​José Alvarado’s 2026 season had already gotten off to a messy start. There were glimmers of hope as the campaign unfolded, even though a brutal BABIP and a streak of situational luck helped inflate his earned run average. Still, there were only so many arguments you could make for a pitcher carrying an ERA over six into tonight’s game. Then came the bottom of the sixth inning. It lasted 35 pitches and involved seven hitters, three of whom drew walks to first base. With two outs, Noelvi Marte squared up an inside cutter that blew the game wide open, catching the left field chalk for a hit that sealed the night’s fate.
It seemed a foregone conclusion that Alvarado’s nine-million-dollar club option would be exercised after 2025, even with the PED suspension that had derailed what had looked like a promising season. Finding left-handed relievers at a comparable pace would be difficult, especially since the team parted ways with Matt Strahm earlier in the offseason. Through 32.0 innings, Alvarado had registered a 7.04 ERA, and whether the rest of the season unfolds favorably or not, the need for a dependable left-handed reliever has become a pressing topic as the trade deadline approaches.
Tanner Banks took the mound for the Phillies for the first time since being recalled, following Alan Rangel in a one-run game in the fourth. Edwin Arroyo greeted Banks with a triple that glanced past Gabriel Rincones Jr.—almost a single, save for a lucky bounce. After TJ Friedl’s failed bunt attempt, three of Cincinnati’s top-of-the-order hitters stepped up. Elly De La Cruz ripped a slider to right field to push the score to 5-2. Sal Stewart slapped a fastball to right field that barely cleared Great American Ball Park for his second homer of the night. To cap the inning, JJ Bleday crushed a hanging slider for a homer, pushing Banks to the showers after just one out in a planned bullpen appearance.
So, aside from that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? The Phillies swung the bats well against Chase Burns all night, drawing six walks, scoring three runs, and forcing Burns to throw 106 pitches over five innings. Gabriel Rincones Jr. is beginning to look like a usable, semi-productive platoon corner bat. While he’s probably not an outfielder, Rincones Jr. did smoke a double to center off Burns and eventually scored on a Justin Crawford triple. Kyle Schwarber, channeling a familiar energy, hit his 32nd home run in the ninth, a blast that nudged the score in a way that made me rethink the game’s headline.
Speaking of Justin Crawford, his two hits on the night have elevated his OPS to .666—a number that, given the circumstances, is oddly humorous. This game also served as a test for a few relievers. Max Lazar was called up just yesterday and delivered a solid 1.1 innings, continuing to resemble the same AAAA profile he’s shown before. More splitters would help, but the outing was adequate given the role he’s stepping into.
Brad Keller took the mound for the Phillies for the first time since June 13, the outing in which he surrendered three runs to the Brewers that had nearly cost the Phillies more than it did. The night left the Phillies with several decision points to consider as they move toward the trade deadline and the rest of the season, balancing projections with performances and the ongoing search for bullpen stability.