The Phillies Room: February Notes

2025 Philadelphia Phillies
Kids Club / Club 215

February 2 to 8 - More Non-Roster Invitees Added:  After announcing their initial batch of 27 non-roster invitees to Spring Training, the Phillies added three more names to the mix.  Two of the three are returning to the team, while Dylan Moore is a new addition.  Moore is a veteran of seven big league seasons, mostly with the Mariners, and is a super-utility player, playing more positions than even Weston Wilson had.  He won a Gold Glove in 2024 as a utility player, a position that's apparently been recognized and awarded since 2022.

28.  Daniel Robert (rhp) - Rangers / Phillies - 2025 Topps Update #US304

29.  Dylan Moore (inf) - Mariners / Rangers - 2025 Topps #105

30.  Lou Trivino (rhp) - Giants / Dodgers / Phillies - 2022 Topps Now Road to Opening Day #OD-190

February 12 - Castellanos Released:  With no trade partners willing to take on a portion of his $20 million salary for 2025, the Phillies ultimately released Nick Castellanos (of) on February 12th.  The team had told Castellanos not to report to Clearwater.  It was a bitter ending to a three-year tenure that saw Castellanos at the center of several big moments with the club, but ultimately ending up on the wrong side of manager Rob Thomson and several (most?) of his teammates.  There's a great Matt Gelb article in The Athletic laying out all the details, and it sure doesn't paint a pretty picture of the former All-Star.

Castellanos declined quickly during his three seasons here, enjoying an All-Star first half in 2023, playing in all 162 games but with decreased production in 2024, and finishing 2025 as essentially a bench player behind Harrison Bader before Bader's injury.  In 602 games with the Phillies, he batted .260 with 82 home runs and 326 RBIs.  He's reportedly set to sign with the Padres for the 2026 season.

February 13 - New Uniform Numbers!:  It still excites me to see new uniform numbers pop up on the Phillies' website.  Some surprises include new bench coach Don Mattingly taking the #8 formerly worn by Castellanos, and leaving Johan Rojas with #23.  There were a higher than usual amount of number swaps among some potential bullpen options, including Robert (#18 from #48), Alan Rangel (#57 from #56), Tim Mayza (#37 from #54) and Trivino (#22 from #57).

Non-roster invitees getting respectably low numbers include Moore (#25), Mark Kolozsvary (#29), Tucker Davidson (#30), Liover Peguero (#31), Rene Pinto (#35), Bryan De La Cruz (#41), Trevor Richards (#43) and Bryse Wilson (#48).

And I'm assuming Justin Crawford (#80) and Andrew Painter (#76) will get updated, permanent numbers once they've officially made the roster.

2025 Chachi #7 Nick Castellanos

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  203
Opening Day 2025 Age:  33

Born:  March 4, 1992, Hialeah, FL
Acquired:  Signed as a free agent with the Phillies, March 22, 2022

Contract Status:  Signed through 2026
Major League Teams:  Detroit Tigers 2013-19; Chicago Cubs 2019; Cincinnati Reds 2020-21; Philadelphia Phillies 2022-25

Postseason Appearances:  Detroit Tigers 2014; Cincinnati Reds 2020; Philadelphia Phillies 2022-25

2025 Topps #315

Nick Castellanos is under contract for the 2026 season, but I'd be shocked if he heads to Clearwater with the club in February.  The streaky right fielder seems to have worn out his welcome with the Phillies, especially after a benching in mid-June following inappropriate comments directed towards manager Rob Thomson after Castellanos was removed late in a game for a defensive replacement.  In 147 games, Castellanos batted .250 with 27 doubles, 17 home runs and 72 RBIs.  If this truly is the end of the road for him in red pinstripes, we'll have some exciting postseason highlights to remember him by, as well as his solid first half of the the 2023 season, leading to an All-Star Game appearance.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  2011 Topps Pro Debut #110
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  2014-25
Favorite 2025 Card:  2025 Topps Heritage #315
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  76 as of 12/27/25, 13 added in 2025

TCDB Stats: 4,868 total as of 12/27/25, my 98 cards overall are ranked 29th, 1st is TigerPride with 1,072

Complete Chachi Checklist

2022 Chachi New Additions #13 
2022 Chachi #4

2022 Chachi #71 - NLDS Game 1

2023 Chachi #5

2023 Chachi #46 - All-Star

2023 Chachi #65 - NLDS Game 4

2023 Chachi Friendly Encounters #6

2024 Chachi #7

2024 Chachi #68 - NLDS Game 2

2025 Chachi #7

2025 Chachi #61 - NLDS Game 2

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

2025 Chachi #6 Max Kepler 

/ 

2025 Chachi #8 Bryson Stott

NLDS Game 2 - Too Little, Too Late in Latest Loss

 

Los Angeles Dodgers	4
Philadelphia Phillies	3

Monday Night, October 6th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
Dodgers lead series, 2-0

One Sentence Summary:  The offense continued to sputter and the bullpen again couldn't get the job done in this 4-3 loss to the Dodgers.

