For the first time since the All-Star break, the Phillies were swept by another team. Beginning with last Friday, the Phillies lost three of three to the Brewers, then split a two-game series with the Blue Jays after a day off and lost last night’s series opener in Miami resulting in a 1-5 record last week. Let’s take some time to analyze the calls from the dugout steps and manage Mackanin.
Utilizing Araujo: Elvis Araujo has not allowed a hit in any of his last 10 appearances. In that span, opposing hitters are 0-25. The longest hitless streak by a reliever this year was 10.2 innings by Hector Rendon of the Cubs, but Araujo’s streak currently stands at 8.1 consecutive innings. Mackanin has thrown Araujo in 16 games (15.2 innings) in 47 team games since taking over as manager, including 1.2 innings in 3 appearances last week.
Herrera in the Three-Hole: Odubel Herrera has batted third just nine times this season, including each of the Phillies’ last seven games. Last week, Herrera hit .429 with a 1.091 OPS in six games as the team’s new three-hole hitter. He has now hit safely in 20 of his last 21 games (.356, 31-87).
Galvis Bunts: Mackanin called for a Freddy Galvis bunt in the top of the second inning of Friday’s game. It resulted in Galvis’ fifth bunt for a hit this season, which ties for seventh in the National League, and fourth since August 2.
Final Curtain Call for Chase in Philly: Mackanin gave Utley a scheduled day off on Wednesday, the same day Utley had been traded to the Dodgers. The 26,426 fans in attendance that night chanted for Utley to be put in the game so that they can see their hero play one last time. Mackanin claimed to have been tempted to use Utley as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, but decided against it to avoid “anything crazy happening.” After the Phillies 7-4 victory, Utley tipped his cap to the fans one final time as he walked off the field.
