High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Phillies Start Second Half With Annoying Loss

Episode Date: July 17, 2026

Jack Fritz reacts to the Phillies' 4-1 loss to the Mets on Thursday night and wonders how the team will fix their bullpen issues with Brad Keller now expected to miss the rest of the season. Presented by Miller Lite.To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com

Miller Light, the official beer partner of your Philadelphia Phillies, is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of WIP's High Hopes Pod. So whether you're listening to the game, catching off on the latest High Hopes Pod or at the ballpark. Remember, it tastes like Miller time, Phillies fans. Celebrate responsibly. Yeah, that was a bummer. Welcome to the second half of the Phillies season.

It is the final out, which is brought to you by the Philadelphia Parking Authority, offering valet park at the Philadelphia airport. Jack Fritz hanging out with you on this Thursday night as the fastest All-Star Week since 1996 probably is back on and over. Philly season restarts tonight. Game moved up by an hour. Seemed like it was getting a little more foggy as the night goes on. And it sure didn't seem like the Phil's offense got off the or showed up in this one.

a lot to get into the game wrap-up is sponsored by roto-ruder when plumbing problems hit wrap them up quick and call roto-ruder their team tagos, clogs, and leagues so you can stay in the game. Roto-ruder, your MVP for plumbing solutions. 215-592-94-94 to get in if you're on your ride home or watch this one on your couch. Like I did, would love to hear from you. Get your takeaways from this one down at Citizens Bank Park. The biggest takeaways of the game are brought to you by Morgan, and Morgan, America's largest injury law firm.

And my biggest takeaway of the game is that, I don't know what Aaron Noble is still doing out there. You take six innings from Aaronnola, and you run with it. Now, trying to be fair and trying to get inside the mind of Don Mattingly. That's 7-8-9 of the Mets lineup. you're down Keller now in the bullpen if you missed it he tore his UCL and most likely although I guess they're going to go for a second opinion most likely his season is over which is leaving them an arm short in the bullpen here's what irks me I know last outing a lot of consternation

about pulling him too early that was at least in the fifth you get Aaron Nola giving you a six innings of one-run ball. Probably the fifth inning got super hairy and got bailed out a little bit by a ball hit right at Bryce that they were able to double up. Sometimes you just got to know your personnel. And in this case, you're just playing with fire. First off, he's pitching in a Canada smokestorm, which if you've been outside, you feel it in your throat.

It's harder to breathe. It's super hot. I don't know. That feels like an easy mistake by Don Maddenly. So trying to be fair, though, it's going to be a little bit bumpy up until the trade deadline because without Brad Keller out there, who wasn't exactly the most reliable arm,

but he was a competent arm most of the time. his blowoutings. You don't have a plethora of options. But you had Bolin, who you went to in the inning anyway. So theoretically, you give Bolin the 8th. Maybe you tie it up. Maybe you don't. You give Alvarado or Kirkring the 8th. And then you give Durrana 9th if you have the lead or game tied or whatever scenario. But Maddenly does this thing where it's, I don't want to chase it. I don't want to chase it. It's a long season. You have an off day tomorrow. You're coming off the All-Star break. Duran's the only believer that pitched. So you're going against the Mets bullpen. I think they have some good

pieces out there. I don't think it's lockdown. Maddenly's got a little too much of, I don't want to chase it. And I thought that was something that came back to bite Rob Thompson where he didn't want to chase it as well. But that also creates sometimes the mentality of, well, if he doesn't want to chase it, should we even go for it? So I was driving around getting study asleep, listening to it. And after the sixth inning, I'm like, okay, great. You take Aaron Nola's six innings, one run and and you feel like you're you feel like a thief. I mean, that's, it's about as good as you can ask for in a 2026 version of Aaron Nola. And to just push it with a fully rested bullpen with an off day in a one run game,

I don't like that. I don't like that one bit. you go bowling, you go Alvarado or Kirkering, whichever one, and then you give the other one the ninth if you're still trailing. But to just say, we don't want to chase it, that irks me. 2.15-592, 94-94. And then the offense didn't show up in this one at all. You know, Schwerber hit the one off the wall.