What It Means:  The Phillies head to Los Angeles where they need to win both games in order to force a Game 5 back in Philadelphia on Saturday night.  I could insert a lengthy rant here, but I've already spent too much energy trying to figure out why this team has crapped out two years in a row in the NLDS.

What Happened:  Jesus Luzardo was fantastic.  He matched Blake Snell through six scoreless innings, departing with runners on second and third and no outs in the top of the seventh, after Teoscar Hernandez singled and Freddie Freeman reached on a double that should have been a single, if not for Nick Castellanos playing in right field.  (Castellanos is only playing because Harrison Bader injured his groin in Game 1.)  Orion Kerkering entered, allowed both inherited runners to score, and yielded to Matt Strahm.  Shohei Ohtani greeted Strahm with a single and just like that it was 4-0, Dodgers, and given the anemic Phillies offense, the game was all but over.

Snell held the Phillies to one hit through six innings, a bloop single from Edmundo Sosa with two outs in the fifth.  The Phillies had a chance once they got to the Dodgers' bullpen, as pinch-hitter Max Kepler tripled and was singled home by Trea Turner with Emmet Sheehan on the mound in the eighth.  In the ninth, with Blake Treinan pitching, Alec Bohm singled, followed by back-to-back doubles from J.T. Realmuto and Castellanos to make it 4-3, Dodgers.  An odd decision to have Bryson Stott bunt with nobody out and Castellanos on second backfired when Stott bunted into a fielder's choice to erase Castellanos from third.  A few batters later, with runners on the corners and two outs, Roki Sasaki got Trea Turner to weakly ground to second, ending the threat and the ballgame.

Featured Card:  Turner, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are a combined 2 for 21 in the first two games of the NLDS with 11 strikeouts.  Five of those strikeouts belong to Schwarber, who is 0 for 7.

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

2025 Chachi #60 NLDS Game 1 / 2025 Chachi #62 NLDS Game 3

Game 154 - Phils Storm Phoenix Late in Victory

Philadelphia Phillies	8
Arizona Diamondbacks	2

2025 Topps #733

Late Friday Night, September 19th

Chase Field - Phoenix, AZ
92-62, 1st Place, 12 games ahead of the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  After falling behind 2-0, the Phillies scored eight unanswered runs in this 8-2 win over the Diamondbacks.

What It Means:  The magic number to clinch a Wild Card Series bye is down to three.

What Happened:  Dubbed the Walker-Buehler game by manager Rob Thomson, Taijuan Walker pitched the first four innings, with Walker Buehler taking over for the next 3 2/3 innings.  Walker allowed the two first inning runs and then settled down, while Buehler didn't give up a run in his outing while picking up the win.  The Phillies scored their first run in the second on an RBI-double from Alex Bohm and tied the score in the fifth when Harrison Bader hit a solo home run.  Weston Wilson drove home the go-ahead run in the sixth with an RBI-single.

In the eighth, Nick Castellanos, who entered in the sixth inning as a pinch-hitter for Max Kepler, hit a two-run home run, the 250th of his career.  The offense piled on three more runs in the ninth with RBI hits from Bohm and Castellanos.

Featured Card:  Castellanos is adjusting to life as a role player, and he didn't waste his opportunity in this game, going 2 for 3 off the bench with three RBIs.  Topps Now issued this card to celebrate his milestone home run.

Transaction:  Rafael Lantigua (inf) was optioned back to Lehigh Valley without appearing in a game to make room for Bohm (3b), activated from the injured list.

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 76 - Phils Retake 1st Place with Big Win Over Mets

New York Mets	2
Philadelphia Phillies	10

2025 Topps Now #326

Friday Night, June 20th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
46-30, 1st Place, 1 game ahead of the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  A six-run seventh inning powered the Phillies to a huge 10-2 win over the division rival Mets in this series opener.

