Phillips dazzles with shutout for childhood team

PHILADELPHIA -- It just keeps getting better and better for Phillies rookie Tyler Phillips.

The South Jersey native and lifelong Phillies fan threw his first shutout in just the third start and fourth appearance of his MLB career in Saturday night’s 8-0 victory over the Guardians at Citizens Bank Park. Phillips, 26, allowed four hits on 105 pitches (71 strikes) in nine scoreless innings. He struck out four, walked one and was backed by homers from Bryce Harper, Brandon Marsh, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos.

“I’ve never done that before,” Phillips said.

Phillips is the first Phillies rookie to throw a shutout since Zach Eflin on July 22, 2016, at Pittsburgh. He is the fourth Phils rookie to do so since Mike Grace in 1996, joining Eflin, J.A. Happ (who threw two shutouts in 2009) and J.D. Durbin, who threw one in ‘07.

Phillips finished the eighth inning at only 89 pitches. Manager Rob Thomson checked with the right-hander to make sure he felt OK to start the ninth.

Phillips said he was fine.

“Just the composure and the poise,” Thomson said. “You’re a rookie and going into the ninth inning with a chance to throw a complete-game shutout. That’s nerve wracking for some. But he was as calm as he could be.”

Phillips walked up the dugout steps and received a standing ovation from Phillies fans.

“My body has never felt that before,” he said. “You get chills. You’re trying not to laugh. You want to tear up. You’re choked up. I don’t know what was going on. But I felt like I was able to throw 100 mph at that point. All I wanted to do was sit those guys back down on the bench.”

Phillips struck out Austin Hedges swinging on an 0-2 sweeper for the first out in the ninth and struck out Tyler Freeman swinging on a 1-2 sweeper for the second. He got Angel Martínez to fly out to new Phillies left fielder Austin Hays to end the game.

“It’s totally cool ... hearing the story about how he got to this position, and obviously a fan of the team,” Schwarber said. “He goes out there, complete-game shutout, filling up the zone left and right. He doesn’t let the moment bother him.”

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski met with reporters in the back of the press box to discuss the Carlos Estévez trade with the Angels.

Dombrowski was asked if any more trades could be on the way. There had been reports that the Phillies were seeking starting pitching help, which always seemed like a long shot but became somewhat more plausible following Saturday’s news that Ranger Suárez landed on the 15-day injured list with lower back soreness.

“We’re comfortable where we are,” Dombrowski said.

Dombrowski specifically cited the recent performance from Phillips as a big reason why.

“There’s preparation and doing homework on guys and continuing to put the right work in,” Phillips said about his success. “I thank God I have a good team behind me and they do what they need to every single time.”