The Philadelphia Phillies won their fifth series in a row, defeating the Boston Red Sox.
The Philadelphia Phillies continued their strong run of form by winning their third straight series, this time taking two of three games on the road against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Their 3–1 victory in the series finale marked their fifth consecutive series win. Under interim manager Don Mattingly, the Phillies have yet to lose a series, having previously beaten the San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlins, Oakland Athletics, and Colorado Rockies.
Philadelphia has shown noticeable improvement across the board, with contributions coming from nearly every player on the roster. While several individuals stepped up against Boston, there were also some lingering concerns. Below are four key takeaways from the Phillies’ series win over the Red Sox.
Alec Bohm Showing Signs of Life
Nothing has gone smoothly for the former All-Star third baseman this season. Beyond his on-field struggles, Bohm has also been dealing with a difficult legal situation involving his parents. These off-field issues have clearly impacted his play. Mattingly gave him a brief benching and a few games off to reset, and the move appears to have paid off. Bohm’s performance has improved since being lifted for a pinch hitter and then benched. Against Boston, he led the team in hits and batting average, going 4-for-11 (.364). While he didn’t record any extra-base hits, the mere sight of him playing at a higher level is a positive sign for the organization.
Andrew Painter’s Strong Outing
The transition to the majors hasn’t been seamless for top prospect Andrew Painter, who has struggled at times with his fastball. Even though he started Philadelphia’s only loss of the series, his individual performance was encouraging. Painter pitched five innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits and no walks, while striking out four. The lone run came on a solo homer by Trevor Story. He didn’t factor into the decision—Tanner Banks took the loss. The Phillies don’t need Painter to pitch like a star just yet; they simply need him to eat innings at the back of the rotation and gain valuable big-league experience.
Jhoan Duran Is Back
When Jhoan Duran returned from the injured list on May 8, he had a shaky outing, walking three batters and giving up a run in a 9–0 game. Coming back in such a low-leverage situation may have contributed to his struggles. The Red Sox likely wish that version of Duran had shown up at Fenway, because instead they faced a dominant reliever. Over two innings, Duran struck out five while allowing just one hit and two walks. That kind of shutout performance is exactly what Philadelphia wants to see, as opposing teams now know the game is all but over when he enters from the bullpen.
Struggles of Right-Handed Hitting Veterans
Philadelphia has had trouble all season against left-handed pitching, largely because their right-handed hitters have failed to capitalize on the platoon advantage. That issue resurfaced against lefty Ranger Suárez, with Trea Turner and Adolis García both going 0-for against him. Both players struggled throughout the series: Turner hit 1-for-9, while García went 0-for-12. J.T. Realmuto also offered little at the plate, managing just one hit in 10 at-bats. Edmundo Sosa went 1-for-6 as well.
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