Game 121 - Lack of Offense Dooms Phils in St. Louis

Philadelphia Phillies	0
St. Louis Cardinals	2

2019 Topps Heritage #252

Tuesday Night, August 11th

Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO
64-57, 2nd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies wasted a solid effort from Cristopher Sanchez, grounding into four double plays and collecting five singles in this 2-0 loss.

What It Means:  Really just a forgettable game.

What Happened:  Sanchez battled through six innings and 89 pitches thrown on a steamy St. Louis night, allowing four hits and striking out seven.  The Cardinals scored their two runs off relievers Alex McFarlane in the seventh and Tim Mayza in the eighth.  The Phillies offense was 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.  Luis Arraez is in the midst of 2 for 23 slump, batting .087 over the past five games.

Featured Card:  Jenna and I spent the day in Madison, Wisconsin, birthplace of Phillies reliever Pat Neshek, an All-Star with the team in 2017.  This is his Lowell Palmer inspired card from the 2019 Topps Heritage set.

Transaction:  Alan Rangel (rhp) was optioned to the IronPigs and McFarlane (rhp) was recalled.

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Game 120 - Painter and Sosa Deal Cards a Loss

Philadelphia Phillies	6
St. Louis Cardinals	5

2026 Philadelphia Phillies Photocards

Monday Night, August 10th

Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO
64-56, 2nd Place, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Andrew Painter took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and Edmundo Sosa had three RBIs in this 6-5, series opening win over the Cardinals.

What It Means:  This would be the only positive news to come out of this St. Louis series.

What Happened:  Ivan Herrera doubled with one out in the bottom of the sixth to ruin Painter's surprising no-hit bid.  Painter would win his second game of the season, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out six.  The Phillies had built a 6-2 lead heading to the eighth, which they'd need as Alan Rangel allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings pitched.  Jonathan Bowlan took on the closer's role in a depleted bullpen, earning his first career save.  Sosa had an RBI-single in the second and a two-run double against his former team in the eighth.  Kyle Schwarber had a two-hit night, including an RBI-double in the seventh.

Featured Card:  Let's go with Bowlan here, despite Painter's strong outing.  Bowlan was acquired in the offseason from the Royals in exchange for fellow reliever Matt Strahm, who has since been cut from the Royals.  Bowlan is 29 years old and under team control through the 2032 season.  His lone Phillies card to date can be found in the team-issued photo card set.

Transaction:  Caleb Kilian (rhp) was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain and Chase Shugart (rhp) made a quick return to the bullpen in his place.  Kilian's season is likely done, and the trade deadline day acquisition made just four appearances with the Phillies, allowing five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings pitched for a 13.50 ERA.

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Game 119 - Phils Walk It Off in 12th on Hill's Clutch Hit

2006 Chachi #59

2008 Chachi #20

2022 Chachi #33

2022 Chachi #50

Toronto Blue Jays	6
Philadelphia Phillies	7

12 Innings

Sunday Afternoon, August 9th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
63-56, 2nd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies got a much-needed win when Derek Hill singled home J.T. Realmuto with the game's winning run in the 12th inning.

What It Means:  They avoided a Blue Jays sweep and next headed out on the road (and the corn fields) with stops in St. Louis, Dyersville and Minneapolis.

What Happened:  Jesus Luzardo was fantastic, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out 12 over seven innings.  The Phillies led 5-2 upon Luzardo's exit, powered by a three-run home run from Kyle Schwarber in the third, a solo homer from Schwarber in the fifth and an RBI-single from Alec Bohm in the sixth.  Orion Kerkering blew it in the eighth, giving up three runs on four hits and allowing the Blue Jays to tie the game.  The Blue Jays took a brief lead in the top of the 12th, scoring off Caleb Kilian, but clutch RBI singles from Bryson Stott and Hill in the bottom of the 12th led to the win.

Featured Card:  In advance of the Field of Dreams game on Thursday, the Phillies did something really cool prior to this game by having four of their own "ghost players" throw out ceremonial first pitches.  Tim Granville (2006), Tim Lahey (2008), Jeff Singer (2022) and Will Toffey (2022) were all on the Phillies active roster briefly, but never appeared in a game with the club.  Of course, they all have their own Chachi cards, shown here.

