High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Another Comeback, Another Win

Episode Date: May 19, 2026

The Phillies pulled off another comeback win on Monday night thanks to Bryson Stott's late home run. Jack Fritz reacts to the team's 16th win in their last 20 games and evaluates Andrew Painter's latest performances. Presented by Miller Lite.To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com

We got a ball season. Welcome on, and it is the final out. Jack Fritz hanging out with you here on this Monday night, reacting to a late heroic comeback win by the Philist Tonight 5-4 over the Cincinnati Reds. As always, the final out is brought to you by the Philadelphia Parking Authority offering Valet Park at PHS. airport, the Philly Airport. Man, exciting times. Five straight wins by the Phillies. And, you know, all of a sudden,

they're two games over 500. It feels like yesterday they were 9 and 19. And then a couple games under. And now two games over and streaking. Absolutely streaking. The game wrap-up is sponsored by Rhodo. When plumbing problems hit, wrap them up quick and call Roto Router.

Their team tackles, clogs, and leagues. can stay in the game, roto-ruder, your MVP for plumbing solutions. 2.15.5.92, 94 to get in on this one. I tell you what? I tell you what? Weather heated up. Philly's playing good ball again. All of a sudden, a crowd of 40,000 down at CBP tonight. So if you're stuck in traffic on your way home, we'd love to talk to you. Would love to get your reactions to what was a pretty thrilling game. One where, we'll get into it, but one where they went down, and you just didn't, feel like they were out of it. You just didn't feel like they were out of it. The biggest

takeaways of the game brought to by Morgan and Morgan, America's largest energy law firm. And that was my biggest takeaway is, you know, they go down the game. It's two, two. They're kind of hanging around. Boom, it's the home run. You're like, all right, good, good, good. And all of a sudden, they're down. And with how they're playing and the belief they have and finally coming together. I'll never forget, as long as the season ends well, but I'll never forget J.T. talking about Don Mattingley's message right after he got hired and the interim tag was placed on him and he took over for Rob Thompson.

He said, you know, one of his message was take this personally. And, you know, for a team, I thought early in the season, a selfish baseball, not playing team baseball, not being together. And subtly by saying that, John Maddally was saying he noticed it, and they needed to come together if they were going to write the ship and pull themselves out of it and go on a run. And the tightness looks like it's back.

The fun looks like it's back. Now, obviously, that's easier when you're winning baseball games and the offense is doing its thing. It's easier to look like you're having fun, but it feels like an infectious belief. that they're going to find a way to win a ballgame. And, you know, early in the season, when they would go down, you really felt them hang their heads and, you know,

have a case of the poor me's. And now it's like, we're fine. We're going to find a way to come back and win this game. And I think that Friday night in Pittsburgh was really big for them to have that self-belief. Even that coming back against the Rockies, they lost, that's still an impressive comeback. There's been times when they would go down 7-2, and it's like, ah, it's not our night.

Let's throw some guys out there, and we'll get on tomorrow. It's not really been the message underdown manually. It's been, hey, we're here to win every single game. We're going to do our best to win every single game. And they came back tonight. Graham Ashcroft is not a bad reliever, and pull-air percentage, Stott, did his thing, and took him yard and saved the night for a Philly's bullpen

that did not have their best night. That is my second biggest takeaway is that it was another disappointment. It was a disappointing bullpen game. And Brad Keller is going to get crushed and mostly rightfully so. I don't leave tonight feeling hopeless with Brad Keller.

Seems like he makes one mistake a night and it gets blasted. And I mean, that was a horrible... You know, for all the good baseball they've played recently, I feel like they've made a good amount of bad two-strike pitches, whether it's bad fastball location or hangers. And, you know, you can't always get majorly badders of chase with two strikes, but it's been a lot of one-two meatballs, I feel like, from this team,

just missing spots, at least recently. Our own Tucker Bagley tweeted this a little bit earlier, but Brad Keller now has a 6-ERA at home and a 2-ERA on the road. In Boston, he looked great. Pittsburgh. He looks great. Then he's second on Mountain first batterer takes him deep. Overall, I still think he's going to be fine. He's allowed more home runs than I

believe I expected when they signed him. But still, I mean, the results are the results. His walk-in song is, I don't keep complaining about it until I'm blue in the face or they do something about it. It's the worst walk-up song I've ever heard. Now, Saza Hernandez was really bad. Like, G. Mar Gomez had a bad one,

back in the day. But this guy with the Imagine Dragons will do whatever. It's just so corny and bad. Again, I think the other team laughs at it, relaxes a little bit, and said, let's go ahead to baseball. Well, the Phillies are laughing. Someone's

got to talk to Brad Keller. We've got to have a sit-down conversation. It's the worst walk-up song, walk-out song I've ever heard in my entire life. And I think it legitimately, drains the energy from the ballpark. It's that bad.