What It Means:  The Phillies are in sole possession of first place for the first time since May 30th.  They'll try to widen their lead with a few more wins this weekend.

What Happened:  Zack Wheeler battled through five innings before handing things over to the bullpen.  With the Phillies holding a slim 2-0 lead, Taijuan Walker allowed back-to-back home runs to Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil in the top of the sixth, tying the score.  In the bottom of the seventh, Brandon Marsh doubled and Trea Turner doubled him home to retake the lead.  Big hits followed - RBI singles from Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos, and then a two-run double from Bryson Stott, scoring Castellanos and Realmuto within seconds of each other.  Castellanos piled on two more runs with a two-run home run in the eighth.

Featured Card:  I was going to go with a Tanner Banks card, as the reliever came up huge, throwing 1 2/3 scoreless innings after Walker had given up the pair of home runs.  But this Topps Now card is likely going to be one of my favorite cards of the year.

Field Report:  We were there!  Primarily motivated by the need to pick up some more 2025 photo cards, but also interested in attending a big game on a nice Friday night, Jenna and I impulsively bought standing room only tickets for the game.  I had reached out to the Phillies asking if there was any chance they had some extra photo cards for a long-time collector and partial season ticket holder, and to my surprise they accommodated my request.  New cards in hand, we enjoyed a leisurely dinner at Pass and Stow before settling in at the Kona Wave bar to enjoy the atmosphere and the win.

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 71 - Kemp, Casty Have Big Days at the Plate, Phils Sweep Jays

Toronto Blue Jays	4
Philadelphia Phillies	11

2025 Topps Heritage #315

Sunday Afternoon, June 15th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
42-29, 2nd Place, 2 1/2 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  Zack Wheeler handled the Blue Jays' line-up, Nick Castellanos hit a grand slam and Otto Kemp enjoyed a four-hit day in this 11-4 win, completing the series sweep.

What It Means:  With the Phillies seemingly back on track after winning five out of six on this homestead against the Cubs and Blu Jays, they'll head to Miami for a four-game set against the last place Marlins.

What Happened:  Wheeler improved to 7-2 and likely left the game only due to the length of the bottom of the sixth inning, during which the Phillies nearly batted around and Castellanos hit his slam.  Wheeler allowed four hits while striking out nine.  Kemp went 4 for 5 with three runs scored and a  pair of RBIs, raising his big league average to .345.  Five other Phillies had multi-hit games - Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm, Max Kepler and J.T. Realmuto.  Bohm hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning.

Featured Card:  Castellanos hit his grand slam, his second of the year, in the sixth, just clearing the left center field wall and giving the Phillies a 10-2 lead.  Here's his 1976 Topps-inspired card from the Topps Heritage set.

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 9 - Casty's Slam Helps Phils to Series Win

Los Angeles Dodgers	7
Philadelphia Phillies	8

2024 Topps Cosmic Chrome #175

Sunday Afternoon, April 6th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
7-2, 1st Place, 1 game ahead of the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies held off the Dodgers in this 8-7 win, highlighted by Nick Castellanos' third inning grand slam.

What It Means:  The two teams battled through a steady, cold mist with the Phillies ultimately prevailing late in this game.  After winning the first three series of the season against the Nationals, Rockies and Dodgers, and Phillies travel to Atlanta for a set against the struggling Braves.

What Happened:  Trailing 2-0 heading to the bottom of the third, the Phillies would plate six runs and chase Dodgers' starter Tyler Glasnow from the game.  Bryce Harper singled home Rafael Marchan for the first run, and Glasnow later uncorked a wild pitch allowing the Phillies to tie the score, 2-2.  Glasnow loaded the bases, exited the game, and Castellanos took the first pitch he saw from reliever Alex Vesia into the left field bleachers.  It was Castellanos' first grand slam with the Phillies.

Jordan Romano's struggles continued as the Dodgers took a 7-6 lead in the seventh, scoring three runs on two hits and a walk off the reliever.  But the Phillies came back in the bottom of the inning, when Harper laced a lead-off double and came home on a Bryson Stott single.  Edmundo Sosa beat out a fielder's choice ground out with Max Kepler scoring the eventual winning run.  Jose Alvarado pitched a clean ninth for his second save.

Featured Card:  I'm not sure why I continue to collect cards with a set name of Topps Cosmic Chrome at my age, but here we are.