Field Report:  Jenna and I attended the Twins-Brewers game at American Family Field in Milwaukee.  It was a gorgeous ballpark, and while a thunderstorm raged outside, we sat comfortably dry inside with the retractable roof closed.  The Brewers walked it off in the 10th on a Jake Bauers single.  Highlights from the game included Jacob Misiorowski's 200th strikeout of the season and a few leaping catches in right field by Luis Lara.

Transaction:  Alan Rangel (rhp) was recalled from Lehigh Valley and Chase Shugart (rhp) was optioned back down.

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Game 118 - Nola Records 2,000th K, but Phils Fall in Extras

Toronto Blue Jays	7
Philadelphia Phillies	5

11 Innings

2026 Topps Now #536

Saturday Night, August 8th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
62-56, 2nd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The bullpen wasted Aaron Nola's surprisingly solid outing as the Phillies fell in 11 innings to the Blue Jays, 7-5.

What It Means:  The Phillies would look to avoid the sweep on Sunday afternoon.  We listened/watched some of this game as we arrived in Milwaukee after a lengthy (and unplanned) road trip from New Jersey.  It was unplanned as our flight west was unexpectedly cancelled on late Friday night due to thunderstorms in the area.

What Happened:  Nola allowed a home run and two runs overall in five innings of work, striking out eight.  He departed at the start of the sixth inning after a comebacker nailed him in the knee.  (Nola would be fine and make his next start on Thursday.)  The Phillies plated four runs in the sixth to take a 4-2 lead.  Trea Turner and Bryce Harper hit back-to-back home runs off Max Scherzer, chasing him from the game.  Brandon Marsh would add a sacrifice fly and Justin Crawford tripled home Bryson Stott, who had doubled to reach.  Jose Alvarado allowed the Blue Jays to tie the game in the eighth, allowing two runs on a hit and a pair of walks.  Chase Shugart gave up the lead in the 10th and 11th innings and was saddled with the loss.

Featured Card:  There was some history in this game as Scherzer struck out Kyle Schwarber in the sixth for his 3,516th career strikeout, passing Walter Johnson for 10th place on the all-time list.  Nola recorded his 2,000th career strikeout, and was rewarded with a Topps Now card for the feat.

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Game 117 - Utley Inducted Onto Wall of Fame; Phils Lose to Jays

Toronto Blue Jays	5
Philadelphia Phillies	4

2025 Topps Chrome Platinum #479

Friday Night, August 7th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
62-55, 2nd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  A lack of clutch hitting and a shaky performance from Zack Wheeler led to this 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays.

What It Means:  The Chase Utley Wall of Fame induction ceremony was fantastic, while the game kind of stunk.

What Happened:  Wheeler went 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and walking five.  The Phillies offense had five hits, and went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Featured Card:  This is the latest addition to the 448 different Utley cards in my Phillies collection.

Field Report:  Before beginning our multi-state, three ballpark odyssey on Saturday morning, Jenna and I attended the Chase Utley Wall of Fame induction ceremony at the ballpark.  This has become a tradition for us, and it's one of the best things the Phillies do all year.  We waited out the two hour rain delay at the outset to listen to Pat Burrell's and Utley's speeches before the game began.  They passed on the traditional "victory lap" around the field in a Toyota truck, likely due to more rain on the way and the fact the ballgame had already been significantly delayed.  Still, it was a fantastic ceremony and I'm glad we were there.  With a big trip kicking off the following morning, we admittedly departed the game early along with several thousand of our fellow fans.

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Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies: It's Good to be Home

2006 Topps #397

2026 Chachi 2006 Topps Missing Links #3

Monday, August 17th - 6:40
Tuesday, August 18th - 6:40
Wednesday, August 19th - 6:05

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
The Phillies Room support staff is back from a fantastic trip that took us through Milwaukee, Dyersville and Minneapolis.  We'll slowly get caught back up, but for now a three-game series with the Marlins is on tap.  On Tuesday, fans can stay after the game for a Flo Rida concert.

