  Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee - 4
Stolen Bases:  Luis Arraez - 2

Wins:  Three tied with - 1
ERA:  Robbie Ray - 3.38

Strikeouts:  Logan Webb - 15
Saves:  Blade Tidwell and Ryan Walker - 1

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Game 9 - Moniak, Lack of Phillies Offense Leads to Loss

Philadelphia Phillies	1
Colorado Rockies	4

2022 Philadelphia Phillies Photocards

Sunday Afternoon, April 5th

Coors Field - Denver, CO
5-4, 4th Place, 1 game behind the Marlins

One Sentence Summary:  Mickey Moniak homered twice and Taijuan Walker suffered through another rough first inning in this 4-1 loss to the Rockies on Easter Sunday.

What It Means:  The Phillies took two out of three in Denver, and head to San Francisco next for a late night set against the Giants.

What Happened:  Walker's ERA is up to an unsightly 9.31 after two starts, as he allowed four runs overall in his five innings of work.  The Rockies were quickly up 3-0 in the first, with their scoring started by Moniak's first home run of the day.  Another former Phillies' prospect, TJ Rumfield, connected for a two-run home run later in the inning.  The only offense from the Phillies came from Adolis Garcia, who hit a solo home run in the second.  Moniak's second solo shot came in the bottom of the fifth.

Featured Card:  A first round draft pick and a highly touted prospect, Moniak played in only 47 games for the Phillies between 2020 and 2022, yet I have 48 cards of his in my Phillies collection.  It seems he's found a good home in Denver with the Rockies, as he's had a regular outfield job with the club the last two seasons.  He batted .270 last year, attaining career highs in home runs (24) and RBIs (68).

Rumfield didn't appear on any Phillies minor league cards during his time with the organization.

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Game 8 - Luzardo Ks 11 on Way to Win Over Rockies

Philadelphia Phillies	2
Colorado Rockies	1

2026 Philadelphia Phillies
Kids Club / Club 215

Saturday Night, April 4th

Coors Field - Denver, CO
5-3, Tied for 2nd Place, 1/2 game behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Jesus Luzardo struck out 11 in a stellar six-plus inning performance, and clutch RBI doubles from Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner gave the Phillies all the run support they'd need in this 2-1 win over the Rockies.

What It Means:  The Phillies would go for the series sweep on Easter Sunday.

What Happened:  Luzardo pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing a run on five hits and walking none.  Jose Alvarado, Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran took care of the final seven outs, just like it had been drawn up in manager Rob Thomson's plans.  Duran notched his third save.

The lack of offense was concerning, especially given the outburst the night before, but the Phillies got hits when they needed them.  Turner walked to start the game, and Schwarber quickly doubled him home for a 1-0 lead.  In the fifth, Turner drove home Brandon Marsh with an RBI-double, breaking a 1-1 tie.

Featured Card:  I'm hoping to need a lot of Luzardo cards for these posts this season.  This is his team-issued card recently picked up from the Kids Club / Club 215 kiosk in Ashburn Alley at the ballpark.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall (Coming Soon) / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 7 - Phils' Offense Unloads Early in Denver

Philadelphia Phillies	10
Colorado Rockies	1

2026 Topps #335

Friday Afternoon, April 3rd

Coors Field - Denver, CO
4-3, 3rd Place, 1 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies ruined the Rockies' home opener, jumping on starter Michael Lorenzen for seven first inning runs in this 10-1 thrashing.

What It Means:  The offense has life, and this was a great way to start the West Coast road trip.

What Happened:   Lorenzen was hit early and often, allowing six hits and walking a pair in the first as the Phillies batted around.  Trea Turner doubled, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper walked to load the bases.  Alec Bohm brought two runs home with a line drive single to center and Bryson Stott plated another with an RBI double.  The big blow was a three-run home run from the hot-hitting Brandon Marsh.  Turner collected his second hit of the inning to drive home the seventh run.  Harper hit a solo home run in the second, and Schwarber hit a bomb of a home run in the fifth.

Aaron Nola was the beneficiary of the run support, picking up his first win of the season.  Nola went 6 1/3 innings, allowing a run on five hits and striking out nine.

Featured Card:  Nola is definitely deserving of the card, but I'll give it to Marsh, who was batting .320 following this game.

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Philadelphia Phillies at Colorado Rockies - First Road Trip of '26

2026 Chachi 2006 Topps Missing Links #9

2006 Topps #63

Friday, April 3rd - 4:10
Saturday, April 4th - 8:10
Sunday, April 5th - 3:10

Coors Field - Denver, CO
It's the Rockies' home opener on Friday and all fans will receive a 2026 schedule magnet.  On Saturday, the first 15,000 fans will receive a Rockies jersey sweatshirt.  And it's an Autograph Sunday with players available for autographs on the first base side of the field prior to the game.

