High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Phillies Win Series Opener In Cincy

Episode Date: August 12, 2025

Jack Fritz reacts to Taijuan Walker's latest quality start in the Phillies' 4-1 win over the Reds on Monday night. 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

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. Are you ready to dive into the story, stats, and personalities that make baseball the greatest game in the world? Rob Radford from the Baseball's and Boring Podcast here. And we'll have you covered every day with podcasts that bring you closer to the action.

From the bleachers to the clubhouse, whether you're a diehard fan or just a casual observer, these conversations are aimed, educate, entertain, and most importantly, inform you. Follow the baseballs and boring podcast in the Free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. Swung on a little looper to third, Sosa backing up, he's got it, the ballgame's over, and the Phillies have got their fourth straight win to start this road trip as they beat the Reds, 4 to 1. They come from behind late. It's a four-run eighth inning for the Phil's,

and Orion Kirkering finishes it off for the bullpen as the Phillies beat the Reds tonight in the series opener, 4-1 the final. Ah, something's brewing. Something's brewing. Welcome on it. It is the final out. Jack Fritz hanging out with you here on Sports Radio 94WIP. as we react to a game, frankly, I didn't think that they were going to win.

It didn't feel like a win. I was ready to make all the excuses in the world. They said an inspirational series down in Texas. They took three down there, then a hop on a plane, get to Cincinnati. You could explain away some of the struggles, but you know what? They just keep fighting and keep finding ways to scrap out wins. the game wrap-up sponsored by roto-ruder when plumbing problems hit wrap them up quick and call roto-ruder their team tackles clogs and leaks so you can stay in the game roto-ruder your MVP for plumbing solutions

215-592-94 to get in and react to this one and for all of the good wins they've had even the great wins a game like that It's one of the best wins of the season. One where they were down for a while and they were just able to hang around long enough, got some big hits, really, really excited to get into it. And, of course, six games up in the NL East, six games up. The biggest takeaways of the game brought to you by Morgan. And Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. And, you know, it's kind of been the theme so far.

throughout this the final out right now but it's what hit me when they came back watching schwarber launch a ball that they reviewed which was hilarious and just the the nature in which they're going about their wins right now it feels like there is collective buy-in from the baseball team and it does feel like something is something special is brewing we didn't want them to peak early that happened last year The old adage is, play your best baseball towards the end of the season, and they are playing damn good baseball. Is it always the prettiest?

No. But what you have right now is you have a roster of guys that believe they're going to go out and win every single game. You have buy-in on the platoon thing that Rob Thompson has going on. You have the bottom of the lineup stepping up and finally contributing to this team. You have a bullpen that has been ridiculed and rightfully so that has really righted the ship since Duran got here. It's a really fun team right now, and they are beating good teams on the road. I think they're what?

Well, one of the things that people worked out about is like there were 500 since June 1st, heading into this last little stretch. I think they're 33 and 27 now since June 1st. If not 33 and 27, it's 32 and 27. so they've righted that ship they're playing well on the road and the thing that that continues to take out to me and it feels different than last year

is their ability to stay in a ball game fight, scrap and claw get back into games even if they don't win them even if they don't win them it feels like they're right there until the last out of the game

and it is so fun right now and you know they flashed the stat on Saturday They're the most runs in baseball, the seventh inning on. That checks out. Last eight games, run differential of plus 23 in the eighth ending or later. That checks out. I would like them to do some work early in games, 100%.

I don't know how sustainable it is. But their ability to scratch and claw and find ways to grind out wins is really impressive. bottom of the lineup again like i mentioned coming up big yet again the rob thompson platoon magic works with with weston wilson bullpen stopping up scoring late there is something something special brewing with this baseball team and it and it really feels different it really feels different i know it all comes down to october and playing well then but with the duron move I think Bader being added into this clubhouse has been a really positive addition. I've said it, it feels like on here, on the Iowa's podcast, available wherever you're

podcasts. But this clubhouse, I think, needed a move like Duran. They needed a big move. They needed an all-in, push-your-chips-in type move. I know that me, you, every Phillies fan, wanted another bat. I think in a perfect world, they also wanted another bat. It didn't happen. But at least they got one.

And they got a real stud difference maker. And I don't think Duran is the reason they won tonight. But I think that it is a different shift in mentality of, we got a guy, let's ride. 215-592, 94-94. I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up the star of tonight. And that was the return of Sawhan Walker. The return of Sawhonymous, Taiwanese, whichever fan group you are a part of

it would be funny to do the Taiwanese and then people have the masks at the game I don't know if the fan club would catch on but the pitch count is brought to you by the Plumbers Union Local 690 protecting the health of the nation visit plumbers 690.org 93 pitches for Taiwan tonight

great tonight, great last start he's really giving them options if they want to put someone on the IL with maybe some shoulder stiffness or there's a you know with nola coming back they could they could go six man if they want the way Taiwan is pitching really helps them in a lot of ways one way it helps them is that maybe a team will take him this off season and they can free up 18 million but regardless that's a conversation for another day but they could go six man when

Nola's good to go. If Wheeler, God forbid, needs to go on the IEL, they could insert Taiwan. Is it going to be pretty always? No. He's going to allow hard contact. But as long as he doesn't walk people, you live with the solo home run, you live with five innings, three runs or less from Taiwan. I think he can, I think you feel pretty good that he can deliver that most of the times that he goes out there. So last couple starts, it's been really good for Taiwan. It's helping them a ton and and he was a he was a true gamer tonight and credit to him i mean seems like a good dude hard worker guys in the clubhouse like him and and i'm glad that he is kind of rewriting what has been a a frustrating start to his tenure well i guess it's more than halfway over by this

point but you get the point you get the point Taiwan good job we needed you let's go to the Dave's in Maryland, my lead-off hitter. What's happening, Dave? Dave, yeah, great win. In the Snoop Dog, we're going streaking. Let's go. Yeah, yeah, yeah. MIRF seemed like you had to get to the Snoop Dog concert.

How does Cincinnati pull a Snoop Dog concert after the game is the question. We had Nellie, you know, they had to get Snoop Dog. Great game, though. I mean, great game. Just the ability to just hang in. I was texting my buddy. I was like, they're just, they're hanging in there. They didn't have their.

their A game tonight, obviously, baseball travel must be really tough because, I mean, you go from Texas to Cincinnati to Washington all the matter of like four days. And, you know, it's a grind. And that's what exactly what they did tonight. It kind of outlasted them. And it was fun to watch. I'd say what I like is the guys that are competing for roster spots are stepping up. They're really, they know that they might not be here next week if they, if they don't don't produce and they're starting to produce. And I think that's part of the competition in the outfield competition with the platoon is hopefully raising the little level of play there.

Yeah. And I appreciate the phone call day. Sorry, your phone wasn't great. But yeah, like the benefit of the platoons is that there is a little bit extra on when it's your time to go. And you got to play tonight. And, like, that is your job. Your job is to face a lefty on the mountain.

Your job is to rake against righties. But these guys are, it's a pretty deep roster. It's a pretty deep roster. And you're seeing them really fight and the cream is rising to the top. So we know that Bohm's coming back. We know that, you know, that there's going to have to be some fallout from that. We'll see what happens. but we'll see who can kind of show out before then

and go out and grab one of these spots heading down the stretch run. On the other side, we'll get to more of your phone calls reacting to a really, really impressive comeback win by the fills tonight. Also, we'll get to the player of the game, plus something that is continuing to happen that does irk me. We'll get to all of that. Coming up next on the final out on Sports Radio 94WIP. 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. Cast. Swung on, blasted.

High in the air to right, Marte, looking up, and that ball is gone. Kyle Swarber with a towering home run. Back in his home state of Ohio, a two-run shot for Schwaber, his 42nd of the season, and it's four to one as the Phillies come alive in the eight. What a season.