Miami Marlins 64-61
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 10 1/2 games behind the Braves

Marlins Probables
Janson Junk (6-7, 4.41)
TBD
Sandy Alcantara (13-7, 3.43)

Marlins Leaders
Average:  Otto Lopez - .308
Runs:  Otto Lopez - 73
Home Runs:  Heriberto Hernandez - 18
RBIs:  Liam Hicks - 62
Stolen Bases:  Esteury Ruiz - 29

Wins:  Sandy Alcantara - 13
ERA:  Sandy Alcantara - 3.43

Strikeouts:  Eury Perez - 133
Saves:  Pete Fairbanks - 18

Philadelphia Phillies 67-58
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Cristopher Sanchez (15-4, 2.54)
Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.89)
Aaron Nola (4-9, 5.33)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Brandon Marsh - .274
Runs:  Trea Turner - 82
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 37
RBIs:  Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber - 72
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 23

Wins:  Cristopher Sanchez - 15
ERA:  Cristopher Sanchez - 2.54

Strikeouts:  Jesus Luzardo - 185
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 26

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Philadelphia Phillies at Minnesota Twins: If You Build It . . .

2026 Chachi Previews #1

2006 Topps #78

Thursday, August 13th - 7:30
Saturday, August 15th - 7:10
Sunday, August 16th - 2:10

Field of Dreams - Dyersville, IA
Target Field - Minneapolis, MN
Thursday night's game will take place at the iconic Field of Dreams in Iowa, with both teams wearing throwback uniforms and likely emerging from the cornfield in the outfield during pregame introductions.  The Phillies will be wearing amazing looking throwbacks from the 1939 season.  On Sunday, back in Minneapolis, the first 5,000 kids will receive a Twins backpack.

Philadelphia Phillies

1939 Phillies Leaders
Average:  Morrie Arnovich - .324
Runs:  Morrie Arnovich - 68
Home Runs:  Joe Marty and Emmett Mueller - 9
RBIs:  Morrie Arnovich - 67
Stolen Bases:  Morrie Arnovich - 7

Wins:  Kirby Higbe - 10
ERA:  Boom-Boom Beck - 4.73

Strikeouts:  Kirby Higbe - 79
Saves:  Hugh Mulcahy - 4

Minnesota Twins

1939 Nationals Leaders
Average:  Buddy Lewis - .319
Runs:  George Case - 103
Home Runs:  Buddy Lewis - 10
RBIs:  Taffy Wright - 93
Stolen Bases:  George Case - 51

Wins:  Dutch Leonard - 20
ERA:  Dutch Leonard - 3.54

Strikeouts:  Ken Chase - 118
Saves:  Pete Appleton - 6

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Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals

2006 Topps #139

2006 Topps #555

Monday, August 10th - 7:45
Tuesday, August 11th - 7:45
Wednesday, August 12th - 2:15

Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO
There's a theme night on Tuesday called "Firebird's Garage Sale," during which ticket holders will be able to select three previous theme night giveaways to take home with them.  Not a bad idea, but I'm guessing this means the Cardinals didn't sell out all their theme nights?

Philadelphia Phillies

1996 Phillies Leaders
Average:  Todd Zeile - .268
Runs:  Benito Santiago - 71
Home Runs:  Benito Santiago - 30
RBIs:  Benito Santiago - 85
Stolen Bases:  Mickey Morandini - 26

Wins:  Curt Schilling - 9
ERA:  Curt Schilling - 3.19

Strikeouts:  Curt Schilling - 182
Saves:  Ricky Bottalico - 34

St. Louis Cardinals

1996 Cardinals Leaders
Average:  Brian Jordan - .310
Runs:  Ray Lankford - 100
Home Runs:  Ron Gant - 30
RBIs:  Brian Jordan - 104
Stolen Bases:  Ray Lankford - 35

Wins:  Andy Benes - 18
ERA:  Donovan Osborne - 3.53

Strikeouts:  Todd Stottlemyre - 194
Saves:  Dennis Eckersley - 30

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Game 116 - Offense Powers Phils Over Nats

Washington Nationals	3
Philadelphia Phillies	7

2026 Topps Now Road to Opening Day
#OD-186

Thursday Night, August 6th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
62-54, 2nd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies collected eight doubles as every member of the starting line-up somehow contributed to getting Cristopher Sanchez's 15th win of the season.