Trey hit the home run late. That was nice. Bryce hit a double. Maybe there's a little bit of Brandon Marsh cooling off at the play. Bome is certainly going through a rut. You know, last 20 games, he's hitting under 150. Chris has got, I think, is going to be a really, really solid to good pitcher. I think he's got like two level upside or a number two starter on a team.

McLean's their ace, but I think Scott can be a solid two. Reminds me a little bit of Wheeler, maybe because they were the same number in pitch for the Mets. But that fastball has a real giddy up on it. It's like 96, but it has some ride up in the zone. So I like him a lot. He's got a really good sweeper. The Mets can certainly develop a starting pitcher with a sweeper, that's for sure. Him and McLean really can spin the baseball. So on one hand, you take your Catholic Christian Scott.

On the other hand, like, let's make the guy work a little bit. I mean, he threw 79 pitches tonight in six innings. Didn't seem like you really broke a sweat, five and two thirds. But, yeah, I just, it was pretty dishearting. watching his folly's offense go against that Mets bull or Mets, against Christian Scott. And then speaking of that, the, I would take like four guys in that Mets bullpen right now. Brooks Raleigh, Hunter Brazabon, or Hosker Brazzabon, AJ Minter, and Luke Weaver.

Luke Weaver has another year left on his deal. Brazabon, I think, is a free agent at the end of the year, but throwing the ball really well. Mentor's fresh off Tommy John, but it looks like old AJ Mentor. I'm sure he's down a little bit. And then Brooks Raleigh's been getting outs for seemingly 20 years. That Mets bullpen has some pieces that could certainly help the Phillies out here at the trade deadline. But it's going to be bumpy. It's going to be bumpy heading into the trade deadline.

That is for sure. 2.15-592-94-94. Let's kick it off tonight with Noah in Lancaster. What's happening in Noah? Hey Jack, how's it going? Ah, man, a little frustrating game tonight. How was it down there? I mean, as the game went on, definitely got fogger and foggier, but I agree with you opening the show.

I was taking a bathroom break and heard Murph on the radio saying Nola was coming out for the seventh, and I just felt like it was a terrible decision. Oh, you're playing with fire. I mean, not to make light of the Canadian wildfires, but you're playing with fire there a bit by putting Nola back out there. I agree. I mean, I think he pitched great the whole game, but I mean, it was at 82, 88 pitches, something like that. And I just, I didn't think they should have brought him back out. Yeah, and no, I appreciate the phone call.

I thought the bummer of that is that it's going to put a little bit of a stain on what was a positive knife for Aaron Nola. He ended up throwing 97 pitches. He allows three home runs, all solo, which he kind of take. but he was really, really solid. And that's three straight starts of signs of life from Maranola. The three innings of the Pirates start where he's able to keep the ball down. I mean, for a majority of that game tonight, he was able to keep the ball down. Even the ball Alvarez hit out the second time. I mean, that was in off the plate, you know, running in on his hands.

Impressive piece of hitting. Beatty, who I think is horrendous, and he is horrendous, went up and got that one. And the first Alvarez home run, unfortunately, that was your vintage. Oh, he just hung a curveball and it got blasted, you know. But I hope that doesn't overshadow what has been a good stretch for Aaron Nola, some signs of life. The reality is they need them.

And when he's given you those four inning outings, five inning outings, it just drains the bullpen, especially when you're pitching a guy, when you're pitching Alan Ron Hell in one of the other starting spots, it just can drain your bullpen. And as evidenced by tonight, they don't have a bunch of guys out there. So I mentioned it during the Nolish spiel about him being out there. But the reality of the spot they're in is it's going to be a little bit of tough sledding here. As we wait 18 days for the August 3rd trade deadline when they can go out

and make some additions to this bullpen that is much, much needed. On the other side, in addition to your phone calls, again, 215, 5992-94. We'll get to the player of the game and some other thoughts from this one as we roll along here on the final out on Sports Radio 94WIPA. As the U.S. Ben's national team takes center stage at a home world cup. Make sure you're listening to Call What You Want, part of the CBS Sports Podcast Network, where you can join me. I'm Jimmy Conrad alongside Charlie Davies, Tony Miola, Marcella, Marcelo Boboa and Benny Fieldhover throughout this tournament for previews, instant reactions,

and analysis of every U.S. match. Then all summer, we're back every Tuesday and Thursday covering all things U.S. men's national team. Download and follow, call it what you want, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back. It is the final out. Jack Fred's hanging out with you here on this Thursday night. Reacting to a Phil's lost, you open the second half, a 4-1 loss. to the Mets. As always, a final out, sponsored by the Philadelphia Park Authority offering Valley Park at Philadelphia Airport.

