The Mariners delivered a gut punch this week, slamming the brakes on the Phillies’ red-hot nine-game winning streak right here in the Emerald City. Our M’s absolutely clobbered Zack Wheeler on Monday and held the Phillies’ offense to just two runs, ending what felt like an unstoppable run for those red pinstripes. It was a sweet victory at T-Mobile Park, even if the Phillies managed to salvage a win later in the series, bouncing back on Wednesday against Bryan Woo after another lackluster offensive showing in a Tuesday loss. Traveling to Seattle is never easy, and avoiding disaster by snatching that win sets them up for their next series.
Philly’s Plate Discipline: What In The World Is Happening?
You want to talk about wild turnarounds? Since the start of August, this Phillies team has gone from unwatchable to untouchable. The biggest head-scratcher, in the best way possible, is their sudden knack for drawing walks. Seriously, it’s bizarre. Luis Arraez, a dude with a career walk rate so small you’d need a microscope to find it, joined the team on August 4. Since his debut, the Phillies have shot up to the single highest walk rate in all of baseball! Before Arraez showed up, they were ranked a dismal 27th. And the kicker? Arraez himself has only walked twice as a Phillie. It turns out a late July hitters meeting, sparked by a conversation about being more selective at the plate, truly lit a fire under them. Bryce Harper is now walking in over a quarter of his plate appearances, and Bryson Stott is nearly at a fifth. This is the same team that was in the bottom five for runs per game in the National League for most of the season, but they’ve been leading the senior circuit in runs since August 1. Talk about a conscious recommitment paying off!
Bryce Harper Is ELITE Again, And He Didn’t Need Fuel
Remember when Phillies president Dave Dombrowski laid into Bryce Harper last October about his “subpar 2025” season? Dombrowski straight up said Harper “didn’t have an elite season” and wondered if he’d “become elite or if he continues to be good.” Harper, being Harper, was not thrilled. He even wore a “not elite” T-shirt over the winter. But he insisted he didn’t need that kind of prodding as fuel; he’s Bryce Harper, after all. Well, whatever the reason, the man is back to being elite. His .892 OPS ranks seventh in all of MLB, and his .385 OBP puts him sixth. It’s a statement, loud and clear, that he’s still one of the best in the game.
The Phillies are off to Anaheim this weekend, and you can bet baseball is watching if they can keep this discipline and Harper’s elite performance going. But for now, we’ll just remember that when they rolled into our house, our Mariners were the ones who put a stop to their hot streak.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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