What It Means:  The Phillies took three out of four from the Nationals and the Blue Jays visit town next for the always popular Alumni Weekend.

What Happened:  Cristopher Sanchez labored through five innings, allowing a pair of runs on six hits and striking out six on the way to his 15th win of the season.  Seven different Phillies doubled, with Bryson Stott leading the way with his pair of doubles.  The offense had 16 hits overall.

Featured Card:  New third baseman Stott gets the card by default for his doubles.

Field Report:  Jenna and I wanted the awesome Phillies Field of Dream inspired t-shirt being given away to all fans, so we purchased the cheapest tickets we could find, collected our new shirts, dined at Pass at Stow, and braved the humidity from above Ashburn Alley.

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Toronto Blue Jays at Philadelphia Phillies: Alumni Weekend

2006 Topps #401

2006 Topps #359

Friday, August 7th - 6:40
Saturday, August 8th - 6:05
Sunday, August 9th - 1:35

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
This continues to be one of the best weekends of the year at the ballpark.  Chase Utley will be inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame tonight, tomorrow night is Alumni Saturday and Sunday is the annual Alumni Day, with more than 60 former Phillies expected to be in attendance.  Additionally, "phantom" Phillies Tim Granville, Tim Lahey, Jeff Singer and Will Toffey will take the field and throw out ceremonial first pitches before Sunday's game.

Toronto Blue Jays 54-62
5th Place in the A.L. East, 15 games behind the Rays

Blue Jays Probables
Jose Soriano (9-6, 3.29)
Max Scherzer (1-4, 7.92)
Shane Bieber (3-2, 5.11)

Blue Jays Leaders
Average:  Ernie Clement - .287
Runs:  Kazuma Okamoto - 60
Home Runs:  Kazuma Okamoto - 24
RBIs:  Kazuma Okamoto - 70
Stolen Bases:  Andres Gimenez - 15

Wins:  Dylan Cease - 7
ERA:  Dylan Cease - 2.28

Strikeouts:  Dylan Cease - 184
Saves:  Louis Varland - 24

Philadelphia Phillies 62-54
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (10-2, 2.49)
Aaron Nola (3-9, 5.55)
Jesus Luzardo (10-5, 3.36)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Brandon Marsh - .280
Runs:  Trea Turner - 78
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 33
RBIs:  Bryce Harper - 68
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 20

Wins:  Cristopher Sanchez - 15
ERA:  Cristopher Sanchez - 2.65

Strikeouts:  Cristopher Sanchez - 174
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 25

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Game 115 - Phils Suffer Ugly Loss in 11 Innings

Washington Nationals	10
Philadelphia Phillies	4

11 Innings

2014 Topps Heritage #282

Wednesday Night, August 5th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
61-54, 2nd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The bullpen couldn't keep the Nationals from scoring in extra innings as the Phillies fell in ugly fashion, losing 10-4.

What It Means:  The loss snapped a four-game win streak.  The Phillies still have a chance at a series win if they take tonight's series finale.  Alumni Weekend with the Blue Jays coming to town is on tap next.

What Happened:  Andrew Painter allowed a first inning run, then settled in to pitch three scoreless innings before departing with hamstring tightness.  Interim manager Don Mattingly then emptied his bullpen over the next seven innings with new acquisitions Brooks Raley and Caleb Kilian faring the worst.  The duo allowed a combined seven runs on four hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings pitched.  Kilian's outing was the worse of the two as it came in the 11th and resulted in the Nationals winning the game.

Luis Arraez hit a solo home run in the second, his first as a Phillie.  Bryson Stott connected for an RBI single in the seventh to tie the score at 3-3.  Both teams traded runs in the 10th before Kilian entered in the 11th, giving up five runs (four earned) and retiring only one of the five batters he faced.  Derek Hill had to the leave the game in the 11th after running full force into the center field wall, trying to corral what would be a two-run triple by CJ Abrams, and ultimately the winning hit.

