{"id":2871,"date":"2026-07-20T23:44:30","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T23:44:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/corporate-movers-usa.com\/?p=2871"},"modified":"2026-07-20T23:44:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T23:44:30","slug":"a-solution-to-the-phillies-fifth-starter-spot-skip-it-but-only-for-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/corporate-movers-usa.com\/?p=2871","title":{"rendered":"A solution to the Phillies\u2019 fifth-starter spot? Skip it. But only for now."},"content":{"rendered":"<div><div><div><audio><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p>Here\u2019s one way to handle not having an appealing choice to fill the fifth-starter spot: Skip it.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/corporate-movers-usa.com\/?p=2869\">Paramount Skydance\u2019s $110B merger with Warner Bros. Discovery paused by judge<\/a><\/p><div><\/div><p>With a day off Thursday in between home series against the Dodgers and Yankees, the Phillies are talking about going with four starters this time through the rotation, interim manager Don Mattingly said Monday.<\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><p>But, well, that may present problems, too.<\/p><div><\/div><p>The Phillies are built to go only as far as their top three starting pitchers carry them. It\u2019s imperative, then, for Cristopher S\u00e1nchez, Zack Wheeler, and Jes\u00fas Luzardo to stay healthy. Whenever possible, extra rest between starts can help.<\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><p>\u201cIn general, I like with those guys giving them their rest,\u201d Mattingly said. \u201cIt\u2019s not a situation where our depth is at a point where you can lose one of those guys. We\u2019re going to need to keep them strong all year. So, we\u2019re going to be careful with that.\u201d<\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><p>Actually, the Phillies\u2019 rotation depth is perilously thin.<\/p><div><\/div><p>Although Wheeler opened the season on the injured list while recovering from complicated surgery to relieve a vein that was compressed between his collarbone and ribcage, the Phillies were unable to secure veteran pitchers to stash in triple A.<\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><div><\/div><p>Taijuan Walker filled out a season-opening rotation that included rookie Andrew Painter. Walker posted a 9.13 ERA in four starts and was released with nearly $18 million left on his contract when Wheeler returned at the end of April.<\/p><div><\/div><p>Painter, meanwhile, got demoted to triple A with a 7.06 in June. The Phillies recalled righty Alan Rangel, who was optioned to triple A on Monday with a 5.40 ERA in three starts and three appearances behind an opener.<\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><p>The day off would enable S\u00e1nchez and Wheeler to start Saturday and Sunday, respectively, on regular (four days\u2019) rest against the Yankees. In that case, the Phillies wouldn\u2019t need a fifth starter until Tuesday night in Miami.<\/p><div><\/div><p>And because of another day off July 30, they wouldn\u2019t need a fifth starter again before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. A back-end starter is on Dave Dombrowski\u2019s shopping list, though it\u2019s likely less of a priority than a late-inning reliever and a right-handed bat.<\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><p>\u201cI worry more about health than I worry about who we\u2019re playing,\u201d Mattingly said. \u201cIn general, I\u2019m more worried about our guys staying strong and feeling good the whole year, the rest of the year than pushing them up for one series or another.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/corporate-movers-usa.com\/?p=2867\">Flood watch issued for the Philly region as \u2018several rounds\u2019 of rain are expected Tuesday<\/a><\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><p>\u201cWe need our guys all the way through.\u201d<\/p><div><\/div><p>If the Phillies choose to prioritize rest for S\u00e1nchez and Wheeler, the fifth-starter spot could come around Saturday against the Yankees. They could divide that start between relievers. With the promotion Monday of hard-throwing Alex McFarlane, they have nine relievers in the bullpen.<\/p><div><\/div><p>Ideally, Painter would rejoin the rotation in the second half after improving his fastball and building confidence in the minors. He allowed two runs in 10 innings in his first two starts back in triple A before giving up seven runs in only 2\u2154 innings in his final start before the All-Star break.<\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><div><\/div><div><h3>Hot Wheels<\/h3><\/div><div><\/div><p>Wheeler didn\u2019t conceal that he was irked over not being picked by MLB for the National League All-Star team. And when the league made a late offer to put him on the roster if he agreed to pitch on one day\u2019s rest, he declined, saying he was \u201cnot going be disrespected.\u201d<\/p><div><\/div><p>Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who led the NL team, declined to weigh in on the situation.<\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><p>\u201cZack made a personal decision that he thought was best for him,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cI think everyone respects it. So, I don\u2019t really have a whole lot of color on that one.\u201d <\/p><div><\/div><div><\/div><div><h3>Extra bases<\/h3><\/div><div><\/div><p>Rookie right fielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. went viral for putting on sunglasses while catching a fly ball Sunday against the Mets. Mattingly\u2019s reaction: \u201cI would think you\u2019d want to have them on the whole time. I thought he had the flip-downs on, and then later seeing it, I was like, \u2018What in the world?\u2019 I\u2019ve never seen that.\u201d &#8230; Wheeler (10-1, 2.13 ERA) will face Dodgers All-Star lefty Justin Wrobleski (10-3, 2.69) at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday.<\/p><div><\/div><div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"128\" height=\"128\" alt=\"The Inquirer logo\" class=\"wp-image-47\" src=\"https:\/\/corporate-movers-usa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/faba80d67140212ba32240655442c529.png\"\/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n        Watch the latest episode\n      <\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Phillies owner <strong>John Middleton<\/strong> spent months planning to host the city\u2019s first All-Star Game in 30 years. Now that it\u2019s over, he joined Phillies Extra, The Inquirer\u2019s baseball podcast, to recap his most memorable moments from the week. He also discussed the upcoming trade deadline and Field of Dreams Game in Iowa, and the future of the top of the Phillies organizational masthead. Watch here. Watch here.<\/p>\n<p>You can also subscribe to the podcast version of <em>Phillies Extra<\/em> on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Previous episodes<\/strong>: Ryan Howard |\u00a0Dan Baker |\u00a0Ricky Bottalico |\u00a0Preston Mattingly |\u00a0Caleb Cotham |\u00a0Larry Bowa |\u00a0Joe Maddon |\u00a0Rhys Hoskins |\u00a0Terry Francona<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/corporate-movers-usa.com\/?p=2865\">Delaware confirms its first measles case in more than 10 years while cases rise in Pa.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Phillies are talking about going with four starters this time through the rotation. However, that may present problems as the Phillies\u2019 rotation depth is perilously thin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2870,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A solution to the Phillies\u2019 fifth-starter spot? Skip it. 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