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 1 - Phils Win in Extras After Record-Setting K Day

Philadelphia Phillies	7
Washington Nationals	3

10 Innings

2024 Topps Throwback
Thursday #112

Game 1

Thursday Afternoon, March 27th

Nationals Park - Washington, DC
1-0, Tied for 1st Place, 1 game ahead of the Braves, Mets and Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies struck out a record 19 times on opening day, but still got away with an extra-inning, 7-3 win.

What It Means:  It was an anti-climatic opening day for me, as I was 500 miles away in Myrtle Beach getting ready to watch my son and his high school team play a scrimmage at the Cal Ripken Experience.  Both the Phillies and his team came away with wins, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more excited about the high school scrimmage victory than the Phillies' opening day win.

What Happened:  Nationals' starter MacKenzie Gore and four relievers combined to strike out 19 Phillies, with Gore tallying 13 of those in six innings of work, tying an opening day record.  As soon as Gore exited, the Phillies took a 2-1 lead in the seventh with solo home runs from Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.  It was Harper's sixth opening day home run.  Max Kepler made it 3-1 Phillies when he scored on a wild pitch in the eighth.  Jordan Romano had a rough Phillies debut, allowing the Nationals to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth.

In the the top of the 10th, Bryson Stott stole third with two outs after starting the inning at second as the zombie runner.  Harper drew a walk, and Alec Bohm doubled them both home, giving the Phillies a 5-3 lead.  J.T. Realmuto would bring home two more runs later in the inning with a triple.  Zack Wheeler got a no decision, but struck out eight and allowed just a solo home run in his six-inning 2025 debut.

Featured Card:  Bohm had the big hit, and there were times during the offseason it seemed he'd definitely be traded.  I recently added this card to my collection, paying tribute to a 1991 Topps Magazine card.

Transaction:  Prior to the game, opening day rosters were announced and Buddy Kennedy (inf) was officially designated for assignment.  Weston Wilson (inf) and Ranger Suarez (lhp) were placed on the injured list, retroactive to March 24th.

On Wednesday, the Phillies traded Tyler Phillips (rhp) to the Miami Marlins for cash considerations.  Phillips was out of minor league options and he made his debut with the Marlins on Friday, pitching three innings of scoreless relief.  With the Phillies, he was 4-1 in eight appearances, including seven starts.  He threw one memorable shutout on July 27th against the Guardians.

2025 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2025 Season Summary Index / 2025 Chachi Set Checklist

Spring Training Game 23 - Phils Lose, but Sanchez, Casty Look Strong

Philadelphia Phillies	2
Pittsburgh Pirates	3

2022 Topps Heritage 1973 Topps
Candy Lids #HN12

Spring Training Game 23

Tuesday Afternoon, March 18

LECOM Park - Bradenton, FL

Record - 11-10-2

One Sentence Summary:  Nick Castellanos hit a home run and Crisotpher Sanchez pitched five scoreless innings, but the Phillies' bullpen faltered late in this 3-2 loss to the Pirates.

What It Means:  This game had a typical spring road game line-up, and definitely not the usual back-end of the bullpen relievers closing it out.

What Happened:  Spring training statistics mean nothing, but Castellanos has to feel good after his two hit day, which raised his spring average to .167.  He hit a solo home run in the first and added an RBI-single int he sixth to score Carson DeMartini.  Sanchez allowed four hits and struck out a pair in his outing, with Jose Alvarado and Orion Kerkering shutting down the Pirates for 2 1/3 innings.  Kerkering struck out three.  The bullpen duo of Devin Sweet and Josh Hejka gave up the 2-0 lead in the ninth.  Sweet  gave up a single, double and two straight sacrifice flies to allow the Pirates to tie the game.  Hejka then allowed a walk-off home run to Javier Rivas to give the Pirates the win.

Featured Card:  Here's an oddball insert card of Castellanos I recently added, from the 2022 Topps Heritage set.  I'm hoping for big things from the slugger this season.

Camp Head Count:  41

Game 64 - Phils, Harper Take London (Remastered)

Consider this the remastered version of the original June 8th game summary post, as I went back after the fact and decided Harper's British home run deserved its own highlight card in my 2024 Chachi set.

2024 Chachi #40

Phillies 7, Mets 2

Game 64 - Saturday Afternoon, June 8th in London
Record - 45-19, 1st Place, 9 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies and Bryce Harper took London by storm, with The Showman living up to his name with a big day at the plate.