Featured Card:  Kilian's appearance had me thinking back to Heath Hembree, one of the worst deadline day bullpen acquisitions ever.  Hembree had a decent 11-year big league career, but had a 12.54 ERA in 9 1/3 innings pitched for the Phillies in 2020.  He never appeared on a Phillies baseball card, but here's a card he shared with another short-term Phillies pitcher, Kevin Siegrist.  Here's hoping things turn around for Kilian in the coming weeks.

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Game 114 - Arraez Pays Immediate Dividends

Washington Nationals	5
Philadelphia Phillies	0

2026 Topps Now #520

Tuesday Night, August 4th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
61-53, 2nd Place, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Luis Arraez backed Jesus Luzardo's pitching gem with a two-hit, two-RBI debut in this 5-0 win over the Nationals.

What It Means:  I'm not sure about Arraez batting fourth long-term, but the decision paid off in this game.  The new defensive alignment debuted, with Bryce Harper moving back to right field, Bryson Stott going to third base and Alec Bohm at first base.  There were no errors committed and the first out of the game was a line drive to Harper.

What Happened:  Luzardo improved to 10-5, going eight shutout innings and striking out seven.  New addition Caleb Kilian pitched a scoreless ninth.  In the first, Trea Turner singled, Harper walked and Arraez lined a single to center to score Harper.  Arraez added an RBI double in the third.  A Bohm sacrifice fly and a double from Brandon Marsh gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead.  Turner added an RBI single in the eighth.  It was a nice change of pace to see the Phillies bats with the energy and the opposing team looking deflated.

Featured Card:  I was happy to see Arraez received a Topps Now card to mark his successful Phillies debut.

Transaction:  Deadline acquisitions Arraez (2b), Kilian (rhp) and Brooks Raley (lhp) were all activated.  Gabriel Rincones, Jr. (of) and Kyle Backhus (lhp) were optioned to Lehigh Valley.

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Game 113 - Hill Slams Phils to Win Over Nats

Washington Nationals	3
Philadelphia Phillies	6

2026 Topps Now #518

Monday Night, August 3rd

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
60-53, 2nd Place, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Derek Hill hit a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading to this 6-3 win over the Nationals.

What It Means:  This was a good vibes win, and Hill's slam is a highlight that will definitely make its way into the 2026 Phillies Video Yearbook.

What Happened:  Aaron Nola followed his recent pattern of pitching well, except for the pair of home runs he allowed over the first two innings, giving the Nationals a 3-0 lead.  He went six innings, allowing six hits, two walks and striking out five.  Kyle Backhus was the beneficiary of the win following Hill's home run and Backhus working out of his self-created jam in the seventh.  Nationals' reliever Andrew Alvarez hit Bryan De La Cruz and walked Bryson Stott to start the bottom of the seventh.  Tom Cosgrove replaced him on the mound and walked Edmundo Sosa to load the bases.  That set up Hill's grand slam, the eventual game winner and the first grand slam of the season for the Phillies.  Bryce Harper added a two-run home run in the eighth.

Featured Card:  There just aren't many Hill cards out there, and he hasn't had any cards so far in 2026 . . . or so I thought.  Topps Now produced this card for Hill, his first card of the season and to date his only Phillies baseball card.

Transaction:  See here for a complete recap of the Phillies deadline day moves.  They played this game with just 25 players, as Seth Johnson (rhp) was traded to the Athletics a few hours before game time.

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Phils Add Batting Champ Arraez, Pair of Relievers at Trade Deadline

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had a busy Monday, making two major trades and two minor trades as the Phillies look for a push to get them back to the postseason.

2026 Topps #420

2023 Topps Heritage #92

2026 Choice Jersey Shore BlueClaws #22

2026 Choice Clearwater Threshers #12

Arraez, Kilian Acquired from Giants:  The first trade unofficially and then officially announced was the acquisition of Luis Arraez (2b) and Caleb Kilian (rhp) from the Giants in exchange to minor leaguers Ramon Marquez (rhp) and Marty Gair (rhp).