What a walk year for Kyle Schwerber, 42 home runs on the year. He's going to be in the MAP discussion. I think now that Otani is pitching, it's probably going to be Otani, which is what it is. It doesn't discredit what Schwerber is done this year. He has been unbelievable. Didn't need him to do it in Cincinnati, a team that has been hinted at possibly making a run-in-in-this-off season.

But regardless, what a perfect cap-off to was a, great inning. And, you know, I feel like in years past, they would, like, lay down with two outs. Again, again, not this team. And, you know, I thought it was interesting. To Scott Lobber tweeted this out after the game was over. He said, 118 games into this Philly season. You know, last year after 118 games, they were 69 and 49 plus 90 run differential. But they were 7 and 15 since the all-star break. This year, same exact record, plus 93 run differential, and 14 and 8 since the all-star break. It's unbelievable how same record, same-ish type run differential feels completely different. I think by this point last year, we kind of sniffed them out, and it was just a death

march until the end of the year. You just were waiting for it to almost be over. This feels completely different now the national league is loaded it's it's it's really really good this year but i think i think the thing that i trust the most about them is that at the least they're not going to lay down like dogs like they did last year against the met's there's some there's some stones to this team and and that's been a really really fun development that i think it does you know that could be a benefit it to bringing these guys back and running it back for the third straight year or whatever is they know it makes each other tick. They have been through wars together, and it makes it easy to bring in players from the outside and have them be a part of this team. And they are starting

to stack some really impressive wins and some good wins against good teams. It's funny, the one kind of breather they've had in the schedule was that White Sox series, and they lost two or three. They've gotten up for opponents. They've been on the road and gotten wins. They win that game tonight against Andrew Abbott, who was great. And, you know, they looked like they sleptwalk through the first seven endings of the game. And then they came alive. And they didn't give up. And the bottom of the line did their thing. Trey got a big hit, which you really, really needed. man what a what a game my player of the game brought you by south jersey gas conserve helping customers and the community save energy and money visit south jersey gas dot com slash conserve i'm giving it to

taiwan a gamer tonight was taiwan walker uh bill is in east hampton what's happening bill hey what's going on my friend it's good man how are you i'm loving it i love the game if i can describe this game tonight in one word it was it's surprised i was surprised i was surprised biased by so many aspects. The bats woke up late. That's the least what I was surprised about. Anything like that should happen with this lineup like once a game. But the next most surprised I was was Walker's.

It was an incredible. He gave up the first blood. He got no-run support. He could have gone. He kept plugging away. He kept hammering away. And he kept it close. And then they had the beginning.

the most surprised I was was the bullpen I mean Romano and Robertson and Kirk they all got it done and I think the most I think a lot of fans are worried about the bullpen but Doron wasn't even available tonight and they got it done

three innings no runs I think they had like a 0.7 whip they gave up one hit and one walk they had like a 0.67 whip which is incredible and I was really impressed with the bullpen tonight and if that can keep happening i think we're going to have a solid run through the stretch drive all through september and it's and honestly if the mess

stay in this nose dive and we keep winning it's going to be over before the end of the month it's not going to be a photo finish at the end of the season it could be over before the end of the month well and bill and i appreciate the phone call i mean the meds would have to go on a now obviously it's baseball you don't want to get too ahead of yourselves but They would, the Phillies would have to really, really, really start playing bad. The Mets would have to start playing a pretty high-level baseball. So, again, we're not here to count our chickens before the, is. Counter-ch chickens before the egg hatch?

Yep, I'm sure that's what it is. But they are in a really, really healthy spot, and they are certainly in the driver's seat in the National League East. Mets not playing tonight, but six games up end. No, it wouldn't affect it tonight, regardless. I was going to say the Reds are like a game out, but I think they're not two games out. It doesn't matter. We don't need to worry about the bottom of the National League wild guard.

Richie is in Philly my guy. What's happening, Richie? Hey, Jack, I'm really excited that I'm happy. Two things I want to point out that I made me very pleased, okay? Well, one thing baffled me. I don't know if you concurred, or even knows, but being the baseball guy you are, I'm surprised Rencona stuck with Abbott and didn't take him out one hit or earlier against Trey Turner.

Yeah, I mean, I guess he's, I guess he's just been mowing him down all. night and trade and super aggressive i i i'm you know maybe he just is trusting his guy there i think the reds have had some bullpen issues so it's one of those it's one of those times where you just trust your your your your stud the guy right at number two number two you know when i watch the philly's games in jack i keep my computer in the right the pitch by pitch thing you know so do you notice to say i'm an officiant out with it do you notice anything that care kings i maybe i'm given i should give more credit the real moot or his calls that he's doing differently his last few outings with his pitches.

Well, to me, to me what I think he's been doing more is, first off, he's throwing this fastball way more than he used to. Exactly. And the sweeper, he's abandoned a sweeper. Yeah, he's not, it's back, it's where it should be, which is a secondary pitch. And the thing that's totally changed from him versus when he came up

is when he came up, he threw 99, but it was a flat basketball. He throws now that sinker. Exactly. It's got, like, five inches or run on it, it looks like. It's a, it's turning into a real weapon. And that's why I think he's developed into a totally different

pitcher, even though it's not a huge arsenal change. It was just changing it from a four seam to a two seam as his main pitch. Well, the fans for you have better controls when he's getting ahead of the hitters, you know? I was happy to see Roberts. I was a little nervous, Jack. I don't know if you were. Oh, yeah. He had a pitch to all this time.

But the first guy, he walked on four pitch. I got a little bit of the jitters there for a while. Oh, well, when he walked the first guy on four pitches, I said well, this is going to get tight quick. But but thankfully he battles way through it i i mean that's kind of what it was like with david robinson here as a philly you know the first time no one remembers but even in 22 it was when he had that inning i was like well that felt familiar

the last thing jack real quick that line single by or a double bite by turner you know right the third base you just missed it when he leaped that to brian hayes just missed out if you noticed that or not yeah well well and i appreciate the phone call ritchie and uh always appreciate the calls. Trey needed it. It was a big spot. Obviously, I guess Ben said on the broadcast that, you know, he saw Trey hitting on the field and Trey said he feels good and how he feels like he's just missing the

barrel. I think that checked out. Now, a lot of first pitch swinging, which is frustrating. I get it. Sometimes you're getting the best pitch. You can first pitch and you don't want to miss it, but it feels like a lot of first pitch swinging from Trey. So hopefully he can kind of settle down because I feel like when he's swinging first pitch,

he's just a little jumpy. A little jumpy and overanxious. Now, one thing that is happening that is irking me is we feel comfortable, you know, defensive replacements, third base, sometimes in the outfield, we don't touch right field. And to me, that's unacceptable. Like, that is a 4-1 game. I know it's a smaller outfield. I get it.

But I, like, Max Kepler, Harrison Bader, and Brandon Marsh in a two-run game, a three-run game. When Cassiano's just hit, if you blow that lead, it's a disaster anyway. If it's a tie game, I understand not taking Cassiano's out. He is a dreadful defensive outfielder. Like, Thompson has done a great job this year, and there's been a lot of platooning that has worked out. But this thing where we can't touch Castellanos in the ninth because he complained one time in Miami is infuriating.

Maybe Thompson is just managing the player the way that he has to manage the player. But he has not been productive. He has been brutal in the outfield. And I wouldn't, I mean, he didn't play on Saturday. so it seems like they're getting comfortable with the idea of platooning Castiano's he complained a month and a half ago and now we can't make the smart baseball decisions that's that's annoying and in the regular season okay fine I'll complain about it if you do that nonsense in the postseason it costs you then there's going to be real issues what are

we afraid of with Nick Castiano's? What are we afraid of? He has been a replacement level player the entire time he's been here. He has been somehow worse in the field this year. When he gets to a ball, it's fine. He just can't get the balls. And other players in the team, we're fine. taking out as a defensive replacement but we draw the line at arguably the worst one that that that I don't love that I don't love and I will give Rob Thompson the benefit of doubt that maybe he is saying I'm going to lose the player if if I do that but it is frustrating with the amount of switches they make when there is one obvious switch to make in a game that you're up by a good amount and you are in a safe situation and he just hit and he probably

won't get up again that just doesn't doesn't work for me and he he's got he's got to get comfortable doing it because if he's not going to do it now it makes me worried that he won't do it in the postseason 215-5-592-94 to get in on the other side some other takeaways from tonight and a look ahead to tomorrow all of that's coming next on the final out on sports radio 94 WIPA swung on yank over the leap of brian hayes it's down the line and going to the corner sosa around third he got run into he's going to score anyways mclean interfered with him in between second and third but sosa scores without a throw and weston will Wilson delivers again, as he did yesterday with the go-ahead run. Today, it's the tying run in the eighth inning. It's a one-one game. Big game, Weston Wilson.

Back-to-back days with the big hit. Yanked that one down the left field line. Edmundo Sosa scores. I was, you know, Walker is already asleep. So, you know, I'm outside, trying to be as quiet as possible. but that was a you see that gif of the guy who's watching the horse racing and he's smacking himself that's how i felt watching sosa soza fly around the bases so it's a good moment and again i think they flashed on on saturday on the screen the most runs in baseball after the seventh inning

or seventh inning on so it checks out it seems like they're scoring a lot of runs late adding on fighting back would like to get something going against some starters every once in a while. They've been mostly fine at that. But a lot of credit to the bottom of the lineup who had been ridicule. I mean, mid-July, heading into the trade deadline, it was a lot of, man, after Harper, you've no idea we're going to get. Now, JT's been really good. Marsh has been really good. Stott signs of life. There's been little moments for these guys, but it really feels like there's some belief there in the bottom of the lineup and the platoon thing seems to be working. You're getting a lot of, you know, a lot of big hits late. While the top three are

sort of scuffling, you know, Turner had the hit tonight, which was good. Schwerber's money, past Otani for the National League lead and home runs tonight. I hope it's enough to get him in the MVP discussion with Otani pitching now. I kind of feel like they're going to give it to him, but regardless, would die for a Schwerver MVP. It'd be awesome. And then Harper's, been scuffling. He did smoke that ball for the double and then almost left the ballpark after Schwerber. So it hasn't been like where, oh my gosh, is the wrist thing back with Harper? I think it's a little timing related. But regardless, it hasn't, you know, those three have been been pretty good but not great. It's really been the rest of the guys.

So that's, I think, where we start to get excited about the possibility of this team doing something in October is that it's actually not the top. three going nuts, and if that's something you can bank on, it's really everyone else. Now, Weston Wilson get that hit. He's had a couple hits. They hit yesterday. Auto camp has really slowed down. We know that the defense at third base is not great.

Wonder if he is the odd man out when Boehm is back. And they sent him down. They leave West and Wilson up here, plays left field and infield in a pinch, but mostly to be the platoon with Marsh. in left field and um we'll see what happens in right field we'll see what happens in right field there's a righty on the mound the next two nights will casty be in the lineup you know that saturday they decided not to put him in the lineup rob thompson said that the hard turf was maybe a part of that i don't know about that the next two nights against a righty do we get castie on us

out there for both of them any of them or one of them we will have to wait and see some other things from the night. You know, Jordan Romano, it's so funny. He's either a lockdown or it is brutal. It was a super, super quick inning. Maybe being out of the ninth, just calmed him down a little bit, and he's settling into this role. No idea, not getting ahead of myself, but it looked good tonight. David Robertson, first, you know, we talked about this last segment, first batter, walked on four pitches, and we'd think, oh, no, he's got nothing left. he pitched his way through it he's probably going to be someone that i'm going to trust in a game they're they're losing more than winning hopefully the starters are good enough to where you can