What It Means:  This was fun to watch, although we quickly switched over to the Phillies radio broadcast to avoid the Fox announcers.  The Phillies had a contingent of former players on hand, and I spent Saturday morning following along with the events in London on social media.  This two-game series has the feel of an All-Star Weekend, except with the Phillies as the main characters and the Mets in town since the Phillies needed an opponent.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez gave up a first inning run, but then settled down to pitch 5 2/3 innings while striking out six.  The win improved his record to 10-1.  The Phillies' offense seemed to struggle at first given the early evening sun glare, but once that went away, they jumped on Mets' starter Sean Manaea for six runs in the fourth inning.

Bryce Harper hit a solo home run to right to tie the game at 1-1, sliding into a football/soccer goal celebration as he returned to the Phillies dugout.  An RBI single followed from Edmundo Sosa to score Alec Bohm, and then Whit Merrifield hit a three-run home run to give the Phillies a 5-1 lead.  Cristian Pache doubled and Kyle Schwarber singled him home, chasing Manaea from the game.  Nick Castellanos capped the Phillies scoring with a solo home run to left in the eighth inning.

Featured Card:  Harper doubled in the first, becoming the first Phillies player with a hit in Europe.  His thrilling home run in the fourth will be replayed for years, and I'm waiting for the e-mail from Topps with the celebration image on an inevitable Topps Now card.  Here's a card with several symbols from the first time Philadelphia and England mixed things up.

Transaction:  The Phillies and Mets were both given an extra roster spot for this series, with the Phillies recalling Rafael Marchan (c).  Nick Nelson (rhp) and Darick Hall (1b) are also in London as a two-player taxi squad, just in case they're needed.

L to R: Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

2024 Chachi #39 Rafael Marchan / 2024 Chachi #41 Michael Mercado

2024 Christmas Baseball Card Additions from Santa (and His Helpers)

We interrupt the daily 2024 Chachi card postings to bring a brief report on the annual Christmas baseball card additions to The Phillies Room.  It was another solid year in our household in the gift-giving department.

On Christmas morning, Santa delivered the previously seen 2024 Topps factory set and the Diamond Stars Jimmie Foxx card.  Also added to the mix was a 2024 Topps Holiday Mega Box, which was a lot of fun to open, and the very first card in the Diamond Stars set, Lefty Grove.  Truth be told, Grove was delivered to our house on December 1st, but I decided it was a big enough card that it should be under the tree with the Foxx card.  I had somewhat surprisingly won the Grove card in an eBay auction I had no intention of actually winning.  With the addition of Foxx and Grove, I'm down to needing just six more Diamond Stars cards for my version of a master set.  Progress on that set will likely slow until Christmas 2025.

We traditionally spend the day after Christmas at my Mom's house with my sister's family.  As is now tradition, there was a box of individually wrapped baseball cards waiting to be opened and cherished.  My Mom is going somewhat in order through my 1955 Bowman want list, since I'm not yet officially collecting the set.  She veered off the path of adding cards in order, opting to also track down the Whitey Ford and Roy Campanella cards, two names she recognized from my list and players she thought should enter my set build sooner rather than later.

I hope Santa (or his helpers) brought you plenty of new baseball cards this year too.  Happy New Year!

2024 Chachi #7 Nick Castellanos

#8 / Nicholas Alexander Castellanos / Right Field

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  203
Opening Day Age:  32

Born:  March 4, 1992, Hialeah, FL
Acquired:  Signed as a free agent with the Phillies, March 22, 2022

Contract Status:  Signed through 2026
Major League Teams:  Detroit Tigers 2013-19; Chicago Cubs 2019; Cincinnati Reds 2020-21; Philadelphia Phillies 2022-24

Postseason Appearances:  Detroit Tigers 2014; Cincinnati Reds 2020; Philadelphia Phillies 2022-24

2024 Stadium Club #219

Nick Castellanos started all 162 games for the Phillies in 2024, making 157 starts in right field and getting a slight breather with five starts as the designated hitter.  He had a consistent season, batting .254 with 23 home runs and 86 RBIs, fourth on the club.  Castellanos had several clutch walk-off hits for the Phillies throughout the 2024 season, including a game-winning single in Game 2 of the NLDS, scoring Trea Turner and defeating the Mets, 7-6.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  2011 Topps Pro Debut #110
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10):  2014-24
Favorite 2024 Card:  2024 Stadium Club #219
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  58 as of 12/20/24, 19 added in 2024

Complete Chachi Checklist

2022 Chachi New Additions #13 
2022 Chachi #4

2022 Chachi #71 - NLDS Game 1

2023 Chachi #5

2023 Chachi #46 - All-Star

2023 Chachi #65 - NLDS Game 4

2023 Chachi Friendly Encounters #6

2024 Chachi #7

2024 Chachi #68 - NLDS Game 2

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

2024 Chachi #6 Bryson Stott / 2024 Chachi #8 Brandon Marsh

NLDS Game 2 - Casty, Resilient Phils Battle Back to Walk It Off!