Yes, my player of the game, which is just crushing because this guy irks me. He really actually just irks me because he hit a home run last year in a game that was like 10-1 in the 8th, and you would have thought it was game 7 of the World Series. But you got a credit where credit is due, and Francisco Alvarez did hit two home run. tonight. First one really carried. But, you know, Francisco Alvarez, two home runs tonight as it seems like every player on the Mets is available besides, even like including Lundor, according to a Mets beat reporter. But like Soto's available, or sorry, besides Soto, Christian Scott, Nolan McLean, Carson Benj, and A.J. Ewing, seems like every other Mets is available, including Francisco Alvarez. Either way,

He is our player of the game, brought you by South Jersey Gas. Make the Smart Play, Save Energy and Money with South Jersey Gas at SJG Save Energy. com. I'll get to some other thoughts on the game tonight, but Pat is in Ballacken. What's happening, Pat? That sounds good. I did it again. I keep hitting the wrong button and dropping people.

I've done it twice now. Oh, you are. I'm a mess. You are, bro. I'm a disaster. You're thinking of the top five. Hat call back, aren't you? All right.

All right. It's a Louis Coco, fat finger back at the studio. All right. So some other things just that kind of jumped out. With No Keller, obviously we felt the effects of that pretty early on. This is how it was when he was out.

Because all of a sudden, you're down in a game. And rather than putting in, it's hard to put in your leverage-ish arms in a game you're down, because obviously you want to save them for a game that you're leading and you are stuck putting out the Seth Johnson's of the world, the Chase Schuerts of the world, the Tanner Banks of the world.

And that's where all of a sudden a 1-0, 2-0 game, 2-1, whatever, a tighter ballgame where if you can keep it there, you give the offense chance, that's how it balloons to like a 10-4 game or 11-5 that we've seen, we saw a couple times on the road trip. That's the issue at the bullpen right now. When you can hand the ball to Duran, I think Bolin, another good outing for him tonight. And Kirkering is someone who, I think, in a non-high leverage spot you feel good about, Kirkering is a good pitcher.

You have concerns about him and pressure spots 100%. The lefties, I don't think we trust any of them. Alvarado is the best of them, but he is still a huge question mark. So you just run into an issue when you're putting the back end guys out there who are thrust into these probably roles that they're not ready for when you lose a guy like Keller because in a perfect world or even Keller was not pitching that well this year. But Keller can handle the 8th. You can use Bolin down one or you can use Kirkering down one. and those are better options than going to a Seth Johnson for a second inning or even a first inning as he is someone who should be pitching either up by five or down by five.

But because they don't have the depth right now, he is forced in there. And he's been doing very well at AAA, but we know there's the difference. So what do they do? Well, the trade deadline is 18 days away. and it would be pretty bold of them to get Gage Wood so ready to go that he would be ready to go out of the bullpen before the trade deadline. Maybe it's something they start thinking about now so that post-trade deadline they can bring him up and see what he can do. But at the same time, you might have to use Gage Wood to go trade for someone else to get. whether it's a bullpen piece, a bat, a starting pitcher.

So do you want to just transition him into a bullpen piece right now? If you did it, you are committing to Gage Wood, which I would be perfectly okay with. I really like Gage Wood. And I think he could be a... He might end up being a high leverage slash closer type if the starting pitching thing doesn't work out. I mean, he is a shorter pitcher. He's got power stuff. there was some reliever risk when they drafted him.

So this could end up being his path anyway. I am perfectly fine developing me as a starter, of course. And I think he can be a starting pitcher, but there's always the reliever route, which I think he would thrive at just mentality-wise and everything else. So there's some complicated factors there. Also, I believe his innings limit is 80 innings. Like, that's the first cap.

And if he's pitching or if he feels fine, then he can go past that. Right now he's at 55 innings. If you're counting the futures game, it's 56 innings. So that's the gauge wood route. The other route is Alex McFarland, who I cannot believe we're still talking about on WIP, but he keeps pitching well at AA. He is up to 102 down there.