just get the ball to kirkering and and duron and maybe strong maybe banks but robertson i think is going to be used in a game where they're down by one or you're trying to keep it close rather than high-level spots. But when you have to pitch around the way they have, when they have to pitch strong the way they have, when they have to pitch banks the way they have, sometimes you're going to have to go to a game like tonight. We're down a lot of your guys,

and Robertson maybe we'll take down a big inning. So it was mostly encouraging first outing for David Robertson, but still not, you know, it felt a lot like when he was here the first time around. I know his numbers last year the Rangers were great, but it never feels the most crisp when Robertson's out there. And Kirkering, like we talked, last segment, really, really settling into his own. Off of the debate today between me and Spike, it was nice to see him dominate the bottom of the lineup after the eighth inning.

So we'll see if Thompson does that. I don't know if he would. They seem very committed to Geron and the ninth. And to be fair, the way Kirkring's pitching, I think I would trust him in a high-leverage spot against the heart of any order right now because he's pitching with a ton of confidence, ton of moxie. That two-seamer has been a total game-changer. And it's nice to see him not just spamming sweepers over and over and over again.

He looks like a totally, totally different guy. We'll preview tomorrow. After we talk to, go back to the phones here. Matt is in Bucks County. What's happening, Matt? what's happening brother how you doing good man i feel i'm doing good i just honestly i had to have a little bit of a problem with uh

i think bill was the one that just called in um i think that we look pretty good i feel confident as far as you know when it comes to what we did on the the trade deadline i understand the frustration um but you know i tune in a lot And we have a championship team here. We have a championship team. It's about we all kind of ride off each other's energy.

And I think that the moves that we did make will capitalize in the postseason. I can see that happening. Now, when it comes to, like, our pitching and everything, I get the frustration. But it's about the bats. I think that when you have a guy on third, two outs, just hit a ball up the middle. Those are the things that I think that we're paying our top guys for. We're not looking for a home run all the time. At the bank, it's wonderful.

I love it. I love when that happens. You know, when you have that energy and you have a dinger. But when it comes down to it, we just need the small ball. We need the small ball to get us there. So I think take advantage of what we have right now with the Mets kind of falling apart. But we need to use what we have. And what we have is stars.

We have stars. And I just want to make sure that, you know, we don't miss an opportunity. because if it's not this year, I don't see us doing it with this group. Well, it's certainly a group that's on their, you know, their odometer is getting up there. It was frustrating again with Cassiano's. You know, it was an opportunity to do a job, and he flew out to right field Harper on third base a little too shallow.

I don't fault Harper for going there. The offense has been dead. It took a great throw. it was right on the money. I don't think that was a, oh, there's Bryce doing his dumb base running thing again. I thought it was a decent risk

and one that I probably would have taken to try a tie ball game up late in the game. Early in the game, maybe you don't do it. But at that point, with what the offense had done, I had no problem with Bryce trying to score there. Tomorrow, Ranger Suarez on the mound versus Brady Singer. Struggled a little bit since the beginning of July,

has Singer a 5.08 ERA. He's kind of just an innings eater type. He was drafted in the first round, so I think people thought he's going to be better than he is. He's fine. He's serviceable, but it's sort of Taiwan-ish. He'll take the ball every single day, or every fifth day,

and some days he'll be really good, and some days he'll get blown up, and hopefully the Phillies can light him up tomorrow, and I think it will be interesting. Will Nick Castanis be in the lineup really struggling OBP on the year under 300. That feels almost impossible, but that's Castianos. And I guess when you swing at the first pitch, every single lip-at, it's pretty hard to draw a walk.

So I guess it does check out. But that's going to do it for me. Thanks to Luke Nichols for producing the final out tonight. Jody Mack is next. He'll take it through the rest of the night here on Sports Radio 94WIP.