It's that bad. And it's that important to change it. Someone's got to talk to Brad Keller. And then Alvarado, you know, one of those nights where he doesn't have it. And a really, if this is Rob Thompson, he's getting killed. There's two moves that I think Thompson gets killed over tonight if they lose this game. One, pulling Andrew Painter after he just retired 10 straight and only had 66 pitches. And then immediately after he's taken out of the game,

Brad Keller, you know, allows a bomb to South Stewart. I think Thompson gets killed over that. And then, you know, with Spencer Steer, Spencer Sears at the plate, Redd's player in scoring position, it's a 3-1 count. You have J.J. Bladay up next. You kind of felt like, you know,

maybe Alvarado doesn't have enough command to pitch around a guy, but kind of felt like they were pitching around steer at the plate to get to Bleday on a lefty rather than go to Kerkering. It was the matchup they wanted. Rather than Kirkering on Steer and then if things don't go well, it's Kerkering on Bleday,

who Bleday heading into this game tonight had an OPS over 1,200 against right-handed pitching. They opted for Alvarado against Stier, trust him there, and hey, if he doesn't get him, then we got we have Alvarado on Blede and we like that matchup.

So that was the decision they make, except Spencer Sear hit the go-ahead run by the Reds. Now, thankfully, the Phillies came back and won that game, but those two certainly did not have great nights after they both had really strong road trips. So Brad Keller Averado, now I will say, Duran looked great. You know, struck out two. I think he's like a 20K per nine in May. So it was a one-run game.

He just came in and showed. shut the door. Now, it was a long impact to Nathaniel Lowe, and he was squaring up some of those 102-mile-an-hour fastballs, like just missing them, and I was definitely getting a little bit nervous. But overall, I mean, still, the results of results, two strikeouts tonight, and a free and easy, free and easy, ninth inning. 215, 592, 94, 94, before we go to the phones, I want to talk about Painter, who, it's an encouraging outing. I think if you look at it from the standpoint of, the biggest trouble I think people are having with Painter is just putting it in its proper context because of him being the number one pitching prospect in baseball in 2022

and heading into the year of 2023 and seeing what Paul Skeens has turned into when Nolan McLean and guys like that I think we have put these expectations that well now he's got to be this he's not like he's he's actually more of the norm I feel like for, and I've talked about this at nauseam, but for high school pitchers coming up, I feel like he's actually the norm. This is what usually happens. You're going to have growing pains.

These aren't college kids that, you know, can develop at college programs. They've been developing in the minor leagues. And sometimes it just takes a little while to find your footing at the big league level. Not everyone's Paul Skeen's. Not everyone's Nolan McLean. Not everyone is these guys that just step on a big league mountain

and there's no issues. So tonight was a step forward. He did only generate three whiffs, which is definitely like a 9% whiff rate and no whiffs on his fastball. So that is legitimately concerning. But I think he did a good job of limiting hard contact. There was the second inning

where they kind of jumped on them and scored and it was, it was, you know, it was two, two just like that. But he did settle in. That's two straight starts where he did settle in. He started striking guys out later into an outing. I continue to be intrigued. It looks like they're trying to actively throw his sweeper and slider a little bit harder to have a little bit more bite to them, which I think is good,

especially against right-handed pitchers or right-handed hitters. You know, sinkers in and sweepers and sliders to, to righties and then the split and four seamers in to left. There was more four seamers to righties tonight than in his startup in Boston. But I also felt like he was behind and counts a lot more. So, you know, overall, the Reds aren't a great average team. You know, they don't string together a bunch of base hits and stuff like that. But they, I think they headed into the night's game, the third most home runs in baseball.

So, again, I just, you take the baby steps with Andrew Painter. They still have the training wheels on him. He's at 66 pitches. He just retired 10 straight. It was an interesting time to get him out. But with a young pitcher that you're trying to develop, getting him out there feeling good about himself rather than feeling that you've got to push him this early into his career, I'll take the small wins and.

build him up and go from there. And down the road, if he feel like he's earned that third time through against Harder the order, then go ahead because he's eventually, hopefully, going to have to do it. But for right now, perfectly fine with this plan. Bullpen was in a good spot. Keller Avarado and Durant should have been enough to get it done. And thankfully, Stoddor bailed him out. And they're able to take home a win tonight against the Reds.