They are not moving him from AA because they want to keep his value as high as possible to possibly use him in a trade. what is annoying about this is crazy idea what if he's good enough to help the big league club that is contending for a world series and we don't have to trade more pieces for other bullpen pieces when we have someone in house so they are to me clearly making a bet that that is not the case and that will not happen i don't know how right they are about that um but he's Matt Gell reported that he could be at AAA in the near future. To me, that the near future feels like after August 3rd, if he's still here.

The miscalculation I think they're making here is what kind of value do you think a 25-year-old reliever has out there? He has enough value to be a part of a deal, but what is the... what do you think you're getting, adding or having him be a part of some trade package? I'd rather take a chance, subject him to the AAA balls and the majorly baseballs, and see if you have something. Because if you have something, great. There's another interesting righty. But no, we got to watch Seth Johnson throw a fastball and a slider.

where if they're a strike, it feels like a miracle. The Alex McFarland thing, I know for you out there listening, probably who cares, but for people that care about, you know, minor league baseball and watching these guys, it is crazy to me. He has been ready for AAA. He wasn't even,

he shouldn't even been in double A to start the season. He was, he was, oh, to me, I thought he seemed to be, the first guy up if something went wrong with the bullpen after breaking camp. And they're just letting him sit in AA to not hurt his trade value.

But what if, crazy concept, he could help the big league club. I know. One of our own, possibly, helping us out. Pat is back from Balakin. What's happening, Pat? Hey, how are you doing?

Oh, it's great to hear your voice. I'd like to apologize on behalf of the show for Louis Coco's error back there. No, you're fine. You're fine. It's all good here. I was like, oh, my God, I went under trees, you know, and I'm out of it. But I would like to say, Aaron Noleth, are great tonight. It's great to see that first time since 2015.

And on top of that, Craig Turner. Yeah. You're right. You're right. That's not fair. Aaronola's great. But, you know, Trey Turner looked good. swings look good. Swings look good. Schwerber's always.

But I'm tired of Phillies waiting around, waiting for Schwerver to do something. I feel like we put a lot of balls in play, but we can use more guys to put balls in play. And I really like Louisa Rias and Stephen Kwan. It's two bats. I know they're both lefties. But at the same time,

the more bats that put the ball in play, the more guys you get on to have Harper and Swarmer do that damage. Yeah, Pat, I mean, I hear you, and I appreciate the phone call. now Stephen Kwan is hitting 225 this year overall I would be shocked if he's going to end this way

but the numbers are not exactly jumping off the page I just a rise had a really good year if they want to get creative and get a rise in here and either ship out Stott or put Stott at third and ship out Bome or whatever

okay adding a rise is fine. Putting the bat on the baseball is, I'm not saying it's not important because I appreciate being able to put the bat on the baseball. I'm just saying, like, what's more important is being able to drive the baseball and slug and hit the ball in gaps or hit the ball of the ballpark. Like, you see some of the best, you see some of these offenses that have taken step forward this year.

It's nationals. It's the White Sox. It's the pirates. And it's not just, this, like, put in the bat, like, the nationals started swinging harder and it's created more slug. It's created more strikeouts, but it's created more slug. Pirates started swinging harder. The whole team wide. The Blue Jays last year, they started swinging harder.

I know this sounds simplistic, but what the big trend now is, is generating more bat speed. And I know this, I don't want you to drive off the road. I don't want you to drive off the road. But what they believe, I think, is we don't care if you make contact or not. We want you to swing harder. So in case you do, you're going to actually do damage on the baseball. Nationals, White Sox, pirates. Three offenses, who's dreadful last year, start doing that with some of the new age technology.

Offenses with players that most baseball fans have never heard of break out this year. That's the modern trend in baseball. So we can say bat to ball, or we can say put the bat on the baseball. We can say small ball. Kind of nonsense. It's slug. It is gap to gap and home runs. Swinging harder might be the new trend.

And I don't know. That's where, that's kind of where I'm at. I do like a rise if they want to get creative. he's had a better year at second base defensively than the last couple years and it would require some maneuvering on the Phillies parts and one that would have to be a little bit creative and one that I don't see them doing because I think that they like having Stott and Bohem here

but I do wonder if heading into the trade deadline that they've tried to pull the plug on the bone thing for two years. He is hitting under $1.50 in his last 20 games, looking more bohmish with 18 days until a trade deadline. I do wonder about the idea of shipping him out and trying someone else at their base. I don't know if they'd spend the money on a Matt Chapman trade, but Matt Chapman, someone who the Giants are willing to trade. He's hurt right now, but great defense and above average bat. But he has like five years, $100 million left.

