The Philadelphia Phillies could see six months of success disappear before autumn arrives.
If they lose one more game to the New York Mets, their impressive 95-win regular season will feel like a distant memory.
“As a group this is the closest to death we’re ever going to get, so in a way, we should feel the most alive,” Nick Castellanos said after the Phillies lost 7-2 on Tuesday night, putting them in a 2-1 deficit in the best-of-five NL Division Series.
“It’s just one more time to chill out and leave everything on the field and however the dice is going to land, it’s going to land.”
Philadelphia is just one loss away from facing another setback. The Phillies are aiming for their third World Series title since 1980 and 2008. They reached Game 6 of the World Series in 2022 but lost to Houston. Last year, they led Arizona 3-2 in the NL Championship Series but lost Games 6 and 7 at home.
Castellanos spoke in a clubhouse that was so quiet, the sound of showers running in the next room echoed like waterfalls.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson talked to the team after the final out.
“I told them it’s the most resilient club I’ve ever been around,” he said. “That’s what they’re all about. They’re all about toughness and fighting and playing together. That’s what we need to do and just focus on one game.”
In Game 3, the Phillies fell behind 2-0 due to home runs by Pete Alonso in the second inning and Jesse Winker in the fourth off Aaron Nola.
Sean Manaea pitched five solid innings for the Mets but briefly lost control at the start of the sixth, walking both Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner. Bryce Harper struck out on three pitches.
“First pitch, changeup. I thought it was a really good pitch to hit, and then he threw me two banger sliders,” Harper explained.
Thomson viewed it differently: “Just the situation, when he’s trying to do too much, trying to get the club — put the club on his shoulders,” he said.
Castellanos hit a line drive to second baseman Jose Iglesias, who flipped the ball to shortstop Francisco Lindor for a double play, ending the inning.
“He threw me a good changeup away. I stayed on and I barreled it,” Castellanos said. “A little bit to the left, a little bit to the right, first and third, run scores.”
