Phillies Mailbag: Hot Streaks, Dominguez, Starting Rotation

We are back once again with a 97.3 ESPN Phillies Mailbag.   We take your questions and answer them on The Sports Bash with Mike Gill.  Tune in Tuesday afternoons to hear your questions answered on the air.  Send a question at any time to @FrankKlose on X.

Any concerns about the team being streaky this year? Hope the hot/cold stretches that Rhys would deal with hasn’t spread around to everyone else.
~Dave

Well, let's be honest: the Phillies have beat their previous records for victories in the Month of April.  In 1993 the Phillies won 17 games during that hot start that propelled the Phillies into the playoffs.  The 2011 team that won a franchise-best 102 and won 18 in April.  The Phillies have 18 wins today with a chance to get one more April victory before the calendar turns to May.

So what would leave me to believe that the Phillies would be "streaky?"  If anything, they've shown they can win games much more than not.  So I would not worry about that.

Individual players are sometimes hot and cold.  Nick Castellanos is the one most likely to get peoples' attention.  Castellanos is batting just .173 this season thus far, with one home run and eight RBI.  That's down.

But he's been known to have very consistent months, too.  There will be time for that to happen.

As for Rhys Hoskins, he was indeed a streaky player.  The Phillies as constituted right now are a little more consistent overall.   I think that consistency will lead to more consistent wins, and you can't ask for much more than that.

Why won't they dump Seranthony Dominguez?
~John

It's true: The Phillies miss 2022 Seranthony Dominguez.  Dominguez has been the one major sore spot in the Phillies bullpen that has been pretty good overall.   Games such as last night's are very memorable in the minds of fans.

In 12 games he is 1-2 with a 9.58 earned run average.  In six of those games he has given up runs.  Even when he has not, he has shown a clear lack of command.  His WHIP on the season is 1.74.

Now, the Phillies wouldn't "dump" Dominguez.  Let us not forget that in 2022 he and Jose Alvarado combined to be a lights-out back-end that the Phillies rode to the World Series.  We know that he can be electric.

However, an option to the minor leagues might not be completely off the table.  Dominguez has a minor league option remaining.  With Luis Ortiz rehabbing and due back soon, the Phillies could opt to give Dominguez a breather at Triple-A.

It's a move that they probably would prefer not to make.

Right now the Phillies are essentially down a bullpen arm.  With Spencer Turnbull taking a rotation turn even after Taijuan Walker returned from the injured list, that roster spot came in lieu of a bullpen arm.  Down one arm, the Phillies need that bullpen piece being productive.

I would strongly consider an option to Triple-A.

What are the Phillies doing with the starting rotation?
~Jim

As starter Taijuan Walker neared his return from the injured list, the Phillies made it clear that he would indeed remain a starting pitcher.  The assumption was that Spencer Turnbull would then occupy the bullpen role that he was ticketed for during Spring Training.  But that did not happen once Walker was activated.

The Phillies will start Turnbull tonight in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels.  That means that Zack Wheeler will be pushed back a day.  With an off day Thursday, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez will each also be pushed back a day.

The Phillies don't want there to be too much extra rest.  But they also don't want a short bullpen.  So at some point, the Phillies will have to put a starting pitcher into the bullpen.

Walker looked good for his start on Sunday.  Curiously, he was allowed to return for the seventh inning, a move I would not have recommended.  Had he not come out for the seventh, he would have left with a quality start.

But the Phillies also don't want to overdo Turnbull's innings; he pitched more than 56 2/3 just once in his career.

Turnbull is a tick below the innings to qualify, but he would rank third in baseball in ERA if he did qualify.  If tonight goes well you'll see him there.  So it will be hard to keep him from the rotation.

So even though the Phillies originally thought they had it figured out, it turns out they do not.  So stay tuned.