Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies’ 11-9 record through 20 games was their best start since 2011, when they were on their way to 102 wins. Few expect anything close to 102 wins this year, but the Phillies were feeling good about their six-game winning streak in late April.

“The way we’re playing right now, we’re not afraid of anybody,” utility man Brock Stassi said. It helped to have right-hander

Jeremy Hellickson off to a great start. Hellickson had a 1.80 ERA, and the Phillies had won all five of his starts, meaning he had been on the mound for nearly half of their wins.

“This guy, sometimes I watch him pitch, and when he’s doing it right it looks like he’s just playing catch with the catcher,” manager

Pete Mackanin said. “Catcher puts down a location, and he puts it there.”

Hellickson’s strong start would figure to make him a strong midseason trade candidate. The Phillies didn’t trade him last year and brought him back for 2017 with a $17.2 million contract.

The Phillies are paying most of Clay Buchholz’s $13.5 million contract, and they’ll get almost nothing out of it now that Buch- holz is likely out for the year because of a torn flexor tendon in his right arm. Buchholz apologized to general manager Matt

Klentak and said he hopes to return in September.

“I’m not going on the DL. That’s not going to happen. I’ll wrap it up, be like the Chipotle burrito.” Braves second baseman Brandon Phillips, on how he would deal with a strained left groin