Arraez will play second base for the Phillies, which means Bryson Stott will likely move over to third, Alec Bohm will shift to first and Bryce Harper will temporarily return to right field.  Arraez has already won three batting titles (2022, 2023, 2024), and he's currently the National League batting leader with a .324 average.  He's a four-time All-Star who has often been on the move, spending time with the Twins (2019-22), Marlins (2023-24), Padres (2024-25) and Giants.  Caleb Kilian appeared in eight games for the Cubs between 2022 and 2024, but he's found success so far this season out of the Giants' bullpen.  He's 3-6 with a 4.26 ERA in 44 1/3 innings pitched with eight saves.  Kilian is still a rookie, so the Phillies have him under team control for the foreseeable future.

Marquez was the Phillies' No. 4 ranked prospect in their system and Gair was not ranked.  Still only 20 years old, Marquez was a combined 6-1 with a 1.68 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched at Jersey Shore and Clearwater.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Arraez and Kilian, Lou Trivino III (rhp) and Payton Henry (c) were designated for assignment.

2023 Topps Update #US43

2026 Choice Jersey Shore BlueClaws #30

2026 Choice Jersey Shore BlueClaws #16

Raley Joins 'Pen from Mets:  Next, the Phillies acquired Brooks Raley (lhp) from the Mets in exchange for minor leaguers Luke Gabrysh (rhp) and John Spikerman (of).  Nolan Hoffman (rhp) was designated for assignment to make room for Raley on the roster.  Raley is a veteran of nine big league seasons, and he's been with the Mets since 2023.  He's got a 1.96 ERA in 41 1/3 innings pitched so far this year.  Spikerman was the team's 27th ranked top prospect and Gabrysh was not ranked.

2026 Topps #666

2025 Topps #362

2026 Topps #213

Hoffman, Johnson Shipped Out:  Hoffman, DFA'd a few hours earlier, was dealt to the Royals for minor leaguer Manuel Colon (rhp).  Hoffman pitched in four games for the Phillies between this and last season, with no record and a 7.94 ERA in 5 2/3 innings pitched.  Colon, just 19 years old, has yet to appear on any baseball cards.

At the 6pm trade deadline buzzer, Seth Johnson (rhp) was traded to the Athletics for Colby Thomas (of).  Johnson appeared in 27 games for the Phillies over the past three seasons, and was 2-2 with a 7.18 ERA in 31 1/3 innings pitched.  Thomas has played in 104 games with the A's, batting .214 with 10 home runs and 30 RBIs, while playing mostly right field.

Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies: Deadline Day Looms

2006 Topps #372

2006 Topps #83

Monday, August 3rd - 6:40
Tuesday, August 4th - 6:40
Wednesday, August 5th - 6:40
Thursday, August 6th - 6:05

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
There are three straight theme nights to start the series - Margaritaville Night tonight, a College Series Business of Sports Night sponsored by Temple University on Tuesday, and Pickleball Night on Wednesday.  On Thursday, all fans will receive a fantastic looking Field of Dreams Phillies t-shirt.

Washington Nationals 55-58
4th Place in the N.L. East, 12 1/2 games behind the Braves

Nationals Probables
TBD
Zack Littell (7-8, 4.94)
Jake Irvin (2-5, 5.56)
Foster Griffin (12-3, 3.06)

Nationals Leaders
Average:  CJ Abrams - .287
Runs:  James Wood - 100
Home Runs:  James Wood - 30
RBIs:  CJ Abrams - 85
Stolen Bases:  Nasim Nunez - 40

Wins:  Foster Griffin - 12
ERA:  Foster Griffin - 3.06

Strikeouts:  Cade Cavalli - 133
Saves:  Clayton Beeter - 11

Philadelphia Phillies 59-53
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 8 games behind the Braves

Phillies Probables
Aaron Nola (3-9, 5.61)
Jesus Luzardo (9-5, 3.57)
Andrew Painter (1-8, 6.72)
Cristopher Sanchez (14-4, 2.61)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Brandon Marsh - .280
Runs:  Trea Turner - 75
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 33
RBIs:  Bryce Harper - 66
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 19

