Phillies Mailbag: Kerkering the Closer? Offense, Pitching?

We are back once again with the 97.3 ESPN Phillies Mailbag.  Each week we take your questions and answer them on The Sports Bash with Mike Gill.  Tune in each Tuesday afternoon to hear your questions answered on the air, or send a text message during the show to 609-403-0975.

Is Orion Kerkering the Phillies closer now?
~Kevin

Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering got his first major league save on Monday night.  It was a clean inning, in which Kerkering struck a batter out.  He lowered his ERA to 2.54 with the save.  And Kerkering pitching the ninth inning was intentional.

After Mick Abel pitched a solid five innings, we watched the Phillies bullpen play out in what would be the ideal situation for a slim lead.  The Phillies led by one run for three innings, two runs for a full inning, and then three before Kerkering got the save.

We saw Taijuan Walker pitch a scoreless sixth inning, followed by Jordan Romano in the seventh inning.  Then Matt Strahm pitched the eighth inning before Kerkering pitched the ninth.

Previous Phillies bullpen management might have had Kerkering pitching in the seventh inning, with Romano pitching the ninth.

Romano's ERA has been creeping downward, but he has lacked the level of consistency the Phillies have gotten out of Kerkering in recent times.

In his last 15 games, Kerkering is 2-1 with a 0.00 ERA.  The loss came as an inherited runner scored.

This play has given Phillies manager Rob Thomson the confidence to pitch Kerkering in the ninth.  It went well and I would imagine he will do so again.  This save came in a very intentionally set outing.

Has the Phillies offense finally turned a corner?
~Scott

After a really rough 10-game stretch, the Phillies once again look like the Phillies.  They took a series from the first-place Chicago Cubs, and the not-too-shabby Toronto Blue Jays, before taking the series opener from the Miami Marlins.  I think a few things are in play here to explain this.

First, the lineup re-configuration was overdue.  Bryson Stott simply was not getting it done in the leadoff spot.  Trea Turner was and continues to set the tone and get on base.  In his last seven games, Tuner is batting .357 with a .991 OPS.

Second, J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm have yielded a hot bat.  Both are having nice months of June.

Realmuto is batting .333 for the month (13 for 39).  Realmuto has three doubles and an OPS of .806 for the month.  This came on the heels of the month of May where Realmuto batted just .205.

Bohm, meanwhile, is batting .345 in the month of June.  Bohm has two home runs and two doubles, to help carry an OPS of .881 for the month.  Bohm had a solid May, too, but this just helps solidify the lineup.

Add in that Max Kepler is batting .333 in his last seven games, you may start to feel like the Phillies can overcome Bryce Harper being out of the lineup.

How will the Phillies handle the pitching staff once Aaron Nola returns and Andrew Painter is called up?
~Justin

The Phillies got another setback, when they learned that Aaron Nola, recovering from a strained ankle, had a stress fracture in his rib.  That opened the door for Mick Abel to get a regular opportunity while Taijuan Walker moved into the bullpen.  Should the Phillies get to full strength, they would still have seven starters, even though Walker is in the bullpen.

The Phillies are a month or so away (according to their own stated plans) from Andrew Painter being summoned and Nola returning from the injured list.

It's really hard to project what direction this will go, because we never really know when injury or other could get in the way.

But I think the Phillies should have the best 13 pitchers they have on the roster.  Because of the Tommy John surgery I think that Painter should be in the rotation, but beyond that, I would work things out as they can.

I think Abel would be fine in the bullpen.  Beyond that?  I think it depends on what kind of move the Phillies can make at the deadline.   If they're really stuck for lefties, then they might have to consider Ranger Suarez.

But I really don't want us to get too ahead of ourselves, but these things have a way of working themselves out.