High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Phillies Offense Sputters In Third-Straight Loss

Episode Date: August 15, 2025

Jack Fritz reacts to the Phillies' 3-2 loss at the hands of the Nationals on Thursday night in Washington. Presented by Miller Lite To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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are aimed to educate entertain and most importantly inform you follow the baseballs and boring podcast in the free odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast oh welcome on and it is the final out jack fritz hanging out with you here on this thursday night as we react to another lethargic efforts from the Phil's. After Monday night, oh man, after Monday night in Cincinnati was like there. They are. They've arrived. Three straight loss.

Three straight losses. Not the most inspiring effort. And not fully, fully able to capitalize on the Mets struggle. The game wrap-up sponsored by Roto Router when plumbing problems hit, wrap them up quick and call Roto Router. their team tackles clogs and leaks so you can stay in the game. Roto, Routary, MVP for plumbing solutions. 215-592-94 to get in.

If you were down in Washington and making a kind of somber drive home, we'd love to hear from you. Or if you watch this one on your couch like I did, we'd love to hear from you as well. Again, 215-592-94-as-the-fills fall 3-2 to that Nationals team, who is just dreadful, just dreadful. I mean, even, not even to talk about having the worst bullpenny area in baseball. A lot of the young kids that they've brought up and drafted and traded for

seem like they're not really progressing. Couldn't name four. I watch a lot of baseball. Couldn't name a handful of guys in that Nationals lineup. Bad loss. Bad loss on what has been a bad stretch. Three straight losses. first time they've done that since June, they were going to swoon again, naturally.

We know it's a baseball season, but against that team makes it that much more frustrating. The biggest takeaway is the game brought to you by Morgan and Morgan America's largest injury law for him. I thought it was Thompson's worst game of the season. You know, Rob Thompson's not someone that I think costs his team games. I think he is a top manager in baseball. I think he does a great job. But I thought that was a poor managing job tonight. There was no need for Lazardo to start the next inning.

You know, Lazzardo is someone who I think is a confidence guy. I think he is someone that when he gets on a roll, he starts to feel it a little bit. And I thought tonight he was in a good spot to get out of that game. 83 pitches, leave him out on a high note. no need to put it. I know it's the nationals. I know they don't have a great lineup. I understand all that. Your bullpen, it's fully rested. Hazis Lazzardo is pitching a ton of innings. If I told you before the year, he'd be at this point of the season, and he hasn't had it missed any time, and he made every start. And I know ZRA's in the fours, but we know it's been really, really good,

really bad, and then sometimes somewhere in between, you would take that. Because it's a guy who has made 32 starts one time in his career two years ago. That's it. He's battled injuries before. There was no need to, like, you just could have gotten him out of there with 83 pitches, a very positive outing. Tonight I thought that he was in the zone. He was competitive in the zone. I thought he was aggressive with this fastball. I thought they used that sinker a little bit more. His force seam gets blasted. Maybe they're making an adjustment there. It was a positive. It was a positive Hayes-Lazard tonight. And I think he ultimately will start a playoff game

if it gets to a game four earlier in the series if they have to use him out of the bullpen. Okay, I think Ranger is probably going to the pen. It felt like he was pushing it. It felt like Thompson was pushing it when he didn't need to. And again, the bullpen was fully rested. You know, those guys haven't pitched in a couple of days.

They were in a healthy spot. Just use them. Just use them. No need to, especially with how much this starting staff has been used this year, this is not the bullpen that we saw even before the trade deadline. Bullpen's in a different spot now. Thompson's got to adjust. It's okay to get these guys out after the sixth. We don't have to have like PTSD of what the early bullpen struggles were like. So that wasn't good. And then the Sosa decision, and you just

heard Thompson. Thompson said that, you know, he wanted to go for the tie there because he felt his bullpen was in a better spot. Okay. I would just let him hit 3-1 or make him throw another strike. That's a kid who's going through for his first save in the big leagues. He was all over the place. Even like it was either a slider was out of the zone or a sinker in was almost hitting a righty.