Phillies 7, Mets 6
NLDS Game 2 - Sunday Afternoon, October 6th in Philadelphia
Series tied, 1-1

One Sentence Summary:  Lethargic early on, the Phillies piled on dramatic hits late, capped by Nick Castellanos' game-winning single in this exhausting 7-6 win over the Mets.

What It Means:  The series is tied up, and will resume with Game 3 on Tuesday.  After spending most of the weekend tense, it's nice to go into Monday in a good mood.

What Happened:  Continuing the theme from Saturday, the Phillies looked lifeless at the plate through the first five innings.  Cristopher Sanchez battled through his five innings of work, allowing a two-run home run to Mark Vientos in the third.  Jose Ruiz surrendered a Pete Alonso solo home run in the sixth to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.  In the bottom of the sixth, all with two outs, Trea Turner singled and then Bryce Harper and Castellanos went back-to-back with home runs to tie the game, 3-3.  There was finally some life at the ballpark.

The Mets quickly re-took the lead in the top of the seventh when Brandon Nimmo hit a two-out, solo home run off Orion Kerkering.  But the Phillies would continue to punch back.  In the bottom of the eighth, Harper walked, Castellanos singled, and Bryson Stott tripled them both home to give the Phillies a 5-4 lead.  Stott would score an insurance run on a ground ball hit by J.T. Realmuto to Vientos at third, that should have been called an error when Vientos couldn't handle it.  The Phillies held a 6-4 lead.

In the top of the ninth, looking to close it out, Matt Strahm allowed a single to Francisco Lindor and then a game-tying, two-run home run to Vientos.  The Phillies would need another comeback in the bottom of the ninth, and they'd deliver.  Again with two outs, Turner and Harper both drew walks off Tylor Megill.  Castellanos lined a single to left to score Turner, sending the jubilant Phillies onto the field to celebrate one of the most thrilling wins in their postseason history.

Featured Card:  Stott and Castellanos had the big hits, so they get the highlight card.  I could have easily given Castellanos both panels of this 1984 Topps-inspired design.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

2024 Chachi #67 NLDS Game 1 / 2024 Chachi #69 NLDS Game 3

Mets at Phillies: October 5th to October 6th

2024 Chachi Series Preview #10

2024 Chachi Series Preview #11

Saturday and Sunday 4:08
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  After a dramatic win over the Brewers on Thursday night, the Mets travelled to Philadelphia to take on the division-winning Phillies.  Larry Andersen and Kevin Stocker will throw out the ceremonial first pitches before Game 1.  Hopes are high.

New York Mets 89-73
Defeated Brewers in NLWCS, 2-1

Mets Probables
Kodai Senga (1-0, 3.38)
Luis Severino (11-7, 3.91)

Mets Leaders
Average:  Francisco Lindor - .273
Runs:  Francisco Lindor - 107
Home Runs:  Pete Alonso - 34
RBIs:  Francisco Lindor - 91
Stolen Bases:  Francisco Lindor - 29

Wins:  Sean Manaea - 12
ERA:  Sean Manaea - 3.47

Strikeouts:  Sean Manaea - 184
Saves:  Edwin Diaz - 20

Philadelphia Phillies 95-67
National League East Champions

Phillies Probables
Zack Wheeler (16-7, 2.57)
Cristopher Sanchez (11-9, 3.32)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Trea Turner - .295
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 110
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 38
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 104
Stolen Bases:  Bryson Stott - 32

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 16
ERA:  Zack Wheeler - 2.57
Strikeouts:  Zack Wheeler - 224
Saves:  Jose Alvarado - 13

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 137 - Castellanos Delivers Twice in Clutch

2024 Topps #421

Phillies 3, Braves 2 (11 Innings)
Game 137 - Sunday Night, September 1st in Philadelphia
Record - 81-56, 1st Place, 7 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Nick Castellanos tied the game in the sixth and won the game in the 11th in this clutch win against the second place Braves.

What It Means:  The Phillies took three out of four from their division rivals, adding to their lead, and marching closer to clinching the National League East pennant.  After an off-day on Labor Day, they'll play two quick games in Toronto before heading to Miami for four games.

