Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are giving the Los Angeles Angels all they can handle this weekend.
The Philadelphia Phillies hope for another powerful performance from their left-handed sluggers on Sunday when they conclude their three-game home series with the Angels.
Schwarber has homered in each of the first two games of the series, including a go-ahead grand slam in Saturday’s 9-5 victory. His impressive week also included MVP honors at Tuesday’s All-Star Game after he swatted homers on all three of his swings during the tie-breaking home run derby.
Meanwhile, Harper homered twice in Friday’s series opener — a 6-5 win by Los Angeles — and delivered another blast in Saturday’s win. He is 5-for-8 with four runs scored in the series.
The power surge by Schwarber and Harper has certainly been a welcomed sight for a Phillies team that has struggled to hit home runs (outside of Schwarber) for much of the season.
“It’s just the way this game goes,” Schwarber said after the win. “You want to be able to feel like you’re going to be able to score runs in different ways.”
Philadelphia needs its power hitters to produce more than ever with third baseman Alec Bohm — the team’s typical clean-up hitter — on the injured list with a rib fracture.
“It could be three weeks. It could be four weeks,” manager Rob Thomson said. “It could be less than that. I hate putting timelines on anything.”
The Angels have enjoyed some home run fun of their own in the first two games of the series. Taylor Ward has gone deep in both contests, as has Jo Adell. In total, the visitors have cranked out six home runs — three in each game.
Instead, Saturday’s culprit was the Los Angeles bullpen. Angels relievers gave up seven runs in three innings pitched. But Los Angeles interim manager Ray Montgomery isn’t losing any confidence in his relievers.
“They’re young. They’re still battling through it,” he said. “They haven’t figured out who they are yet entirely. So we’re going to continue putting them in situations like that and look for the best spots — and, hopefully, they make the pitches they need to make.”
The Angels will aim to rebound behind right-hander Jose Soriano (6-7, 3.90 ERA), who will be starting against the Phillies for the first time. He faced Philadelphia once as a reliever in 2023 and allowed a two-run triple to Trea Turner during a brief stint on the mound.
Soriano’s last start came July 13 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He gave up five runs, but only one earned, in five innings in a 5-1 defeat.
Ranger Suarez (7-3, 2.15) will get the ball for Philadelphia after a solid first half in which he gave up three runs or fewer in each of his last 12 starts. Most recently, the lefty allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings in a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres on July 11.
Suarez, who has never previously faced the Angels, was at peace with not getting selected for the National League All-Star team.
“Obviously it’s what you want — you want to go to the All-Star Game. But I’d rather have some rest right now,” he said prior to the break. “I think it’s what’s best for us, for the team and it’s a long second half that we’re going to have. So, I want to remain as healthy and as fresh as I can.”
–Field Level Media