And Trey swung two of them and knocked his helmet off. But in that situation, with a kid who's going for his first save, that's a pressure-packed situation. He already, I mean, Kepler roped the ball off him to begin the inning. It felt like, here's a free out. There's no need to give away free outs, especially when you're down on the road. We don't need to give away free outs. So I thought that was a mistake.

So those two things, now overall, they didn't hit enough tonight. And, I mean, it did sound like a brutal travel day. Fransky and stock were talking about how they got to bed at like five in the morning between 4.30 and 5.30 in the morning because the plane had to be deborded and they had to fix the plane, yada, yada, yada. So they left a little bit later and got to Nats Park around what, like three or four maybe. so there is an excuse there you know we can use that you can either say that's an excuse or an explanation i think there's a nice common ground problem is they've just been lethargic the last three games and they got to snap out of this i mean it's a bad nationals team i know you're the tail end of a 10 game road trip, but you got to lock in and take care of bad

teams. You got to lock in and take care of bad teams. Bruttle Travel Day, totally get it. Annoying. Sure. Go out and steal winning at the Nationals and get a good night's rest and let's go take care of business. They still can. We take three or four, but man, a missed opportunity. to the night. And again, I thought Rob Thompson's worst game is, or worst game of the season. 215, 592, 94-94 to get in. Final thing here before we go to the phones. And this is a PSA to the Phillies. Do not, and this is really the Thompson, do not die on the Nick Castiano's Hill. Don't do it. I feel like they're going to do it. they don't need to do it one for his last 24 now i know the ball tonight

dylan cruz minnie's play on don't care guys got an o bp around 210 since july first since the benching he's hitting under 220 hasn't drawn a walk in august his war is now negative over negative of one. By war, he is one of the nine worst players in baseball. He is, he is utterly useless as a baseball player. And I know we have this perception that he's some clutch guy, you know, in the postseason. I will say, Met Series he showed up last year, and two games in 2023, he went off. but for his tenure here he has been a colossal disappointment and a lot of empty stats and a lot of empty numbers and right now cannot believe I'm saying it

cannot believe I'm saying it Max Kepler and right field gives this team a better chance to win he smoked three balls tonight he's been hitting the ball harder little things that you're seeing Kepler and right against righties if you want to play cast against lefties okay whatever he has lost the right

to be an everyday player he has lost the right I know it's going to hurt when they have to trade in this offseason and their teams are like the value is going to be done a lot like with Bohem last year when they benched him I think that hurt

he just trade value whatever I don't care I care about this team Kepler and right, Bader and center, Martian left, and let's ride. You want to keep someone up with Weston Wilson to hit lefties and play left field?

Great. Like, okay, fine. I feel like they're going to die on the Cassiano's thing. Die on that hill. It's a mistake. It's not coming back. He's an unproductive, Empty stats baseball player.

Barely, by baseball player standards, it's not even that. He's a bad baseball player. He's a bad baseball player with bad at bats. And I just, it's an excruciating watch. Watching eight right now. Watching eight. 215-592-94-94. Pat's in Woolwich Township.

What's happening, Pat? Hey, what's up, Jack? I met you guys before a couple times. You guys are the ones that signed my High Hopes baseball, and we sat it next to the Mickey Mantle ball, if you remember. Oh, yes, yes, my guy. How are you? Good, good.

You set me up perfectly. I couldn't agree with you more. First of all, we can all, because some of my friends are disagreeing, we can all agree that the offense is probably the top to blame, the offense. We get that. But I couldn't agree with you more about Rob Zon. tonight. I read a book earlier that just came out this year about Earl Weaver, and he did something that I never thought about before. He would actually pull guys like that had a couple

bad outings, like Jim Palmer or Dave McNally or Mike Quayar, and pull them out early, and they would be upset, but he wanted them to get out early to have the confidence, hey, I just had a one-run game, six, seven innings to build their confidence up. And that was the perfect opportunity for Lazzardo. And what does he do? He leaves him in for a six-pitch walk, loads the bases, and not only destroys his confidence, he destroyed his line for the night.