What Happened:  Aaron Nola pitched six solid innings, allowing a pair of runs on four hits, while striking out nine.  Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth, against the seemingly unhittable Spencer Schwellenbach, Trea Turner singled and Bryce Harper doubled with two outs.  Castellanos fell behind 0-2 and then doubled to left to score both runners and tie the score.  Elite bullpen work from Orion Kerkering, Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm and Carlos Estevez followed, with Estevez contributing two scoreless innings.

In the bottom of the 11th, with Kody Clemens at second base as the ghost runner, a Harper groundout moved Clemens to third.  Again with two outs, and two strikes against him, Castellanos lined a single to center to score Clemens and begin the on-field celebration.

Featured Card:  It's been great this season to feature so many Castellanos cards, and here's his Topps flagship card.

Transactions:  Jose Alvarado (lhp) was activated from the restricted list and Yunior Marte (rhp) was sent back down to the IronPigs.  With active roster sizes expanding to 28, the Phillies added Clemens (inf) and Tyler Phillips (rhp).

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 132 - Casty Supports Nola's Gem with 3-Run Bomb

2024 Topps Now Road to Opening
Day Phillies #OD-190

Phillies 5, Astros 0
Game 132 - Tuesday Night, August 27th in Philadelphia
Record - 78-54, 1st Place, 6 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Aaron Nola, Jose Ruiz and Tanner Banks combined for a six-hit shutout and Nick Castellanos launched a three-run home run in this 5-0 win over the Astros.

What It Means:  The Phillies would go for the series sweep on Wednesday afternoon, but it would not go well.

What Happened:  Nola won his 12th game, giving up four hits and striking out six.  A four-run third inning was highlighted by Castellanos' big swing, scoring Trea Turner and Bryce Harper.  The Phillies had scored their first run when Austin Hays doubled to lead off the inning, and Turner singled him home.  An unneeded insurance run was added in the seventh on an Alec Bohm RBI-double to score Hays.  The Phillies' offense had 11 hits overall.

Featured Card:  Castellanos has been quietly consistent in August, batting .292 for the month through this game with six doubles, a triple and three home runs.

Transaction:  In a few minor moves, Dylan Covey (rhp) was activated from the 60-day injured list, cleared waivers, and was outrighted to Lehigh Valley.  David Buchanan (rhp) was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations.  Buchanan, who last pitched for the Phillies in 2015, had been 9-3 with a 4.82 ERA in 22 games and 102 2/3 innings pitched for the IronPigs.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 73 - Phils Stun Padres with Walk-Off Win

2024 Topps Heritage #270

Phillies 4, Padres 3
Game 73 - Tuesday Night, June 18th in Philadelphia
Record - 49-24, 1st Place, 8 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies strung together four straight ninth inning hits, capped by a game-winning double from Nick Castellanos, to walk-off with a 4-3 win over the Padres.

What It Means:  Trailing 3-1 heading to the bottom of the eighth, the Phillies rallied for three runs to take the walk-off win.  They'd go for a series sweep on Wednesday afternoon, but fall a little short.

What Happened:  Castellanos doubled in the fourth and Brandon Marsh singled him home to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead.  In the sixth, the Padres touched starter Aaron Nola for three runs, including a two-run home run from Luis Campusano.  Kyle Schwarber got a run back in the eighth with a solo home run, his 17th of the season.

In the ninth, with Padres' closer Robert Suarez on the mound, Bryce Harper singled, Alec Bohm singled and Bryson Stott singled to drive home Harper and tie the game.  Castellanos quickly followed with his game-winning double, and the Phillies needed just seven pitches to hand Suarez his first blown save of the season.

Featured Card:  Castellanos is hitting .250 (17 for 68) so far in June, with seven doubles, a pair of home runs and seven RBIs.  He was 4 for 5 in this game, and this is his card from this year's Topps Heritage set.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 64 - Phils, Harper Take London

2022 Topps Home Field
Advantage #HA-3

Phillies 7, Mets 2
Game 64 - Saturday Afternoon, June 8th in London
Record - 45-19, 1st Place, 9 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies and Bryce Harper took London by storm, with The Showman living up to his name with a big day at the plate.

What It Means:  This was fun to watch, although we quickly switched over to the Phillies radio broadcast to avoid the Fox announcers.  The Phillies had a contingent of former players on hand, and I spent Saturday morning following along with the events in London on social media.  This two-game series has the feel of an All-Star Weekend, except with the Phillies as the main characters and the Mets in town since the Phillies needed an opponent.

