The Philadelphia Phillies were dealt a tough reminder of their past struggles at Citi Field, suffering a lopsided loss to the division rival New York Mets. Despite still holding a sizable lead in the NL East after the defeat, the blowout raised some concerns. The Phillies not only risk breathing new life into their rival by dropping the series, but they also saw their top pitcher stumble unexpectedly.
Cristopher Sanchez cruised through the Mets’ lineup once but unraveled in the fourth inning, surrendering three runs on five hits and squandering a three-run lead. Frustrated, he returned to the dugout and kicked a trash can before giving up a go-ahead run when he returned to the mound. The outing spiraled into a 13-3 rout, a rare blemish on what has otherwise been a stellar season for Sanchez.
After the game, Bryce Harper suggested the Mets might have picked up on something in Sanchez’s delivery. “He might have been tipping a little bit,” Harper told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Scott Lauber. “The Mets are so good at it. I think they’re one of the best teams in the game at really getting guys and getting tips.”
Whether or not the Mets were exploiting pitch-tipping, the Phillies will aim to rebound with a series win to keep padding their divisional cushion. Meanwhile, the coaching staff will no doubt study Sanchez’s rough outing closely to make adjustments as the playoff race intensifies.