And I get that the offense is struggling. But this is also, like, when your offense is struggling, you've got to be a better manager than that. And the other thing is, last night I called up Broads, and I ripped the beat writers because of their lack of questioning about Castiano's.

This manager is gutless when it comes to Castiano's, he's totally afraid of him. They seem very afraid of Cassiano's. And it's just like, I keep saying, Pat, like, what's he going to do? What's he going to do? Is it going to be worse than he already is?

Are you going to lose Castiano's? I don't care. I don't care if you lose Castianos. I don't care. I don't care. He's totally intimidated by Castianos. His playoff managing is already suspect.

And I just, Tonight, again, we can all blame the offense, but you have to be a better manager when you're in a close game like that. Your bullpen is pitching very well. Get him out of there. At worst, get him out of there after a six-pitch walk and let the bullpen take over. Instead, he sends Perkering out there and destroys his confidence by putting him out there with the bases loaded.

That was, I agree with you. That was a disgraceful. Who's he going to go to in the bases loaded there, though? Well, no, I'm fine with you. He has to put somebody in there, but my point is that Kirkring was put in a bad spot. Well, yeah, yeah. No, and I'm not blaming Kirkring. I mean, my one critique would have actually been, I thought JT, I would have gone to a fastball earlier.

I thought that the sweeper is a little non-competitive, and, I mean, it just set up for TNIF to tee off on that fastball. I thought he should have thrown a fastball at least 2-1 to get back into the count. maybe go high a little bit because the sweeper was down. Whatever. It's splitting hairs. Splitting hairs. What a frustrating night. Dave, I'm sorry, buddy.

I meant to lead you off. Didn't see you. What's happening, pal? I got you, Jack. No problem. Yeah, it's a rough night for Topper. It was, I had to pick up my daughter.

I was watching on Gamecast. I saw it was like a 3-0 count. So it takes the one. And then I saw that he got out. And I thought he grounded a new double play by swinging out a ball. but it came up and it was a bunt. And I was like, what the heck is that? 3-1-2.

He was begging to walk him. He was begging to walk him. Yeah, he would walk him because that was ball four. I know. I know. I know you never want to get the two strikes and then keep the bunt on him. But at the same time, like, make him throw two strikes and then swing away. I mean, you don't have to bunt in that situation.

Like there was. Nope. Was it the Brave series, or maybe the, maybe it was one of the D-backs games? I don't know. I just remember late in the game. Oh, it was before they closed out game four against the Braves. And I thought they had like straw on the ropes and they bunted. And it's just such a relief for the pitcher on the mound when you just get a free out.

And there was no need to do it. There's no need to do it. Yeah. Yeah, the other, I mean, and the argument that, like, his bullpen was more fresh, it gets to my other point with the travel today, you just want to get and steal that game and try to get two runs there and, you know, and hopefully get Duran up in the ninth and win. But this is the third time this year. I feel like the Phillies that on the road have had, like, a weird travel.

I know a couple weeks ago when they're going to the White Sox, they were stuck in New York on the tarmac until, like, Like, they ended the game at five. They were stuck on the tarmac till, like, one or two in the morning. I mean, it's just weird. I feel like last night, how did the Philadelphia Phillies not get another plane until 1 p.m. today? Like, I feel like they're, like, in the movie Major League, when they're trying to, like, duct tape the plane. That's, like, let's get together with that. I guess maybe they're thinking, like, let's get as much sleep in Cincinnati as we can.

