The Phillies wrapped up a six-game swing through Atlanta and St. Louis with a disappointing 2-4 record, dropping back-to-back series against the Braves and Cardinals. Offensively, things went ice cold in St. Louis, where the Phils were shut out twice and mustered just 14 hits in 94 at-bats, slashing a painful .149/.200/.149 across the three-game set with zero home runs. Yeah, you read that right — zero.
On the hill, it’s a different story
Still, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. The Phillies managed to squeeze out a 4-1 win in Game 2, thanks to Cristopher Sánchez, who continues to be one of the most quietly reliable arms in the rotation. The lefty tossed 6.1 innings of one-run ball, mixing his changeup and sinker to keep St. Louis off balance all night. The bullpen did its job, slamming the door with 2.2 shutout innings to preserve the lead.
“I just focused on staying aggressive in the zone,” Sánchez told reporters postgame. “We needed that win. Everyone knows we haven’t been hitting like we can, so it was important to give the team a chance.”
Even in the series-opening 3-0 loss, Aaron Nola deserved better. The veteran right-hander struck out seven over five innings, allowing just two earned runs. His fastball had late life, and he kept hitters guessing with his curve, but the bats never gave him a shot.
“It’s tough,” Nola said. “You feel good out there, you’re making your pitches, and you’re just waiting for that one big swing or rally to come. But it never did.”
Aaron Nola, Filthy 78mph Knuckle Curve. 😷 pic.twitter.com/nchua6CrQH
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 12, 2025
That was the theme all week. The Phillies took just one of three in Atlanta, then one of three in St. Louis, and now head back to Citizens Bank Park with more questions than answers — particularly at the plate.
Realmuto reaches new career height
In more positive news, J.T. Realmuto reached a new career height 100 stolen-bases in this series.
100 career steals for 10
Congrats, J.T.! pic.twitter.com/uQNksIp1wb
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 11, 2025
Looking Ahead
So what’s next? A seven-game home stand that might offer the spark they need. First up: a four-game set with the second-place Giants, followed by a weekend showdown with the Marlins. The good news? The Phillies typically swing it better at home, and with the rotation doing its job, it’s just a matter of time before the offense wakes up… right?
We sure hope so.
