Phillies, Jeremy Hellickson set to open second half at home against Bartolo Colon, Mets

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies (42-48) and RHP Jeremy Hellickson will kick-off the second half of play following the All-Star break in opposition of 19-year veteran RHP Bartolo Colon and the New York Mets (47-41) Friday evening at Citizens Bank Park.

While the Phillies are coming off of a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves and a 2-2 series split to the Colorado Rockies, the Mets are coming off of a 2-1 series win over the Miami Marlins and a 3-1 series defeat against the Washington Nationals. The Mets did however sweep the second MLB-best Chicago Cubs in a four-game home series from June 30 to July 3, outscoring them 32 to 11.

The Phillies will be playing their first game at home in nine days. During their road trip and the All-Star break, legendary music icons Billy Joel and Paul McCartney held sold-out concerts on July 9 and July 12, respectively. It was Joel's fifth Citizens Bank Park concert and third in as many years, while McCartney made his debut at the venue and his first Philadelphia performance since June 21, 2015 at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Phillies are currently 12 games behind the division-leading Nationals and six games behind in the National League Wild Card race. Following last year's All-Star break in Cincinnati, Ohio, they trailed the division and Wild Card by 16 1/2 games.

Phillies Rule 5 outfielder Tyler Goeddel, 23, and his brother Erik, a 27-year-old right-handed reliever for the Mets, hope to oppose each other for the first time of their respective careers. While the Phillies and Mets split their first six meetings of the season from April 8-10 and 18-20, Erik was inactive with a strained elbow suffered during spring training.

Starting Pitching Matchup:

Bartolo Colon — Age: 43;

• Last Start: July 7, 2016, vs. WSN: ND, 4.2 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 SO, 3 HR
• Career vs. PHI: (8-5), 16 G, 103.0 IP, 103 H, 42 R, 40 ER, 23 BB, 80 SO, 10 HR, 3.50 ERA
  2016 vs. PHI: (0-1), 2 G, 12.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, 11 SO, 2 HR, 3.00 ERA

Colon will make his 17th career start against the Phillies and his third of this season. After exiting his June 21 start against the Kansas City Royals early after taking a line drive off his right thumb, Colon is 1-1 in three starts since with nine runs, 20 hits and four walks allowed through 17 2/3 innings. He has a 3.56 ERA and 1.186 WHIP ratio through seven career starts at Citizens Bank Park.

Jeremy Hellickson — Age: 29;

• Last Start: July 6, 2016, vs. ATL: ND, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
• Career vs. NYM: (2-1), 4 G, 19.2 IP, 28 H, 16 R, 16 ER, 6 BB, 17 SO, 7 HR, 7.32 ERA
  2016 vs. NYM: (1-0), 2 G, 10.0 IP, 13 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 11 SO, 3 HR, 5.40 ERA

Hellickson is one of the more likely Phillies players to be dealt prior to this year's August 1 non-waiver trade deadline. He has allowed just one earned run in each of his last three starts, positing an even 1.000 WHIP ratio with zero home runs allowed in each.

The Boston Red Sox have reportedly scouted the right-hander, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, however they recently acquired left-handed starter Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor-league prospect RHP Anderson Espinoza.

Starting Lineups:

Broadcast Information:

• First pitch: 7:05 p.m.
• TV: NBC10
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP

Game Notes:

• The Phillies' 2016 first-half numbers through 90 games (42-48, .467) significantly outweigh their 2015 first-half numbers through 91 games (29-62, .319). One noticeable change is the home run category, with 30 more blasts this season than last. Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco currently leads the team with 18, followed by first basemen Ryan Howard (12), Tommy Joseph (11) and 2016 All-Star center fielder Odubel Herrera (10).

• Active members of the Phillies are batting .252/.281/.362 over 172 career plate appearances against Colon with 31 singles, six doubles, four home runs and 13 RBIs. Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who has dealt with multiple injuries this season including a right quad strain that caused him to miss All-Star festivities in San Diego, is a .417/.462/.917 career hitter against Hellickson with two home runs and three RBIs in 13 plate appearances.
• Since making his Mets season debut on July 5, 10 days after he signed a minor league contract to rejoin franchise for the first time since the 2011 season, infielder Jose Reyes is batting .250/.308/.708 with two doubles, two walks, three home runs and three RBIs over 26 plate appearances. Coming off of his 50-plus-game domestic violence suspension, Reyes was placed on release waivers by the Rockies on June 23. While the Mets owe Reyes the pro-rated league minimum of $507,500 with a club option for 2017, the Rockies are on the hook to pay Reyes more than $38 million on his previous contract that ran through 2018.

Standings:

What's Next:

• Saturday, July 16, 2016: vs. New York Mets, 7:05 p.m.
• Citizens Bank Park
  
• RHP Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.34 ERA) vs. RHP Jerad Eickhoff (6-10, 3.80 ERA)
• TV: NBC10; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP