The Philadelphia Phillies missed their first chance to secure a third consecutive playoff berth, but they have another opportunity to do so on Thursday in the first game of their four-game weekend series against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
The Phillies need to reduce their strikeouts if they want to have a chance to win tonight, something they’ve done repeatedly in the last two games, when they tallied 32 in just 18 innings.
Taijuan Walker (3-6, 6.29 ERA) will be on the mound for Philadelphia.
Walker will make his first start since August 28, but he has already played as a relief pitcher three times since then.
In his last start, Walker allowed six earned runs on 13 hits and one walk with no strikeouts in six innings and suffered his sixth loss of the season.
The Phillies will need to get the veteran off to a much better start tonight if they want to have any chance of qualifying for October.
Walker has faced the Mets three times this season, twice as a starter and once as a relief pitcher last week. In those three games, he allowed a total of four earned runs on nine hits and three walks, striking out seven players in 12 innings.
Philadelphia finished 1-2 in those games, but Walker received a no-decision.
Here’s how the Phillies will line up on Thursday:
1.) DH Kyle Schwarber
2.) SS Trea Turner
3.) 1B Bryce Harper
4.) 3B Alec Bohm
5.) RF Nick Castellanos
6.) 2B Bryson Stott
7.) C JT Realmuto
8.) LF Brandon Marsh
9.) CF Cal Stevenson
SP Taijum Walker
New York will counter with Luis Severino (10-6, 3.77 ERA).
In his last start, he allowed three earned runs on three hits and one walk and had five strikeouts in six innings against Philadelphia.
Severino has somehow managed to miss multiple game against the Phillies this season, and that worked to his advantage last week, aside from two home runs by Bryce Harper.
Here’s how the Mets will line up on Thursday:
1.) 2B Jose Iglesias
2.) LF Brandon Nimmo
3.) 3B Mark Vientos
4.) 1B Pete Alonso
5.) RF Jesse Winker
6.) DH JD Martinez
7.) CF Tyrone Taylor
8.) C Francisco Alvarez
9.) SS Luisangel Acuna
SP Luis Severino
First pitch for Thursday’s game is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. EST.
The game will be broadcast nationally on FOX.
Phillies fans can hear the game on 94 WIP or WTTM 1680.
You can also find it on fuboTV with a free trial by signing up here!