Philadelphia Phillies 3-3
Tied for 3rd Place in the N.L. East, 2 games behind the Marlins

Phillies Probables
Aaron Nola
Jesus Luzardo
Taijuan Walker

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Brandon Marsh - .350
Runs:  Trea Turner - 5
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 2
RBIs:  Alec Bohm and Kyle Schwarber - 4
Stolen Bases:  Three tied with - 1

Wins:  Three tied with - 1
ERA:  Cristopher Sanchez - 0.79

Strikeouts:  Cristopher Sanchez - 17
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 2

Colorado Rockies 2-4
Tied for 3rd Place in the N.L. West, 2 games behind the Dodgers

Rockies Probables
Michael Lorenzen (0-0, 6.23)
Jose Quintana (0-0, 4.15)
Tomoyuki Sugano (0-0, 1.93)

Rockies Leaders
Average:  TJ Rumfield - .429
Runs:  Willi Castro and Hunter Goodman - 4
Home Runs:  Five tied with - 1
RBIs:  Ezequiel Tovar - 5
Stolen Bases:  Jake McCarthy - 4

Wins:  Brennan Bernardino and Chase Dollander - 1
ERA:  Kyle Freeland - 2.89

Strikeouts:  Kyle Freeland - 8
Saves:  Jimmy Herget - 1

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Game 6 - Sosa, Crawford Star in Walk-Off Win

Washington Nationals	5
Philadelphia Phillies	6

10 Innings

2026 Topps Now #39

Wednesday Afternoon, April 1st

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
3-3, Tied for 3rd Place, 2 games behind the Marlins

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies mounted an impressive late inning comeback, walking off with the win in the 10th when Justin Crawford singled home Brandon Marsh.

What It Means:  The outfield of Crawford, Marsh and Adolis Garcia is by far the best part of the Phillies line-up six games into the season.  Following a Thursday off-day, they'll open a three game series in Denver on Friday.

What Happened:  A solid outing from Cristopher Sanchez was wasted.  Sanchez went 5 1/3 innings, allowing a run on four hits while striking out seven, departing with the score tied 1-1.  Jonathan Bowlan gave up a run in the sixth and Brad Keller surrendered a three-run home run to CJ Abrams in the seventh, giving the Nationals a 5-1 lead.  But the Phillies chipped away with solo home runs from J.T. Realmuto in the seventh and Bryce Harper in the eighth.  With the bases loaded and down to their final out in the ninth, Edmundo Sosa singled to left, scoring a pair of runs and tying the score.  Jhoan Duran held the Nationals scoreless in the top of the 10th, with help from a leaping catch from Sosa that turned in to an inning-ending double play.

Featured Card:  With Marsh as the ghost runner at second to start the inning, J.T. Realmuto singled to move Marsh to third.  Crawford singled to right to score Marsh, giving the Phillies their first walk-off win of the season and Crawford his second Topps Now card of the year.

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Game 5 - Painter Shines in MLB Debut

Washington Nationals	2
Philadelphia Phillies	3

2026 Topps Now #35

Tuesday Night, March 31st

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
2-3, 5th Place, 2 games behind the Marlins

One Sentence Summary:  Andrew Painter made his much-anticipated big league debut, delivering with a solid performance and a win as the Phils downed the Nationals.

What It Means:  After splitting the first two games, the rubber match would be played on Wednesday afternoon.

What Happened:  Painter looked calm and collected on the mound, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing four hits and a run while striking out eight.  Jhoan Duran came on in the ninth, recording his second save of the season.  Kyle Schwarber and Adolis Garcia both homered for the Phillies.  An important third run scored in the fifth when Bryce Harper reached on an error with the bases loaded, scoring Justin Crawford.  Harper collected a hit in the game, raising his five-game average to .100.

Featured Card:  As hoped, Painter received a Topps Now card for his debut.  As I did last year, rather than wait to have these cards in had, I'm going to try to use any Topps Now cards with the actual game featured.  (I ordered the card, but this is a screenshot from the Topps website.)

Field Report:  Three games in a  row for Jenna and me!  I redeemed a coupon for two free tickets for being a group leader, wanting to see Painter's debut.  Our seats were in Section 414, but we stood behind Section 315, enjoying the spring-like weather and a great night at the ballpark.  Pre-game dinner was from Uncle Charlie's steaks, quickly becoming a favorite of mine, but not quite as good (yet) as Bull's BBQ.

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Game 4 - Phils, Taijuan Blown Up by Nationals

Washington Nationals	13
Philadelphia Phillies	2

Monday Night, March 30th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
1-3, 5th Place, 2 games behind Braves, Marlins, Mets, Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The Nationals blooped and blasted their way to a 17-hit, 13-run win over the Phillies in one of the worst games I've seen in recent history.

What It Means:  Yikes.  Following this game, the Phillies were in sole possession of last place with every other team in the division tied for first.

What Happened:  Taijuan Walker went 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and three walks.  Jonathan Bowlan (two more runs) and Jose Alvarado (four runs in 1/3 of an inning) faired poorly as well.  Super utility player Dylan Moore made his Phillies pitching debut, recording the final two outs in the top of the ninth.  The Phillies offense had seven hits and went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position.  The top of the line-up - Trea Turner (.167), Kyle Schwarber (.125), Bryce Harper (.063) and Alec Bohm (.143) - are sitting in the front row of the struggle bus.

Featured Card:  Our oldest son attended this game without us, joining other college students for the Phillies' College Series Business Analytics Night.  He had a few photo opportunities with club ambassadors Dickie Noles, Milt Thompson and Mickey Morandini and asked for a picture with Wall of Famer Ed Wade, who was surprised a college kid would want a photo with him.  But we've taught Doug well, and he recognizes the contributions the former GM made to the organization.

Field Report:  Two games in a row for Jenna and me, and we had (what was to me) a surprisingly disappointing dinner at Pass & Stow prior to the game.  We had a quick visit from our son and his two friends before briefly settling into our seats in Section 315 to witness this debacle.

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