By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
For the first time since Sept. 28, 2016, the first-place Philadelphia Phillies (57-44) will feature a left-handed starting pitcher — No. 8-ranked club prospect, Ranger Suarez — as they take on the National League Central-worst Cincinnati Reds (45-57) in the first of a four-game series Thursday evening at Great American Ball Park.
Suarez will be the eighth Phillies player to debut in 2018; he will oppose fellow rookie RHP Tyler Mahle. The Carora, Venezuela, native will also become the 13th rookie to appear in a game for the Phillies in 2018, as Matt Winkelman notes. Suarez's call to the majors became necessitated following last Sunday's doubleheader. Right-hander Enyel De Los Santos was ineligible to make his third spot spot, since he was optioned last Friday and must spend a minimum of 10 days in the minors before being recalled.
The Phillies have lost each of their last five series at Great American Ball Park since April 15-17, 2013, outscored 79-44 and outhit 133-112 at the venue. This Phillies swept the Reds in a three-game home set April 9-11, despite slashing just .182/.272/.404 with 16 runs and 18 hits on offense. A double, triple or home run on Thursday would match the Phillies' third-longest streak of collecting at least one extra-base hit in franchise history — 97 games — last matched on August 30, 2008-June 25, 2009.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Philadelphia Phillies (57-44) | Cincinnati Reds (45-57) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHP | Ranger Suarez | RHP | Tyler Mahle | ||
| (Triple-A: 1-0, 0.57 ERA) | (7-8, 4.32 ERA) | ||||
LHP Ranger Suarez, Age: 22
- 2018 vs. CIN: N/A
- Career vs. CIN: N/A
- Career at Great American Ball Park: N/A
Suarez allowed just one run in three starts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley spanning 15 2/3 innings. In those outings, the 22-year-old yielded no home runs and one walk per each appearance. Overall this season, Suarez is 5-3 with a 2.38 ERA, 66-24 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.147 WHIP spanning 15 starts and 90 2/3 innings. The Phillies signed Suarez for $25,000 out of Venezuela in 2012.
RHP Tyler Mahle, Age: 23
- 2018 vs. PHI: N/A
- Career vs. PHI: N/A
- Career at Great American Ball Park: 2-5, 4.61 ERA, 10 G, 10 GS, 56 2/3 IP, 54 H, 32 R, 29 ER, 14 HR, 22 BB, 67 SO, 1.341 WHIP
Mahle will make his 25th career start, and his first against the Phillies. The Newport Beach, California, native is 8-10 with a 4.06 ERA, 115-57 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.472 WHIP thus far in his career since debuting in August 2017. Mahle has surrendered 13 runs (11 earned) over his last two starts against the Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates, tossing just a combined eight innings.
Starting Lineups:
| Philadelphia Phillies (57-44) | Cincinnati Reds (45-57) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | 2B | Cesar Hernandez | S | 1 | SS | Jose Peraza | R |
| 2 | LF | Rhys Hoskins | R | 2 | 2B | Scooter Gennett | L |
| 3 | CF | Odubel Herrera | L | 3 | 1B | Joey Votto | L |
| 4 | 1B | Carlos Santana | S | 4 | 3B | Eugenio Suarez | R |
| 5 | 3B | Maikel Franco | R | 5 | LF | Adam Duvall | R |
| 6 | RF | Nick Williams | L | 6 | C | Tucker Barnhart | S |
| 7 | SS | Scott Kingery | R | 7 | RF | Phillip Ervin | R |
| 8 | C | Jorge Alfaro | R | 8 | P | Tyler Mahle | R |
| 9 | P | Ranger Suarez | L | 9 | CF | Billy Hamilton | S |
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 7:10 p.m.
- TV: NBCSP
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Game Notes:
- Facing Chase Utley for the final time in regular season action at Citizens Bank Park July 23-25, the Phillies took two of three games from the postseason-contending Los Angeles Dodgers, en route to their 17th series win of the season. The club won 16 series all of last season.
- Suarez was rumored to be drawing interest from the Baltimore Orioles as part of a potential Manny Machado deal. Machado instead was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The four-time All-Star hit just 2-for-14 (.143) with two walks and five strikeouts in his most recent series opposite the Phillies.
- This season against the Reds, Phillies pitching has posted a 2.70 ERA in 30 innings, allowing just nine runs on 25 hits, one home run, nine walks and 32 strikeouts.
- The Phillies have won 17 of their 26 games against National League Central opponents this season.
- The Phillies are 13-7 through 20 games in July, matching last month's win total (13-14).
- Suarez's start breaks a 267-game stretch of right-handed Phillies starters, the longest such stretch in franchise history. The club's previous record was 172 straight games fro May 26, 1907, to June 24, 1908. The all-time non-southpaw-starting pitcher record is 681 games, set by the Dodgers from 1992-1997, MLB.com notes.
What's Next:
Friday, July 27, 2018: at Cincinnati Reds, 7:10 p.m.
- Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
- RHP Nick Pivetta (6-8, 4.69 ERA) vs. RHP Anthony DeSclafani (4-3, 5.40 ERA)
- TV: NBCSP; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
