The Phillies have already clinched the top NL Wild Card spot with a 89-72 record heading into the final day of the regular season, and have turned their attention to preparing for the club’s playoff run.
Fans in Philadelphia suffered a scare regarding the availability of shortstop Trea Turner yesterday when he exited the second game of yesterday’s doubleheader after being hit in the elbow by a pitch. Fortunately, Turner only suffered a bruise from the incident, as noted by Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As relayed by Coffey, manager Rob Thomson told reporters yesterday that while Turner is unlikely to play in today’s regular season finale, he’s expected to be ready to go for the start of the Wild Card series on Tuesday. After a rough start to his $300MM contract with the Phillies in the first few months of the season, Turner has caught fire at the plate in recent weeks, slashing .339/.391/.677 over his last 47 games. That hot stretch has raised his overall slash line this season to .266/.320/.459, good for an above-average 108 wRC+.
Meanwhile, as the Phillies look for a platoon partner for outfielder Brandon Marsh headed into the playoffs, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb suggests that the club could turn to 29-year-old rookie Weston Wilson. Wilson has appeared in just five games with the Phillies this year, but has hit well in limited playing time, with two hits (including a home run) and six walks in 12 trips to the plate. Wilson, who slashed .325/.416/.609 in 178 trips to the plate against lefties at the Triple-A level this year, could usurp Cristian Pache as the club’s starter in left field against left-handers thanks to Pache’s brutal .091/.231/.152 slash line in 15 games this September.
More from around the NL East…
- Even after reportedly hiring David Stearns to become the club’s new president of baseball operations this offseason, the Mets are still looking to add to their organizational leadership. According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, owner Steve Cohen figures to “ramp up” efforts to hire a new team president to replace Sandy Alderson, who vacated the position back in February. The search for a new team president began last September, when Alderson announced he would be stepping down. At the time, the club was reportedly focused on candidates who would be focus primarily on the club’s business operations. Given the impending hiring of Stearns to helm the club’s baseball operations, it stands to reason this plan remains in place as the Mets renew their search for a team president.
- The Braves announced this afternoon that they have recalled left-hander Dylan Dodd, who figures to start today’s regular season finale against Washington. The Braves have long since clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs, allowing the club to offer right-hander Bryce Elder some additional rest ahead of the club’s postseason run. Elder, who’s 180 2/3 innings of work between the majors and minors this season represents a career high, was one of the club’s most reliable starters early in the season but has struggled badly in recent weeks with a 5.26 ERA in ten starts since the calendar flipped to August. With Charlie Morton expected to remain on the injured list until the NLCS, Elder is perhaps the club’s most likely option to start Game 3 of the NLDS behind Max Fried and Spencer Strider.
The Legend of Weston Wilson…..coming to a youtube channel near you…..
Weston Wilson is a God amongst men. His sheer power on the baseball diamond is unmatched. None can rival his talents. He’s so powerful, he took it easy on the Mets in game 2 out of benevolence.
….the legend only grows larger with each passing feat.
The legend of his wife is more like it
The Mets plan to introduce David Stearns tomorrow, but the press conference might be delayed. Mets would have to complete their suspended game vs. Miami on Monday should the Marlins lose and Arizona win on Sunday. (Suspended game affects NL wild card seeding.)
Lol Mets,
Announce David Stearns at Noon presser, then watch the Marlins celebrate walking off at Citifield into the Playoffs. So lol Mets.
That press conference is scheduled for 1 PM, which is the time the suspended game would resume if necessary.
Pretty sure I read Noon as 1 PM there may need to be a Game resumed.
Chucky,
NY Post article has it at Noon.
nypost.com/2023/09/29/postponed-mets-game-complica…
Mets are such an organizational mess lol. They need someone to supervise the Grounds crew who failed to cover the infield last Saturday as the Field wasn’t playable when the Rains ended on Tuesday vs. the Marlins. This required a DH on Wednesday with the Marlins trying to set up their SP. Then the debacle vs. the Marlins Thursday night with the 3 hours delay tarp on tarp off oops suspended game to be continued on Monday.
I’m picking Marlins as World Series Champs!!!!
Put the crack pipe down
Agreed, go wack, smoke crack.
Do they really trust Weston Wilson more than Brandon Marsh in a playoff game? Yeah he is not good right now against LHP, but he is never going to get better if he never sees it. All it does it tell the player that the manager doesn’t believe he will ever get better. Not the best motivational tool.
I think it comes down to Wilson V Pache for the roster spot.
If the Phils face Miami, it WILL be interesting to see who’s in left? Apparently they are set up to throw LHPs in games 1 and 2? It would help if Marsh wasn’t mired in a long slump….
If Steve Cohen Is smart he hire Kenny Williams as president of business
Kenny has both baseball smarts and been Jerry Reinsdorf right man for past 10 years he has learn both the business of baseball and building a winning farm system and major league club. SC go get KW
As a Braves fan, I would love this. Kenny Williams is nothing short of an absolute disaster. If Reinsdorf weren’t such a terrible owner, he would have fired KW 15 earlier. Instead, he promoted him and allowed the hiring of arguably even a worse GM in Hahn.
Actually if you look back, the Marlins have won the World Series as a wild card entry before.
I’m not ruling anything out, but hoping that Atlanta is able to get healthy and play great in the post season.
The best team does not always win.
Who was the GM when the Chicago White Sox won the World Series 2005.
Who hire the manager that help them win In 2005.
Who was the senior executive VP that help the White Sox win best minor league for 3 straight years.
Answer to question 1-2-3 Kenny Williams. Now go home and get your shine box.
I’m a Sox fan as well as a Braves fan, but you might be the only Sox fan that defends both KW and Reinsdorf. You would be hard pressed to find 5 other Sox fans that share anything resembling such a high opinion of either of them.
Just in: Buck Showalter is OUT as the Mets’ dugout boss!
That’s what you get for being named “Manager of the Year” when you didn’t deserve it.
It’s not “who’s 180 2/3 innings,” it’s “WHOSE 180 2/3 innings.” Unless you’re saying that Bryce Elder IS 180 2/3 innings and not a human baseball player.
Jesus, this Deeds kid is awful.