Tyler Phillips impresses as starter and Marlins walk-off Mets to sweep series
Miami Marlins pitcher Tyler Phillips went viral last season when cameras caught hold of him slapping himself in the face as he left the bullpen and made his way to the mound.
As Phillips explains it, it’s a way to get his adrenaline flowing prior to an outing.
His pregame ritual might have some more consistency to it moving forward.
The Marlins have moved Phillips, who has primarily been a long reliever out of the bullpen this season, into the starting rotation. He made his debut in that role on Sunday, pitching 3 2/3 shutout innings in the Marlins’ 4-0 walk-off win over the New York Mets at loanDepot park to sweep the three-game series.
Heriberto Hernandez hit a walk-off grand slam against the Mets’ Devin Williams. Miami loaded the bases on a Christopher Morel double to left and walks by Liam Hicks and Xavier Edwards.
That role that could become a permanent one for Phillips if he can provide stability to Miami’s final spot in the rotation that has already seen three others players come and go.
Veteran Chris Paddack, signed to a one-year, $4 million deal in the offseason, was designated for assignment after seven poor outings (7.63 ERA over 30 2/3 innings). Highly touted prospect Robby Snelling made one start before undergoing season-ending UCL revision surgery in his left elbow. And Braxton Garrett was optioned back to Triple A Jacksonville after a pair of abbreviated outings. Miami went 0-9 in their nine starts.
Now, Phillips will get the chance to lock down that final rotation spot alongside Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Max Meyer and Janson Junk.
“It might take us a couple starts to build him out a little bit,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “... We’ll kind of look to just increase from there, but we anticipated this to be Tyler having this opportunity to run with this spot, knowing that it’s reversible, that we believe he’s going to do it well. We certainly know what he can do out of the bullpen in a variety of roles, and this opens up an opportunity.”
Phillips, who began his MLB career as a starter with the Philadelphia Phillies, has excelled out of the bullpen with Miami. He entered Sunday with a 2.34 ERA and six saves in 107 2/3 innings over 69 appearances with the Marlins, including a 1.20 ERA in 30 innings this season. While open to the opportunity to start, he said Saturday that he didn’t plan to change how he approached the game.
“Just gonna keep going out there and just throwing the ball over the plate,” Phillips said. “I’m just happy to be on a team somewhere, you know? When [McCullough] told me, ‘Hey, how do you feel about starting?’ I said, ‘Whatever you want me to do to help the team. ... I’ll go out there and answer the call.”
Phillips did just that on Sunday for the Marlins (25-29).
He worked around two hits and two walks to keep the Mets (22-31) scoreless over his time on the mound. The 3 2/3 innings pitched and 59 total pitches were both season highs. His four strikeouts tied a season high. Phillips mixed in five pitches during the outing — 17 sinkers, 14 splitters, 12 sweepers, nine curveballs and seven four-seam fastballs — and generated 10 swings and misses.
Five relievers — Calvin Faucher, John King, Anthony Bender, Michael Petersen and Pete Fairbanks — followed Phillips, combining to hold the Mets to three hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings before Miami finally secured the walk-off win in the ninth.
Norby exits
Marlins first baseman Connor Norby was removed from the game in the sixth inning on Sunday due to left elbow discomfort.
Norby was hit by a 95.6 mph fastball from the Mets’ Christian Scott in the fourth inning.
Graham Pauley replaced Norby at first base.
.JPG)