Hoffman's rare stumble prolongs Phils' funk

SEATTLE – The Phillies keep finding incredible ways to lose.

They blew their latest lead in Saturday night’s 6-5 loss to the Mariners in 10 innings at T-Mobile Park. They carried a four-run lead into the sixth inning when Jeff Hoffman, who has been one of baseball’s best relievers the past two seasons, allowed four runs for the first time in nearly three years. The Phils had runners on first and second with no outs in the 10th, but they did not score. It set up Seattle’s winning run in the bottom of the inning when newly acquired reliever Carlos Estévez hit a batter to load the bases and walked home the winning run.

"We’re just in a funk right now,” catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “We’re just finding ways to lose games. It’s something different every night.”

The Phillies have lost six consecutive games for the first time since April 30-May 6, 2023. It is the Phillies’ first 4-13 stretch since Sept. 11-28, 2018.

“We have too much talent in this clubhouse and we have the right guys in here to withstand something like this, and hopefully be better on the other side for it,” Realmuto said. “Obviously, we would like it to end tonight, tomorrow, as soon as possible, we want this to be over. But we have faith in this clubhouse that we’ll get the job done.”

The Phillies had a 5-0 lead in the fifth. Bryce Harper worked a 12-pitch at-bat into a leadoff double in the fourth inning, sparking hope of a breakout following a 1-for-35 skid. Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh each hit two-out, two-run singles in a four-run fifth.

The Mariners scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 5-1, before Hoffman struggled in the sixth. He allowed four hits and four runs. He walked a batter. He hit a batter.

It was the first time he had allowed more than two runs this season, and the first time he had allowed four runs in a game since Sept. 3, 2021.

Hoffman, who was unavailable for comment postgame, pitched the sixth because the Phillies wanted him to face Seattle’s best hitters at the top of the lineup. It is a spot Hoffman has pitched in the past, although he had not pitched earlier than the seventh inning since April 1.

But these situations should present themselves more frequently. Before Tuesday’s Trade Deadline, the Phillies acquired Estévez, who will be the team’s unofficial closer, and left-hander Tanner Banks, who replaced Gregory Soto as the third lefty in the 'pen. Estévez’s presence should allow Phillies manager Rob Thomson to be more aggressive in using right-handers Hoffman and Orion Kerkering and left-handers Matt Strahm and José Alvarado.

This plan didn’t work on Saturday. The Phillies have blown five leads of three or more runs in this 4-13 stretch. The bullpen has a 6.54 ERA in that time, not including catcher Garrett Stubbs’ three relief appearances. It would be the second-worst bullpen ERA in baseball, behind only the White Sox.

The bullpen had a 3.32 ERA though July 11, when the Phillies finished a three-game sweep of the Dodgers. It was the third-best ERA in baseball at the time.

"I definitely think the command hasn’t quite been there,” Realmuto said. “I think they’re behind in the count a lot more than we’re used to seeing early in the year. We’re walking more guys, we’re hitting more guys."

Estévez pitched a second inning for just the third time this season, but the Phillies had no other choice. They needed to win. They wanted one of their best relievers on the mound.

Estévez got Mitch Haniger into a 1-2 count with the bases loaded and two outs. Realmuto set up for a fastball up and in. Estévez missed his spot, throwing the pitch down and away.

Still, it landed well within Gameday’s strike zone.

It should have been strike three. It was called a ball.

"It’s harder to strike out someone with five strikes, instead of three,” Estévez said. “That’s one thing. But at the same time, I hit a guy with a slider. I got myself in that situation.”

Realmuto snapped his head as he caught the pitch.

"I reacted because I knew it was a strike, but I was expecting the ball up and in, so I was chasing it,” Realmuto said. “You’re almost never going to get the call when you’re that late to catching the ball. I was just frustrated that I knew it was a strike and it wasn’t going to be called.”

It led to ball four, another loss and more players offering reasons why they think this skid will not last forever.

"Winning team, first place, everyone wants to be on a team like that,” Estévez said. “They were like, ‘We’re doing really bad right now, but we’ve got this.’ I’m like, ‘I know you guys got this, I know we got this.’ Because I’ve seen it."