Phillies Mailbag: Mattingly, Catching, Relief Corps

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 week to hear your questions answered on the air.

What's been the Don Mattingly difference?
~Ed

The Phillies fired Rob Thomson on April 29 when the Phillies were off to a disasterous 9-19 start.    Don Mattingly was appointed interim manager and the Phillies have climbed all the way from 10 games under the .500 mark to six games above to be 42-36 today.

But what did Mattingly do to bring it about?  Not much.

The change itself was a signficant moment of reset.  Something had to be new  different, so signify that a page had been turned from the awful play of the Phillies to that point.

Firing the manager did that.  Whoever came in just had to keep a level head.

It probably was not a coincidence that the team got much better when Zack Wheeler rejoined the team and Taijuan Walker departed the team.

There are still flaws on the roster, but any team with Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, and Jesus Luzardo as the 1, 2, and 3 top starters and Jhoan Duran at the end is probably going to do pretty well.

Why are there three catchers on this team and why is one of them a guy who hits .100?
~Tony

The Phillies really do not have a need for three catchers.  When J.T. Realmuto was banged up, they did, to make sure that he was healthy.   Then Rafael Marchan recently took a blow to the head and they needed to make sure he was healthy.

But I think it's the third catcher, the one who is hitting .167, is probably the "extra" catcher at this point.

I think only second to questions to Mike Trout, the Phillies backup catcher position is the one question I get the most.

Rafael Marchan has not had a good year at the plate, that's very fair to say.

But he remains one of the better backstops in the game.  The Phillies still play J.T. Realmuto a good amount of the time, so whoever is the backup catcher the focus should be on how well they work with the pitching staff.

I say year after year that Realmuto should play less.  But the Phillies count on his bat more than most.  I think that he will need more time off down the stretch.

I think the reason the Phillies have three catchers is more about the lack of offensive players ready to be on a major league roster and contribute.

Another reason would be the concern that the Phillies would lose organizational catching depth if Garrett Stubbs did not clear waivers and departed.  An injury to Realmuto or Marchan and the Phillies would be in a tough spot.

I think soon as there is another option for the roster, Stubbs will be designated for assignment.  He could clear waivers, but if he does not, Rene Pinto has been back from the injured list and with the IronPigs for two weeks now and could be that catching depth.

But let us remember how many at bats the backup catcher has gotten in the playoffs since 2022.  The answer is just one.

Did Seth Johnson say to Alvarado- "Hold my beer?"
~Zippy

The Phillies recalled Seth Johnson after a really strong performance at Triple-A. Serving as the IronPigs closer, Johnson was 0-1 with a 1.33 ERA in 24 appearances.  Johnson had six saves.

But he has never seemed to translate that success to the major leagues.

While Alan Rangel did pretty well during his return to the rotation. (Well, at least the "after the opener" start).

But this underscores what happens in the fifth spot in the rotation.  You're happy to get 5-6 innings from that group, and the relievers who follow tend to be those who are not in the upper echelon of the bullpen.

The good news?  Orion Kerkering had had a really nice season.  And, Jonathan Bowlan, acquired in the Matt Strahm trade, has really picked it up as well.

(Strahm, by the way, has a 6.46 ERA with the Kansas City Royals in 2026).

Since you mentioned Jose Alvarado, the Phillies could use some help from the left side.  Tanner Banks was sent to Triple-A after struggling in 2026.  Kyle Backhus has returned, so the club will see what he can do.