2.05-592-94-fure and away home from the game. or watch the one on your couch. I would love to hear your takeaways from tonight. My guy Dave in Maryland. What's happening, Dave? Nice to have our baseball team back. It's just great to see first inning, two sack flies. I mean, who the heck is this team, you know,

not squandering an opportunity and scoring two runs in the unconventional way? Stott finally found for the baseball purist, the out-of-town scoreboard use with the launch angle. And he said he was looking at that. and all the people who like the old board were cringing. The pull air percentage? I mean, come on. It's important stuff.

There you go. It matters. Yes. But then, Duran, I'm just amazed. Maybe it's because he throws so many strikes. How many times people foul off 102 against him? It's crazy. I know. I know.

I know. But, you know, he throws strikes, which, you know, that's the positive of it. you know, gets, you know, kind of gets us in and out of innings. If it happens, it's going to happen quick. And then just, uh, just stock coming up huge. It was great to see tonight. Good for him and good for the ball club when the game where Schwerber didn't play. And, you know, five hits and they scratched one out.

And obviously a month ago, that's a loss. And tonight it's a win. And, you know, we move on. So go get tomorrow. Appreciate it, Dave. Appreciate it. Yeah. Anytime we're sitting there and you see the lineup and we're like,

ah, this is a spring training lineup. What is Topper madly doing? This lineup of Trojus. I know Shortwood didn't play tonight. It feels like they always win that game over the last couple of years is everyone publicly questioning what's going on with the lineup. They usually, that night, ends up with a W. On their side, we'll get to the wow moment of the game.

and some other things that stuck out, and a fun little promotion in the minor leagues. With all that coming up next to here on the final out, sports radio 94 WIPA. Now, if it was 93 degrees, or if it wasn't 93 degrees, maybe in the 60s or 70s, does that get out? I don't know.

It's certainly hung up there for a while. But regardless, how about Bowman Stodder? All of a sudden, just as baseball goes, the ebbin flows of the season. The two guys, they were so maligned after having both at Great Springs and had just horrible first month and a half of the season.

Signs of life. Signs of life from those till we'll get to more boom next segment. But stop right now. And that is our wow mode of the game, which is brought to you by the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, from Waterfalls to Fairways,

mountain resorts to her lighthouse tours. Find your wow at visit nj.com. This is the final out. by the Philadelphia Parking Authority. 215-592-924-94 to react to a Phil's win down at the ballpark tonight in front of 40,000 on a Monday night on May 18th. Love it. So, you know, I say it a lot. I've talked about a lot about how he's been increasing his pull-air percentage,

which means the amount of times that he, or percentage of it bats that he, you know, pulls the ball in the air. He's, I think, around 22%, which is up from 11% last year. he is changing into a different hitter in front of our eyes. I think when he first came up, he was used the whole field and foul a ton of pitches and be a pest up there. You know, and we would take his singles when they were there. But we're kind of seeing more now.

E.C. is trying to launch. And he is trying to do damage and slug. And he's just like the average is probably going to stay relatively low. but I think what you're seeing is is more impact than driving the baseball. I mean, he had a big double over the weekend out in Pittsburgh. He had the home run in Pittsburgh yesterday

than the home run tonight. He's starting to see good results from, you know, what was going on under the hood. You know, his hard hit percentages, the highs of his career. He's pulling the ball more, looking to do damage, slug, all that good stuff. That's been,

been percolating under the surface with Stott. And in the month of May, you start to see more power, start to see more balls and gap, and that is what you want to see. I appreciate the good old-fashioned singles hitter and pest and fouling off a time, but if it ends in a weak fly ball to left field where it looks like he's swinging a pool noodle, that's not, who cares, you know? That doesn't matter. So seeing him actively trying to drive the baseball is a very, very good development for this team and really could change the trajectory of his career, especially what he gives his team defensively.

If he can mix in 15 to 20 bombs with what he does defensively and not hit in the 180s, because he won't. I'm just saying that there's a, we've always talked about the baseline for Stott to be a very valuable player. Well, the baseline is pretty low because he's such a good defensive player. He's great on the base pass. The question was always his ability to consistently hit. And if he is more consistently looking to drive and pull the ball and he can use that shortish porch in right field, good.

He uses your advantage. And it's really been some good developments for Bryson Stott. Let's go back to the phones. Bobby is in Buckingham. What's happening, Bob? What's up, Jackie Baseball? I always love him. Your baseball analysis.

