Don Mattingly’s Response to Bryce Harper Falls Flat After Phillies Get Swept by Marlins

The Philadelphia Phillies are 3-9 since the All-Star break and have failed to score more than 1 run in 6 games.

Don Mattingly’s Response to Bryce Harper Falls Flat After Phillies Get Swept by Marlins

Bryce Harper and Don Mattingly (Image via Imago/MLB)

The Philadelphia Phillies are not having a good time at the moment. On Wednesday, the team got swept by the Miami Marlins hours after Don Mattingly responded to the comments of Bryce Harper regarding the trade deadline.

The NL East did not have the best of starts to the season and fired Rob Thompson as their manager after a 9-19 record. Mattingly was appointed as the interim manager of the team.

Under his leadership, they turned things around and found themselves in the mix of a playoff race. However, since the All-Star break, they have been in a slump.

Monday saw them suffer an 8-7 loss against the Marlins. This saw their opponents snap a 12-game losing run and win for the first time in the 2nd half of the season.

On Tuesday, the Phillies’ bats went cold once again. They managed just 4 hits and lost 1-0. This was the 6th time since the All-Star break in 11 games where they failed to score more than 1 run.

With the trade deadline inching closer, Bryce Harper made an honest admission. The 9-time All-Star expressed that the team needs some help with reinforcements. When a reporter asked what the team would like, a batter or a pitcher, he replied in “both.”

I think we need some help. But I think we’ve proved pretty much all year we’ve done a pretty good job. But anytime you can get some help in here and reinforcements, I think it helps.

Bryce Harper told the reporters

Mattingly did not seem too thrilled with these comments from Harper. While reacting to this, the 65-year-old expressed that several players wish to the General Managers of teams without having a real understanding of where the organization is.

Guys want to be GMs without a real understanding of where the organization is, exactly where this thing goes. … Players like being GMs and making calls and spending other people’s money. So I just let it go at that.

Don Mattingly said in response to Bryce Harper’s comments via Tyler Boronski

Following Mattingly’s comments, many tuned in to see how the Phillies would respond on the pitch. They took a 6-0 lead as Trea Turner hit a solo home run and Harper recorded a triple.

After that, they blew the game. The Marlins put up 3 runs in the 5th and 7th innings, respectively, to tie the game at 6-6. Griffin Conine became the hero for them as he smashed a 2-run walk-off home run in the 9th inning to complete the sweep of the Phillies.

The Philadelphia-based side is now 3-9 after the All-Star Break and has lost all 4 series. Importantly, Harper’s comments have now raised more questions regarding the team’s plan for the upcoming trade deadline.

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Trea Turner left frustrated with Phillies’ current form

After the way the season started, the Philadelphia Phillies had worked hard to turn things around. They headed into the All-Star break with a 54-43 record, 11 games above .500. However, since the Midsummer Classic, their form has fallen off. Shortstop Trea Turner admitted that he was left frustrated with their current form.

Phillies' Trea Turner
Trea Turner (Image via MLB)

The loss on Wednesday meant that the Phillies have a 57-52 record. This has left them 6.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves and in the final Wild Card Spot.

In the 12 games, they have failed to score more than 1 run in 6 of them. So when they pitch well, their bats go cold.

When their bats wake up and put up runs on the board, their bullpen has let them down. They were 6-0 up on Wednesday but ended up conceding 8 unanswered runs and suffered a damaging loss.

We’re just not playing complementary baseball. When we hit, we don’t pitch as well. And when we pitch well we don’t hit. It’s just frustrating.

Trea Turner said as per NBC Sports Philadelphia

The team will now take on the Baltimore Orioles after an off-day on Thursday. Their front office executives are expected to join GM Dave Dombrowski to decide their trade deadline plans.

One name they were recently linked with was Tarik Skubal. As per reports, they were one of the teams that scouted the 2-time Cy Young Award winner. Whether they will go for him or not, that remains to be seen.

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