Wins:  Cristopher Sanchez - 14
ERA:  Cristopher Sanchez - 2.61

Strikeouts:  Cristopher Sanchez - 168
Saves:  Jhoan Duran - 24

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Game 112 - Phils Blast Orioles in Rain-Shortened Finale

Philadelphia Phillies	8
Baltimore Orioles	0

6 Innings

2026 Choice Lehigh Valley
IronPigs #11

Sunday Afternoon, August 2nd

Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Baltimore, MD
59-53, 2nd Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies battled through the raindrops in this 8-0 series finale shutout victory over the Orioles.

What It Means:  Tomorrow is trade deadline day, and the Phillies will open a four-game series at home against the Nationals.  I'm hoping for at least a few upgrades to the roster before first pitch tomorrow night.

What Happened:  Zack Wheeler was lost after just two innings thanks to a nearly two-hour rain delay, but his velocity was back up to normal and he allowed just a hit while striking out three in his abbreviated outing.  Kyle Backhus and Tim Mayza shut down the Orioles over the next three innings.  Bryan De La Cruz stayed hot with a two-run home run in the third, and that was all the Phillies would really need.  Two more Phillies runs crossed the plate in the fourth, Bryce Harper hit a solo home run in the fifth and Justin Crawford started the scoring in the sixth with an RBI single.  De La Cruz and Schwarber added sacrifice flies in the inning to cap the scoring for the day.

Featured Card:  In eight games so far, De La Cruz is batting .450 (9 for 20) with a pair of home runs and six RBIs while playing solid defense.  It seems as if he's worked his way into the Phillies' plans for the stretch run.  His only 2026 baseball card appearance to date is within the IronPigs team set.

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Game 111 - Sanchez, Phils Battle to Shutout Win Over Orioles

Philadelphia Phillies	5
Baltimore Orioles	0

2026 Topps Heritage #110

Saturday Night, August 1st

Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Baltimore, MD
58-53, 2nd Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Cristopher Sanchez struck out 11 and the Phillies' offense came up with a few clutch hits when needed in this 5-0 win over the Orioles.

What It Means:  Zack Wheeler takes the mound this afternoon as the Phillies look for their first series win since the All-Star Break.

What Happened:  Sanchez worked out of jams in the fourth and sixth innings, as he allowed just two hits but walked five.  He improved his record to 14-4.  Jonathan Bowlan struck out the side in the seventh, with Jose Alvarado and Jhoan Duran following with perfect innings to secure the win.  The game was scoreless until the fifth when Bryan De La Cruz singled home Bryson Stott.  The Phillies plated four more runs in the eighth with RBI singles from Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford.

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

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Game 110 - Bullpen Fails Again in Loss to O's

Philadelphia Phillies	4
Baltimore Orioles	6

2026 Choice Reading Fightin
Phils Top 10 Prospects #4

Friday Night, July 31st

Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Baltimore, MD
57-53, 2nd Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Andrew Painter pitched well in his return to the majors, but Orion Kerkering's implosion in the seventh led to this 6-4 loss.

What It Means:  The Phillies went from two games behind the Braves to eight games behind in less than two weeks.  They are 3-10 since the All-Star Break, the worst record in the majors.

What Happened:  Painter got off to a rocky start, giving up a double to Dylan Beavers and a two-run home run to Pete Alonso to start the game.  He'd settle in after that, allowing just one more hit and striking out six in six innings of work.  The Phillies led by a 4-2 score after six innings, thanks in part to solo home runs from Trea Turner in the third and J.T. Realmuto in the sixth.  In the bottom of the seventh, Kerkering allowed a single, walk, double to tie the game and hit a batter before being relieved by Tim Mayza.  Mayza promptly allowed a two-run triple to Gunnar Henderson to give the Orioles a 6-4 lead.

Featured Card:  At least Painter pitched well.  This start was either a showcase for a potential trade or an audition for his vacated fifth starter's spot . . . or a little bit of both.

Transaction:  Painter (rhp) was recalled from Lehigh Valley and Brian Keller (rhp) was optioned back down.

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