MLB Player News

Romano blew the save after allowing two runs on one hit and one walk in one inning during Thursday's game against the Nationals. He struck out one.

Summoned in the eighth inning to protect a 3-1 lead, Romano struggled with his command as he threw just 15 of 29 pitches for strikes and also plunked a batter. Philly could give Romano some leeway when it comes to future save opportunities, although they aren't short on high-leverage arms, and the right-hander's usage in the eighth frame suggests he may not solely see ninth-inning work anyway. Jose Alvarado, who ended up getting the win Thursday, and Matt Strahm pitched clean ninth and 10th innings, respectively, to preserve the win for Philadelphia.

Wheeler didn't factor into the decision after giving up one run on two hits and two walks in six innings during Thursday's game against the Nationals. He struck out eight.

Although Wheeler certainly pitched well enough to deserve a win Thursday, the Phillies struggled to break through offensively until the later stages, and he was outdueled by MacKenzie Gore and his 13 strikeouts. Keibert Ruiz took Wheeler deep in the fifth frame, which ended up being the lone blemish to Wheeler's stat line. The star right-hander has a favorable matchup on tap against the Rockies at home next week.

Schwarber 2-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 7-3 extra-inning win over Washington.

Batting out of the No. 4 spot in Philadelphia's lineup, Schwarber played the part of a prototypical cleanup hitter with a go-ahead, solo homer in the seventh inning. The star slugger has recorded at least 100 runs scored in each of his past three seasons while working primarily as a leadoff hitter, but any drop in runs while hitting cleanup would likely be offset by the added RBI opportunities.

Harper went 1-for-4 with a walk, a solo homer and an additional run scored in Thursday's 7-3 extra-inning win over Washington.

After the Nationals lifted a dominant MacKenzie Gore after six innings, Harper greeted right-hander Lucas Sims with a solo shot to put the Phillies on the board in the seventh. It was Harper's first long ball of 2025, including spring training, as the superstar slugger went without a homer in the Grapefruit League but did hit a strong 12-for-41 (.293) with four RBI this spring.

Candelario started at third base and went 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBI in Thursday's 6-4 loss to San Francisco.

Candelario was part of crowded corner infield spots during spring training, but a late injury to outfielder Austin Hays (calf) led to Gavin Lux playing left field Thursday. That should give Candelario a near-daily role at third base, first base or DH in the early going. He underwhelmed overall at the plate in 2024, his first with the Reds, but he managed to hit the 20-homer mark for a second consecutive season.

Hernandez (illness) won't start but could be available off the bench Friday against the Tigers, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Hernandez is dealing with the flu and was not at the ballpark for Thursday's domestic home opener against the Tigers. His exact availability remains to be seen, though it sounds as if he is nearing a return to the club.

Steer started at designated hitter and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Giants.

Steer was a surprise to open the season on the active roster, but an Austin Hays calf injury this week prompted a roster shuffle. Steer's shoulder kept him out most of spring training. and he managed to get just seven plate appearances. As such, there could be some rust early on.

Tinoco (1-0) was credited with the win for Thursday's game against Pittsburgh. He allowed one one walk and one hit while striking out a batter across one scoreless frame.

The 29-year-old right-hander was called from the bullpen for the top of the ninth inning, and after giving up a double and walk to Tommy Pham and Bryan Reynolds, respectively, Tinoco managed to escape the frame by striking out Joey Bart. It's worth noting that Tinoco got the call for the top of the ninth in a tie game instead of Calvin Faucher, suggesting the latter was being reserved for a potential save situation Friday.

Alcantara didn't factor into the decision in Thursday's game against the Pirates. He allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out seven across 4.2 innings.

Alcantara was in total control through the first four innings of Opening Day, including the third frame when he followed up a leadoff walk with three consecutive strikeouts. The right-hander started the fifth inning strong with two straight punchouts, but he allowed the next three hitters to reach before giving up a two-run single to Bryan Reynolds to end his day. Despite the underwhelming finish, it was an encouraging season debut as Alcantara made his first MLB appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery late in 2023. He understandably showed some signs of rust but still generated 16 swinging strikes on 91 pitches.

Stowers went 1-for-3 with two walks, two strikeouts and the game-winning RBI single during Thursday's 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.

Stowers got off to a rough start on Opening Day with two strikeouts, but he was able to settle in and draw two walks on his next two plate appearances. He then followed up with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to walk off the Pirates. Stowers beat out Griffin Conine for the starting job in left field during spring training, and the former has gotten off to a solid start to his 2025 campaign.