Brennan Donovan with the Mariners is hurt right now. He's been hurt for a little while. They've brought some prospects. They've moved J.B. Grappar to third base. Maybe they feel like they don't need Brennan Donovan as much. We can trade with Brandon Donovan. E. E. E. E. Hennio Suarez can stand at third base. He's at seven home runs in his last 27 games.

Not a huge fan of that one, but just throwing different ideas out there. Nolan Aronado, if the Diamondbacks fall out of it, even though, again, he's, but his numbers aren't terrible this year. this is a team that's been trying to move Bone for two years. He's struggling, so they really want to go down the stretch run and possibly postseason series with Alec Baum again. That's something I'm not sure of. 215-592-94-94 is how you get in on the other side.

We'll get to the wow moment of the game and a look ahead to tomorrow in addition to your phone calls here on the final out on Sports Radio 94 WIPA. Welcome back. It is the final out. Jack Pritz hanging out with you. The final out is always sponsored by the Philadelphia Parking Authority offering Valley Park at the Philadelphia Airport. The wow moment of the game is brought to you by the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism from waterfalls to Fairways, Mountain Resorts, to Lighthouse Stores. Find your wow at visit NJ.com, and it's that Schwabber ball, it didn't go out. Top of the fence and to bounce back into play is pretty crazy.

So it looked like it was going out. out. It should have gone out. Maybe if it wasn't so hazy, it does go out. I don't know. But after that, it certainly kind of felt like it wasn't going to be the Phil's nights. Thomas is in Chalfon. What's happening, Thomas? Hey, I mean, I was at the game tonight with my father, and I thought that ball was out. It hit the top of the wall in right field. I really thought that ball was out. I don't know what it looked like on TV, but I really had. I thought we were starting to come back in that game.

I don't know where your perspective was on that. Yeah, I mean, it hit the top of the wall and came back into play. I mean, it's pretty, by the video, that's what happened. It sucks because literally an inch further and it's a home run. It just didn't work out their way. Yeah, yeah, that was real close. Reason for my call tonight, honestly, I don't want to be this guy that's negative tonight, but I just felt like as far as Don Mattingly goes tonight, it just felt like another Topper game.

I mean, we're leaving Noah in the game with 90 pitches to start the inning. I mean, it just felt like the guy next to me, the guy behind me, the guy to the right of me, everybody in this stadium knew, we should not be throwing Noah out there for another inning, and then here we go again. He hits a home run. It's just ridiculous. Yeah, I mean, two home runs and Thomas, I appreciate the phone call. I don't know if Don Maddenly has a great feel for Knowles. I thought he had a good feel for him when he was pulling him after five. And then maybe he earned a little bit of trust with that seven-inning start.

But then it was right back to being pulled after five to tonight, where I bet Nola felt like he was done after six. And he was surprised to be back out there. sometimes there's an emotional letdown with pitchers, and it's hard to relock back in a little bit. And yeah, I just, it was one of those that this is going to backfire. And it backfired almost immediately. I mean, pulling now pulling Aaron Nullo from the game is last time,

also backfired immediately on Madeline. So I think he's going through a little bit of a rut on how to handle Nol's. So, yeah, I thought it was a mistake by that. only 100%. This weekend, though, the Mets are obviously still in town. No game tomorrow. Hopefully Saturday, the wildfire smoke is out of here,

but we will see on that. Saturday goes Mania versus Lazzardo, and then Sunday, Nolan McLean versus Allen around hell, before a Dodgers series, before Dodgers Yankees at CBP in the same week. So I would love to take care of business in the next two games.

and, you know, being a pretty good spot heading into those back-to-back series. But obviously, McLean versus Ron Hell is going to be a pretty tough task. Needless Arda to give them seven strong innings on Saturday at the least. Well, that's going to do it for me. Louis Coco produced the final out tonight. Broads is coming up next. He'll take it through the rest of the night here on Sports Radio 94, WIP.