J.T. Realmuto saves Phillies on both sides in win against Padres

SAN DIEGO – J.T. Realmuto needed to be perfect to get Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis got a jump, but Realmuto got off both his hardest throw (85 mph) and fastest pop time (1.74) to catch Tatis for the final out of the seventh inning.

 Cristopher Sánchez, through seven for the sixth time in his last seven starts, shouted at his catcher as he walked towards the bench. The Padres challenged the play, but the call stood.

A half inning later, Realmuto delivered at the plate with a go-ahead double into the left-center gap against David Morgan to lead the Phillies to a 2-1 win over the Padres. The double scored Bryce Harper from second, who reached on an opposite-field double down the left field line. 

Harper’s double was the first extra-base hit for the Phillies, who had just three singles prior to the eighth inning. 

Realmuto has quietly picked it up at the plate. He has three doubles in his last four games. His OPS has finally creeped up to above .700. 

The Phillies catcher has an .835 OPS against righties and a .393 OPS against lefties. If his numbers against left-handed pitching were below average instead of downright horrible, the conversation around Realmuto’s season at the plate would be drastically different. 

“It’s just timing. It’s always timing with J.T.,” Thomson said. “I think he’s on time now. The stroke is really good. I love where he’s at.” 

Sánchez finished off an excellent first half by going 7 1/3 innings and allowing only one earned run. The lone Padre run came on a single by José Iglesias with the infield in. 

Realmuto said Sánchez did not have much of a feel for his sinker. The left-hander was able to lean on his changeup to keep the Padres off balance. 

“It definitely helps when hitters are aggressive, but they also had guys that weren’t very aggressive today,” Realmuto said. “He did a good job throwing it for a strike when he needed to. He has a good idea of who’s swinging and who’s not. Just manipulating his change up in and out of the zone the way he needs to.” 

Sánchez won’t be heading to the All-Star Game, but his team has recognized him as one. Through 19 starts, Sánchez has a 2.50 ERA. The team agreed to pay out his All-Star bonus as a thank you for a job well done. 

Sánchez will take the team charter back to Philly and enjoy some down time at home in New Jersey. 

“I’m just so proud of him from where he started, and where he’s at right now,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Not just stuff, but command, poise and composure.” 

Former Padre Matt Strahm walked the leadoff batter Jake Cronenworth on four pitches, but eventually stranded the tying and go-ahead runs on base with a flyout to left field against Luis Arraez. Brandon Marsh caught the final out on a ball hit into the gap. He moved to left as a defensive replacement for Otto Kemp. 

With the win, the Phillies will close out the first half with a 55-41 record, and a half-game lead over the New York Mets in the National League East.

The break comes at the right time for the Phillies. They went 2-4 on the west coast swing. Outside of the 13-0 blowout in the finale against San Francisco, all games were decided by two runs or fewer. 

“We’ve been grinding,” Thomson said. “There haven’t been many games where you felt really comfortable. Everything’s been a close game, whether we’re down, whether we’re up. I think everybody just needs a little break right now.”