What Happened:  Ranger Suarez gave up a first inning run, but then settled down to pitch 5 2/3 innings while striking out six.  The win improved his record to 10-1.  The Phillies' offense seemed to struggle at first given the early evening sun glare, but once that went away, they jumped on Mets' starter Sean Manaea for six runs in the fourth inning.

Bryce Harper hit a solo home run to right to tie the game at 1-1, sliding into a football/soccer goal celebration as he returned to the Phillies dugout.  An RBI single followed from Edmundo Sosa to score Alec Bohm, and then Whit Merrifield hit a three-run home run to give the Phillies a 5-1 lead.  Cristian Pache doubled and Kyle Schwarber singled him home, chasing Manaea from the game.  Nick Castellanos capped the Phillies scoring with a solo home run to left in the eighth inning.

Featured Card:  Harper doubled in the first, becoming the first Phillies player with a hit in Europe.  His thrilling home run in the fourth will be replayed for years, and I'm waiting for the e-mail from Topps with the celebration image on an inevitable Topps Now card.  Here's a card with several symbols from the first time Philadelphia and England mixed things up.

Transaction:  The Phillies and Mets were both given an extra roster spot for this series, with the Phillies recalling Rafael Marchan (c).  Nick Nelson (rhp) and Darick Hall (1b) are also in London as a two-player taxi squad, just in case they're needed.

L to R: Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 57 - Sanchez, Casty Help Phils End Skid

2024 Philadelphia Phillies
Kids Club

Phillies 6, Giants 1
Game 57 - Wednesday Afternoon, May 29th in Philadelphia
Record - 39-18, 1st Place, 6 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Cristopher Sanchez and timely hitting from the Phillies offense combined to end the three-game losing streak.

What It Means:  The Phillies have always seemed to have issues on the West Coast, and this trip was no different as they went 2-4.  They're home for six games with the Cardinals and Brewers before heading to London for a pair of highly anticipated games against the Mets.  (I still can't believe we're not going to this, but school and work commitments have won out.)

What Happened:  Sanchez pitched six shutout innings, allowing four hits while striking out seven.  Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez pitched scoreless frames and Spencer Turnbull allowed a ninth inning run.  Kyle Schwarber led off the game with a home run, his 11th of the season, and Cristian Pache added an RBI single in the second.

Bases cleared in the fourth when a few pitches from Giants' pitcher Kyle Harrison got a little too close to Bryce Harper's head.  Nick Castellanos gave the Phillies some breathing room when he connected for a two-run home run in the fifth.  And the Phillies added two more in the eighth on RBI singles from Schwarber and Harper.

Featured Card:  Castellanos has had a mostly miserable season so far, so it was good to see him go 3 for 5 with a double, home run and a pair of RBIs in this game.  Here's his Kids Club card, available exclusively at the ballpark.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 15 - Phils Win as Casty Walks It Off

2024 Topps Phillies #PHI-12

Phillies 4, Pirates 3
Game 15 - Saturday Afternoon, April 13th in Philadelphia
Record - 8-7, 2nd Place, 1 game behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Nick Castellanos lined a bases-loaded ninth inning single to center, scoring the winning run and notching the Phillies' first walk-off win of 2024.

What It Means:  The Phillies will go for the series win this afternoon and hope for a Braves loss against the Marlins.  The Rockies come to town on Monday night for a three-game set.

What Happened:  Starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull labored through four innings, allowing three runs on four hits.  He departed with the Phillies trailing 3-2.  The Phillies scored twice in the first inning when Kyle Schwarber led off the game with his third home run of the season, and Castellanos singled home Trea Turner, who had doubled to reach.  Matt Strahm deserves a lot of credit for his two scoreless innings of relief, in which he struck out five.

The Phillies tied the game in the seventh after Aroldis Chapman entered in relief for the Pirates.  Schwarber walked, went to second on a passed ball, advanced to third when Turner grounded out and came home on an Alec Bohm single.

Featured Card:  By his own admittance, Castellanos has had a horrible start to his 2024 season, and hopefully his big day is the start of his turnaround.  Schwarber walked to start the ninth and was replaced by pinch-runner Whit Merrifield.  A walk and a wild pitch put Merrifield at third and Castellanos brought him home with his game-winning hit.  Here's a sneak preview of his Topps Series Two flagship card from the 17-card Topps Phillies retail team set.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist