What is the story about?
Phillies
5, Rangers 3
- That was not the way we were hoping to start the season.
- Nathan Eovaldi allowed all five Phillies runs, getting pulled at 80 pitches with two outs in the fifth. He pitched better than the 9.64 ERA would suggest, however. Eovaldi struck out seven and didn’t issue any walks, generating 14 swings and misses, 8 of which came on his splitter.
- The Rangers got into a hole right away, with Trea Turner singling to start the bottom of the first, and then Kyle Schwarber sending a 1-2 curveball that Eovaldi left up the opposite way for a home run.
- It wasn’t a good location by Eovaldi, but it also wasn’t exactly crushed by Schwarber. Off the bat it seemed like it would be a deep fly out to left, but the ball kept carrying, and carrying…until it ended up in the stands. 2-0 Philadelphia.
- Eovaldi righted the ship after that and kept the Phillies off the scoreboard (with some help from Sam Haggerty, who made a great diving catch on a Trea Turner flare to end the second) until the fifth inning.
- The fifth started with Justin Crawford, son of Carl (god, I’m old), and Trea Turner singling. Eovaldi struck out Schwarber and Harper, bringing up Alec Bohm (who, incidentally, is suing his parents for supposedly embezzling his money).
- Eovaldi fell behind Bohm, 2-0, and then left a cutter up. In what was almost a mirror image of Schwarber in the first, Bohm lofted the ball the other way for what off the bat seemed like it would be a fly out. Again, the ball kept carrying, and ultimately landed in the seats.
- Two out, three run home run. The most momentum-shifting play in baseball, turning what was a close game into, well, not a blowout, but a game where the Rangers had a huge hole to try to climb out of.
- That was it for Eovaldi. He made a couple of unfortunate pitches that resulted in a couple of home runs that accounted for all the Philly runs in the game. Neither home run was hammered — they both had exit velocities under 100 mph — but they were lofted, and the ball carried, and those two baseballs left the park.
- Jalen Beeks, summoned to replace Eovaldi in the fifth, struck out two in 1.1 shutout innings. Tyler Alexander came in for the seventh and had a 1-2-3 inning.
- Carter Baumler made his major league debut, pitching the eighth, though that was a little scary. He started off with a walk to Bohm, then retired Bryson Scott on a fly out. Adolis Garcia struck out for the second out, with the ball being sent to the Rangers dugout to preserve for Baumler, as his first major league strikeout. Brandon Marsh then doubled, putting runners at second and third, with Baumler then hitting J.T. Realmuto to load the bases.
- It was much more nerve-wracking than a bases loaded jam in the top of the 8th of a game you’re down 5 should be. Baumler is a Rule 5 pick, who has to be carried on the major league roster all season or else be offered back to the Orioles. He had a great spring training, but doesn’t have much experience above A ball (or much pro experience at all, really). He was informed he would make the team in his final exhibition appearance, when Skip Schumaker came out to the mound mid-inning to inform him in a moment that went viral. Baumler got emotional when interviewed after the inning while talking about finally becoming a big leaguer.
- I really didn’t want him blowing up his first time out.
- Fortunately, that didn’t happen…Justin, son of Carl, popped out to end the inning. Baumler has a 0.00 ERA. All is good in that regard, for now.
- Offensively, the Rangers were facing off against a pitcher in Cristopher Sanchez who is really, really good, coming off an 8.0 bWAR season and a second place finish in the Cy Young voting. Sanchez was dominant — after Corey Seager and Jake Burger had back-to-back singles off of him, the only baserunner he allowed was Andrew McCutchen, who doubled in the fourth inning.
- The Rangers struck out ten times against Sanchez in six innings, and didn’t draw a walk. One may be inclined to say, welp, same offense as last year, but again, Sanchez is really good.
- The Rangers got Jake Burger on with a single in the seventh, and then Brandon Nimmo with a walk in the eighth, but it wasn’t until the ninth inning that they put runs on the board.
- Corey Seager started the inning off with a single, and then Jake Burger crushed a home run to left-center field.
- The Rangers would not be shut out on Opening Day! Huzzah!
- A Kyle Higashioka pinch hit single and a Josh Jung ground out + Bryce Harper throwing error put a runner on third with one out, leading the Phillies to summon closer Jhoan Duran. Duran faced pinch hitter Ezequiel Duran, making social media happy with a Duran Duran matchup, though sadly, Zeke struck out.
- A Danny Jansen single scored Higashioka and brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Evan Carter. Texas was still in it!
- Carter grounded out to end the game, though. Still, hey, they made it exciting at the end.
- Nathan Eovaldi hit 95.8 mph with his fastball, averaging 94.6 mph. Jalen Beeks hit 94.6 mph with his fastball. Tyler Alexander’s sinker reached 91.6 mph. Carter Baumler topped out at 96.0 mph with his fastball.
- Corey Seager had a 110.3 mph line out. Jake Burger had a 108.4 mph single and a 108.1 mph home run. Andrew McCutchen had a 103.9 mph double. Danny Jansen had a 100.9 mph single and a 100.5 mph ground out.
- One down, 161 to go.