I don't know. I don't know. It's just weird. I mean, it was, it's just, the fact that he put, you know, didn't give, I just would have given, you know, strong or a, perkering a clean inning. I thought Robertson looked good. And then, you know, hopefully, you know, you steal one there, but they didn't. Now, you have him McKenzie Gore tomorrow night. It's a tough, tough matchup. And, uh, the Castiano situation is, is really rough to, rough to watch. He is, he is so checked out right now. It's, it is a bachelor's, it is a bachelor's, it is a bachelor's. It's a bachelor's, it is a bachelor's, just so non-competitive and I don't know what it is if it's even fixable. Yeah, and I got you, Dave. And that's my thing. It's like,

okay, you turn into the platoon player, you piss off Nick Castiano's. Great. Hey, maybe getting him mad will get him more locked in and ready to go and you'll get a better version of Cassiano's

and maybe he can save this season. But to just let him play and flounder up there for no reason is infuriating. He hasn't walked in August. His OBP, OBP is under 210 since July 1st. That's freaking impossible almost. And I don't even want to bring his contract, But for a guy making that much money to do that, it's insulting. It's insulting.

The lack of, and not even to bring up his defense, not even to bring up, he's slow as molasses. What is going to happen if you platoon Nick Castiano's? What is he going to do? if he throws a hissy fit no one cares no one cares he's not good enough to put up with

it's as simple as that not good enough to put up with nonsense gosh on the other side an update in the rotation and there was some good from tonight all that's coming up next on the final out Sports Radio 94 WIPA.

I'm Kristen Press and I'm Tobin Heath. We're World Cup winners, Olympians, and the hosts of the recap show. Every week we sit down with the icons, disruptors, and game changers on the field and beyond it to talk victories, heartbreaks, and everything in between. We've built a space where athletes, change makers, and people creating the future of women's sports can show up and show off as their full, unapologetic selves. Follow and listen to the recap show wherever you get. your podcast. Welcome back. It is the final out. Jack Fritz hanging out with you. It's probably what

they're singing on the plane. There is nothing worse. Now, they're obviously on a private plane. I'm sure that they wanted a nice, nice beer or 12. They could have that. I'm sure it's a little different than when you're on a non-chartered flight. You're in a regular commercial flight and you have to de-board and the plane has to go back to the to the tarmac or whatever like i'm sure it wasn't that horrible because they're in traveling in luxury still sounds pretty terrible and having to find hotels at what like four in the morning even if you're like the phillies has to be almost impossible i guess t-mac and stock and murph all shared a room like it was like it was college. So it really did sound like a horrible trip. But once again, no excuses. Pete the

nationals. The pitch count is brought to you by the Plummers Union Local 690. Protecting the health of the nation, visit plumber 690.org. 97 pitches for Lazzardo tonight would have been perfectly fine with 83 and out because he pitched well. I think he's a confidence guy. I think Thompson has to understand that. Getting him out of there with a fully rested bullpen against the nationals. That's a win. That's a win. And he let him go back out there. He immediately blew up in his face. Kirkering has to come in and try to save it. Did it, I guess, as good as a job as he could. Obviously, we would have liked the outs. Infield Inn was annoying. Not annoying. They had to do it. And ultimately, they couldn't come back. They couldn't come back.

Tanya, by the way, is our player of the game. Brought to you by South Jersey Gas Conserve. Helping customers and the community to save energy and money. Visit South Jersey Gas.com slash conserve. My guy, Richie, and Philly, what's happening, Richie? Jack, you got to give me a minute, okay, buddy? I'm with you. I email my cousin Monday morning.

You know, I'm a baseball official. I emailed my cousin Monday morning. I want to start Kepler and right field against your, mine's great mind thing, against all red end-hitters. The heck with it with Custia. I looked up as walks today, you know, like going to the game tonight, you know, his career. The most he's ever walked in one year, I think it was like 30 years.

He's hard to walk. It's hard for a pitcher to walk the guy. I know. I mean, it's amazing. I mean, he'll swing in any first pitch. So he's always, he's never in a hitter's count, you know, Jackson? No, no. He's always behind.

He's either down, oh, either makes contact. Or he's down 01, yes, yes. Exactly. So, I mean, so I said this, I mean, I'm not saying this to say with the great my thing. But I'm on the United, I email my guys, I said, I want us to. Capital's been hitting the ball hard a long. I mean, he's been hitting this. I mean, he's been hitting some tough luck even before that.

And I did, at least he's a normal, as much he's hitting that before I understand, he's a ball. You know, he'll take a pitch outside, you know? Yeah. But I'm saying, he's driving me nuts, Castionis. And like you said, what's you going to do? You throw a his he fit, and what's you going to do? I don't understand. I don't understand.

If anything, if anything, it could light a fire on him, Richie? I mean, why not? Whatever. Yeah, but when you said that you took it, I thought I was going to say something like, I thought I was going to say something like totally revolutionary. What? Get Castianna's, just start Kepler against the right hand and put Costanis against the lefties, that's all. I think we have a better chance of winning with Kepler hitting, you know,

and he's better defensively. Yep. And it ain't close. What's the downside? I mean, stuff like that. And I agree with you should have taken around as well. But the Kepler-Castianan's things have drive me crazy now. for a couple of weeks.

It's nothing new to me, you know? And I just can't take it. I mean, you guys swam every first pitch. Because I had the thing real quick, Jack, then I'll think, let me go, okay? I keep my computer on during the game, you know, with the pitch you can see the schematic, you know? And I'll see, like, one, like, a sweeper outside.

I'll look, like, a foot out, you see, swing and I miss, you know, strike one, one cup, one, one Custianas all the time, balls out of the strikes, and I don't know if you do that at all. Do you ever see that, you know? No, like, I really, It's funny, Rich, and I appreciate the phone call.

I've kind of gotten to the point where I used to be so bad by having, like, Twitter open, and then, like, sometimes that baseball savon open. I just want to turn it all off and just watch a game. And then there's nothing worse. My buddy was at the game in Washington, and he's, like, sending me updates before I even see it on TV. Nothing worse than when your friends read the game. And they're texting you in all caps.

You don't even know what's about to happen. Hate it. Hate it. Bill's in East Hampton, what's happening, Bill? Hey, Jack. How you doing, my friend? Yeah, frustrating. Frustrating, Bill.

How about you? Yeah, it was. It's a shame. Lazzardo had a good start. To touch on your Castiano's thing, somebody said earlier in a brow... I think they said that Cassiano's is one for his last 22 or three. 24 now.

believe. I think he's one for his last 24. I think it might be worse than that. I thought I heard McCarthy say in the late innings when he came to the plate. He's won for his last 27. And then in that at bat, he struck out in the late inning clutch of that. So I think he might be one for 20, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I heard something wrong. Well, either way, it's pretty horrible. Either way, exactly. The other problem I got is Rob Thompson has no situational awareness. And poor Lazzardo, it was a great start. He did well.

He left him in a little too long, not as long as the time when he left him in to get shelled for 12 runs and shatter his confidence. But it wasn't a good move tonight. Another bad move was he kept the infield in when they had runners and scored. I know he wanted to try to get the double play, but he didn't. didn't move the infield back. Why? And then that guy hit that slap shot past Turner, and they got two runs.

The infield should have been back. And the manager's got to know that. I mean, come on. Yeah, I mean, I hear you there, but, like, you're already, you got to, it actually shows a lack of confidence in the offense, unfortunately, but I didn't have a problem with having infield in at that point. You know, you got to try to cut that run down at home plate. And, yeah, hindsight, that's a double play ball.

But, you know, game's not played in hindsight. Either way, it was not a great, was not a great Thompson tonight. And so thoroughly in the game, tried to steal second on a 2-0 count with Stott. No need for that either. Not a good runner count, probably getting a fastball. Got hosed. and, you know, kind of ram them out of an inning with that as well. So, yeah, just an all-around, all-around bad effort by the fails tonight.