You know, a dumb guy like me really appreciates the statistics. Well, I appreciate that. I don't know how everyone feels about the stats, but I'm glad that you like them. What do you? I mean, I hate saying, you know, they're back, they're back. long season.

I enjoy the, I just want to see them fight like they have been fighting down and just choke up on the bat and make contact and keep the game. If you lose one, okay, but at least you tried. You know, that we were getting shut out by nobody and our top hitters aren't hitting and not sticking up for our outstanding pitching. And it seems like everything's coming along. So I'm just enjoying the ride. Yeah, Bobby, and I appreciate the phone call, and it feels like, you know, tonight was one of those nights where offense was, you know, just good enough.

I mean, they score five runs. I think you certainly feel good about your chances with how the starting staff has been. Now, tonight's starting pitcher, maybe he felt a little bit differently, but he was good tonight. What was annoying about tonight was the Keller and Alvarado, who had been very good. And I'm not really past. Keller's a tough one for me. He showed some flashes tonight. It was nice to see him actually locate his change up a couple times

instead of just flailing it up there at 94 and not having it anywhere near the strike zone. I think he actually kept it in the zone long enough to where it could fool the left-hand hitter to swing over it. Like there's still too much good in there with Brad Keller. I'm mocking for the Imagine Dragons, and I've been frustrated. I just, I think there's, there's still a good, useful piece in Brad Keller. And, like, he's got to find his consistency.

He's got to figure out something at home on the road. Again, he's fine. He's got two ERA on the road and a six ERA at home. I don't know what happens here. I mean, Abrams said the home run that I think was going out tonight, off the bat. You kind of had a good feeling of where that one's going. But I don't know. I still think there's a good reliever.

in Brad Keller. Some other things. The Duran strikeouts, good to see there. I mean, he, again, it was a long and bad against Lowe to start it off, but did eventually get him. That sinker he threw a low was disgusting. 98 and just unbelievable tumbling action. So, you know, he is, he is, he did not make us sweat tonight,

which at least is a big step forward. And then a fun little development in the minor leagues today is their first round pick from last year, Gage Wood, is jumping Jersey Shore. So he's going straight from Clearwater to Redding. Unfortunately, the Redding Flight and Fields are on the road. I think this is about challenging him. You know, his fastball was going to be good enough to get out. And I think they wanted to wait a little bit until it warmed up.

I don't think they want to put him up here when it was still a little cold. He's had some injury stuff in the past with Arkansas and, you know, trying to protect him as best as they'd. can. But, you know, Gages someone who I think that could eat in the minor leagues or low minor leagues by just throwing his fastball predominantly. Now by going to Redding and going up to

to double A, you know, it forces him to hone in on his secondaries and not just get good results because his fastball is so good at the low levels of minor leagues. Now he can get the double A against some better hitters and

hone in on developing that change up. hone in on having better command of his of his secondaries. You know, he's, he had a, he had, he kind of burst onto the scene in his first three starts, and then, and then he's been good since at, at low A, but there has been a little bit more walking, a little bit more free passes that he's given out. So, you know, I, I think that overall, they're just trying to, to challenge them and, and see if they can unlock another level. Now, what this does open the door for,

now a lot of things would have to happen. First off, there'd have to be a spot for him. They also would have to feel comfortable where he is at, innings-wise, because he's never thrown more than 40 innings at a season, and he's already at 26 innings, which is crazy. So, like, but him being at AA already, theoretically if he pitches well through July there, then he gets to AAA, even earlier.

I mean, if he pitches well through the end of June or midway through July and his overpowering hitters are looking apart in AA, and then they move him up to AAA. I mean, there is a path to him being in the big leagues this year. I wouldn't say it's likely, but by him just jumping a level and going straight to AA in May, It's on the table. And, I mean,

Trey Yosevich last year jumped every, he went every single level and was pitching and starting playoff games and World Series games for the Blue Jays last year. Now, Yosevich threw 100 innings in his junior year at ECU. So he certainly, again, had more of a starter's workload. But I wouldn't say it's impossible that Gage would, gets some big lead time this year. Now, it's not going to be other bullpen.

I think that's a waste of time. He is, you want to develop him as a starter. I'd rather him get AAA starting reps rather than bullpen, bullpen usage late in the season. But who knows where the rotation is at? They don't have great depth. There's no one really at AAA all that interesting. You know, no one really at AA now until Wood has gotten here.

There's not another real arm. if painter falters or they need to put him in the I.O. Or he gets hurt or Nola continues a pitch away that he does. I don't know what the remedy is for Nola. I mean, they're paying him a lot of money. He's not going to the bullpen. They're not getting sent down. You've got to kind of keep trotting him out there and hope that one of these days is going to click.

