Realmuto showing timely star power
Phillies catcher hits stride at right time, tallying four homers and 10 RBI in last seven games
PHILADELPHIA >> With his modest activity and then with his words, Matt Klentak made a trade-deadline point: Whatever the Phillies accomplish in the final two months, they will do it because of their stars.
With that Thursday, J.T. Realmuto ripped a three-run, fourthinning home run over the center field fence to spark a 10-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants. The Phillies’ only All-Star, Realmuto has provided four home runs and 10 RBIs in the last seven games.
“I’m honestly just trying to do less up there,” Realmuto said, after the Phils pulled into a second-place NL East tie with Washington, which was off Thursday. “I’m not trying to do too much. I want to get better pitches to hit and try not to chase out of the zone.
“For me, when I get in trouble is when I go up there and try to do too much, try to hit for power. When I just let it come to me and feel a little more relaxed at the plate, it works out better.”
“I’m honestly just trying to do less up there. I’m not trying to do too much...For me, when I get in trouble is when I go up there and try to do too much, try to hit for power. When I just let it come to me and feel a little more relaxed at the plate, it works out better.”
– Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto on his recent approach at the plate.
Realmuto is hitting .450 with two doubles, three home runs and nine RBIs in his last five games. It’s a large reason why the 57-51 Phils have won three of four.
“He has been hitting the ball hard for a good portion of the season,” Gabe Kapler said. “He’s been finding some holes and obviously beating outfielders and putting the ball over the fence more consistently the last few days. It’s obvious.
“If we’re going to be the team that we expect to be, our stars are going to carry us. J.T. is one of our stars. So we’re certainly depending on that power stroke coming through like it did today.”
••• Jake Arrieta pitched well in his short start, allowing one earned run and fanning five in four innings. But the bone spur in his elbow continues to give him pain. One solution Thursday was to spend time between innings, near the dugout, taking therapy from a trainer.
“I’m trying to stay as mobile as possible,” he said. “It just got to a point where I knew it was going to be hitter to hitter, and I let those guys know. It’s unfortunate, but that’s what I’m working with.”
As the Phillies must whenever Arrieta starts, they received strong bullpen support Thursday from Jose Alvarez, Blake Parker, Ranger Suarez and Juan Nicasio. With Arrieta not pitching long enough to qualify for the win, that went to Alvarez, who improved to 2-2.
“Alvie came in and did a nice job,” Arrieta said. “Parker threw up a zero in his first outing with us, which was nice to see. Ranger threw the ball well and so did Nicasio. So we were able to cover multiple innings out of the pen and win a series against a team that has been playing really well. Now we will move on and try to do the same thing to the White Sox.”
••• The Phillies traded for Corey Dickerson of the Pirates Wednesday. By Thursday, he still had not reported to Citizens Bank Park. By rule, he has 72 hours to report.
Kapler said after the game that he hadn’t seen the left-handed-hitting outfielder but indicated that he expected him in uniform by Friday, when the Phils host the White Sox at 7:05.
“He can hit,” Rhys Hoskins said. “We just saw him in Pittsburgh. He will help us.”
••• Jason Vargas is in town and was activated after the game Thursday so that he can start Friday against the Sox. The left-hander was 6-5 with a 4.01 ERA with the Mets. Chicago will counter with right-hander Ivan Nova (6-9, 3.72).
“He really, really knows how to pitch,” said Realmuto of Vargas. “You can tell when he goes to the mound that he knows what he wants to do in certain situations. He knows how to miss barrels. He knows when to attack guys. He knows when to lay off. He really knows how to pitch.
“For me, those guys are a lot of fun to catch because we can think together, work together. I’ve faced him a few times, so I know what looks good and what his best pitches are and where he likes to go. It shouldn’t be too tough.”
Outfielder Nick Williams was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room on the roster.
••• NOTES >> Hector Neris served the first game of his three-game suspension Thursday for plunking the Dodgers’ David Freese July 16. He dropped his appeal late Wednesday. … Bryce Harper hit cleanup for a second consecutive game, went 1-for-4 and extended an on-base streak to 15 games. … Cesar Hernandez and Roman Quinn homered. Hernandez is hitting .423 with three doubles in his last seven games … Scott Kingery, who has reshuffled to the sixth spot in the order, provided his eighth threehit game of the season.