So, Nola, coming back on Sunday, they're going to a six-man rotation, which should be good from the standpoint of stretching out of the stars a little bit, not like in the physical game, but you know what I mean, giving them more time in between starts, does help from that standpoint, does hurt from the standpoint of you do lose usually you lose a member of your bullpen like that's usually the casualty there of course there is other things they could do to where that wouldn't be the case but generally that's usually how it works with the six-man rotation so while it should help them i do get worried about you know the bullpen being down an arm

but nola coming back is is big i guess it's a good sign that no one is going on the iL i thought Ranger looked ripe for one after the other night, but I guess they're going to let him kind of work his way through it, maybe because he's in a contract year. He wants to keep going rather than getting shut down, no idea. And then Wheeler, who is starting tomorrow night, you know, I guess we're going to keep monitoring and seeing how that shoulder is doing, but the way Taiwan's throwing, Nola coming back, they are in a pretty good position if they have to put one of those guys on the IEL with back, cramps, or shoulder soreness to rest up a little bit. They do have enough arms to do that. And then I thought, I thought Robertson looked good

tonight. You know, he went 3-0 on wood, and I was like, eh, not great. But I thought Kerrbaugh had a good bite to it. He threw his cutter a lot. And, you know, he's up to like 93, 94, pretty crazy for a 40-year-old. So at least he looks serviceable. I don't, I don't think he's someone that I'm ever going to feel super confident with a lead in, like, the eighth inning. you know, if the bullpen's healthy, whatever. Down, I feel pretty fine with him. You know, down one, but you can always pitch his way into it. And I thought at least tonight, his stuff looked pretty good.

So David Robertson, there are two outings, looking the part, looking the part. On the other side, we will look ahead to tomorrow before we hand things off to TK. It is the final out here on Sports Radio 94WYP. Well, it's definitely a bad day for us, but, you know, still worse up in New York. Last night, they blew a 6-0 lead as the Braves scored 9 unanswered. And then tonight, Ryan Helsley, their big deadline acquisition blows the lead in the 8th. And the Braves take another one up in New York. So they've lost 13 of 15.

A lot of Juan Solo talk and Juan So-So talk. Half game up on the Reds now are the Mets. So they maybe they've got to get grimace back and force the Padres, the DFA, Jose Iglesias, recreate the magic of last year. But man, certainly things not going well up in New York. And what a just a lot of the moves they've made have really backfired. Helsley backfire, Cedric Bullen stinks.

Tyler Rogers is fine, but even the decision is off-season Montas and Clay Holmes and, you know, like letting Iglesias walk. There's no need to let him walk. Just keep the legend around. It's definitely not pouring one out for the Mets, but some odd, odd moves as they lose again. So, Phil's, they've done a good job, getting them to a five-game lead. smidge of a bummer that, you know, you're facing the nationals tonight, Mets lose, can't gain an extra game.

They've been in position the last couple nights to make it a six-game lead, seven-game lead. You take a five-game lead. Just would hate to let the Mets keep hanging around. Keep hanging around. I know they're down bad right now, but who knows? Maybe they could flip a switch. So definitely disappointed from that standpoint.

And anytime we lose to a nationals team, And this isn't even like the beginning of the season nationals. This is post-deadline nationals. They are dreadful. They are just dreadful. Let's check in with my guy. Let's check out with Ben in Los Angeles. What's happening, Ben?

Things are going good out here. How are you? Doing all right. What do you got, man? Yeah, so you actually kind of briefly touched on my point. But my biggest takeaway from the game today, was that Topper just doesn't trust the offense. I mean, personally, I would have played the middle back

just because worst case scenario, you know, they were talking on the radio about maybe Tanya was like too fast to be able to turn it. They also mentioned that the Phillies are one of the worst double play teams in the league, which is a problem in and of itself. Like turning double plays? Yeah. I mean, that feels like that checks out.

Considering how much of a weapon that can be in the playoffs, sure that's that's really concerning and as I said that's a thing in and of itself he couldn't even let them tie the game and then with the bunt he's like I need a guy on second I can't trust that Sosa will be able to get anything done with three two and then we'll do anything after that with one out and a runner on first I mean I just think he just goes to show that he doesn't believe that these guys can get it done particularly in tight games yeah i mean i think he's definitely in that in that mode and it doesn't help that early in games you're not really doing much it feels like they're just banking on them staying around long enough

