Rob Thomson announces Phillies rotation to open second half
SAN DIEGO – Rob Thomson on Sunday announced the Phillies starting rotation coming out of the All-Star break. It does not include Andrew Painter.
Jesús Luzardo will make the first start on Friday, July 18 against the Los Angeles Angels. Taijuan Walker stays in the rotation and will start Saturday. Both pitchers are scheduled to throw bullpen sessions during the break.
Ranger Suárez will start the Sunday series finale on July 20, with Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez getting the first two games of the Red Sox series on July 21 and July 22.
Painter gave up two home runs in five innings in his start on Sunday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley against the Syracuse Mets.
The Phillies are not sure when he’ll make his next start for the IronPigs.
The 22-year-old has struggled in his last three starts. He has a 7.04 ERA in the month of July. His last two starts on Sunday and on Tuesday, July 8 came against the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse. He allowed a combined five home runs and eight earned runs in both outings.
The Phillies, despite having their three best guys, Suárez, Wheeler and Sánchez lined up to pitch, are on the verge of getting swept in San Diego for the first time since 2017 with another loss on Sunday.
The lineup is scoreless through nine innings against the Padres bullpen so far in the series. With Jeremiah Estrada and Yuki Matsui presumably being the only relievers unavailable to pitch, San Diego will likely rely heavily on matchups later in the game.
Thomson countered by moving Schwarber back up to the leadoff spot. The Phillies manager wanted to separate the four left-handed hitters, Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh, with Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp in the lineup.
Alec Bohm, who left Saturday’s game early with a left rib cage contusion, could be available off the bench pending how he responds to treatment.
On the decision to start Kemp in left field over Max Kepler, Thomson said that he wanted to get Kemp more at-bats with the Angels likely to roll out a pair of lefty starters out of the break. Kemp singled in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter for Kepler in Saturday’s loss.