But that certainly seems like a big ask right now. So we'll see. But it certainly was exciting seeing Gage Wood, get brought up to the AA earlier today. On their side, we will look at the tomorrow, fun game tomorrow. Looking forward to it and get to the player of the game. Here on the final out on Sports Radio 94 WIPA.

Yes, his resurgence does continue. Alec Bohm, since his two-day reset, once again, Don Maddenly pressing the correct button, he gave Alec Boehm a two-day reset, trying to clear his mind, getting away from the game, and he's come back firing. I mean, heading into the deadline. night. He was hitting 406 with an OPS over 1,200. That's only going up. He had a big home run there.

Good to see. He also followed up with a single after that. Pretty proactive move, pinch running for him in that situation. You know, he's taking him out of the game, obviously, to put stubs in there. Usually, I mean, you can make the case that you'd rather do that with a runner on second base. You feel like you're in a better position or you're more. confident in your ability to score there rather than kind of relying on a ball in the gap to score from first base but he went with it ended up not mattering you know stott had the home run after the game he said that if that score may tie them bryce is going to go to first or no no stubbs is going to stay in first base they didn't lose the dh but i guess protecting the

lead they they want the better defensive first baseman so either way alick boehm is our player of the game brought to you by South Jersey Gas. Make the smart play save energy and money at South Jersey Gas at SJG SaveEnergy.com. Again, little things I just feel like we haven't, we didn't see under Thompson, you know, the pinch running situation there. In general, it feels like they're being more aggressive on the base pass. We've certainly seen more hit and runs. The one thing that that I think under Thompson was, it would cost them in some regular season games and certainly in postseason play as well, but, you know, I feel like he was very, very risk-averse and never wanted guys to run because of the

threat of the home run, you know, hit and runs, not want to start a guy and then hit a ball because the threat of a line drive and getting doubled off. Or, you know, being aggressive in getting a bone out of the game to put in a faster runner or a laden it to try to tie it up. or with Nola on Friday with starters, like kind of let him go out there and eat things and possibly take you out of a game, you know,

and not giving you a chance to come back, whereas, you know, Maddenly still is pulling strings and trying to keep it as close as he can, just give the offense a shot. And I'm sure the offense feels that too, saying, hey, we got a shot. So, you know,

and this Boem decision, I felt like he never, like he would move guys down in the lineup, but he never would sit guys because he would be like, hey, well, it doesn't give us the best chance to win today. And my point whenever he did that was it's not about winning today, it's about winning for the future. And, you know, there would be times where guys are struggling.

And rather than just giving them some time off because, you know, you just trust that they're going to find their way through it, sometimes it's good to maybe put in someone who theoretically will not give you a better chance to win that game today. but over the long long haul that two-day reset or couple game reset could be the best thing for the future of the team and i feel like he never thought like that he thought very now it's very practical hey why would i take this guy out of the game he makes me better today uh whereas i feel like maybe there's a little bit more of a an emotional intelligence from from down maddenley so starting to continue to see the little things and the the small subtle changes that maddenley talked to about when he took over for him. And I tell you what, really bad precedent for eventually when Don Madeline is not the manager and whoever's in here next, every time they fire a manager, they go on an unbelievable run.

So what a dangerous precedent for the future of Phillies baseball, and certainly for as long as I'm on WIP. Anytime they're struggling earlier in the season, just fire them and get the bench coach in there. We'll go on and run and that'll take care of itself. Tomorrow down at CBP, Hazus Lizardo versus Chase Burns, which is a sick matchup. talk about two power pitchers. Chase Burns is awesome. If you haven't watched Chase Burns, you know, he is, he's got a unicorn fastball. If Paul Skeins didn't exist, he's, you know, well, him and Mizorowski are the best pitches in the, in the NL Central. But man, Chase Burns is

going to be electric tomorrow. And then Lazzardo, just been so Jekyll and Hyde. We're really, really good, and then a blow-up start. Really good, blow-up start. It just has not found the consistency. The upside's there. The upside's obvious. The upside. side's great, but man, he has not been as consistent as he was last year. So on flashes, but hasn't been able to put it all together. It's either like seven shutout or four-ending six runs. That's been the 2026 Jesus Lazardo experiment. Either way, I will be with you after the game and obviously leading into it with the afternoon show.

Thanks for hanging out. Francisco Rojas produced the program tonight. Jody Mack is coming up next here on Sports Radio 94WIPA.