and then scoring late it's just not sustainable it's a nice thing to have and you appreciate them not rolling over and dying but like not waking up until the fifth inning every night feels like in like a really tough tough way to go about it yeah no it's it's absolutely not sustainable winning teams don't do it winning teams don't do it like in in any sport um yeah it's just it's just like you said this is not the most straightforward game to evaluate um but because of you know all the stinuating circumstances but i mean i'm i'm starting to develop opinions more about this team you guys were talking about you know believing if this is different and i'm i'm starting to go more to know just because i mean it just doesn't

it just they don't feel like a team that like this is a team where it's like their winner bust and like for instance the eagles we were all like this team needs to get it done we knew it was different because we were like okay this team has to do it where this season is a colossal failure i don't really think the phillies are good enough as a team where if we're like if they don't win the world series shirt it's an organizational failure but i don't really see it as like this team failed because i don't think they're at that level yeah and i guess where i'd push back on that is that I think there are real

concerns and I think they're fair. The rotation all of a sudden you have some questions question marks about Ranger. Lizarter was good tonight but still you don't really know what you're getting starting to start. Sanchez has been money. We'll see what Nola looks like and then the wheeler shoulder thing. So all of

a sudden the stall war of the team is in flux a little bit. Bullpen I think we feel pretty good about Strom a concern because he's your high-leverage lefty, and he has been great. But the offense you keep coming back to, and it's like how, unless they can find a way to just put Schwerber behind Bryce,

and if they could, I wish they would just go Turner Harper Schwerber and see how it would go. Because I just have such a hard time believing that the middle of that order is good enough to, to win a world series. Bader was a good addition from the standpoint of a right-handed guy that can pop a home run and plays good defense.

But that couldn't be the move. And JT's been great for a month and a half now. It's still, he's hitting the middle of the lineup at 35 years old. So that's where the fear is. But at the same time, like the Dodgers are, and 21 in their last 33. Mets are falling apart. Brewers, I get it.

Brewers are an unbelievable run right now, but it's a lot of no-name guys. And we're talking about like Isaac Collins and Sal Freilic and Joey Ortiz and Bryce Terrang. You know, it feels 2015 Hawksish. Now, they do have unbelievable, you know, the unbelievable pitching development. The Brewers are a great organization.

Do they have the star power to win a World Series? I don't know. Padres, I think that they have taken Elite 4. I think they're going to jump to Phillies tonight for the two-seed. You know, but the same time, their starting staff, I mean, Cs has been all over the place. Pivotta is, like, Pivotta? I love Povetta.

That's, he's taking down a playoff game. a super highly emotional, Nick Povetta. They traded for Nestor Cortez. U. Darvish has not been the same guy. Bullpen, ridiculous. I mean, adding Mason Miller to a team that already had three all-stars out of the bullpen, pretty dang good. And Machado's had a great year.

I think the thing about baseball, and I've had this theory for a couple years now, is that no one believes that their team can, win a world series until they win the world series the Phillies can win the world series and like the i know people say the hot and colt that's baseball like it is and and and we have no idea how they're going to look in october we have no idea how they're looking on august 14th i think it's i don't think you project one way or the other i think we can guess but i like they and everyone says it's not a revolutionary take they just got to do just enough for a month

just do enough because the other parts really good really good uh tomorrow we got zach wheeler on the mound as we continue to monitor everything going on in the zach wheeler's shoulder situation does the velocity tick up a little bit pretty weak hitting nationals team should go seven of at least one-run baseball. I'll take one-run baseball. I won't be too greedy and say shut out, but we are monitoring the Wheeler's shoulder situation versus McKenzie Gore, who is already over four now,

but obviously has had some good success against the Phillies, you know, opening day and then, you know, start a little later in the season. But guy that strikes out a lot of people, and the Phillies have their struggles against left-handed pitching, you know, for a little bit now. So that's going to do it for me. Tom Kelly, we'll take it through the rest of the night. Justin Drozio produced the final out tonight.

Enjoy the rest of the game, the rest of the night. Don't worry, TK, will take your calls on what was an annoying night down in the nation's capital. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll talk to you tomorrow.