Phillies get off to rough start at home in opening series loss against Texas

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies lost only three series at home during the regular season in 2025. The team’s last regular series home loss came during the first series after the All-Star break against the Los Angeles Angels. The club’s 22-3-1 series win percentage (.865) at home last year tied the 2019 Houston Astros for the best in baseball since 1969. It was a pretty remarkable just how good they were at home.

They are not off to a great start in Philly this year. The Phillies dropped the finale of the first series of the season at home against the Rangers, 8-3. After winning 5-3 on Opening Day, the Phillies have dropped two straight to lose two out of three to begin the season. The Rangers held the Phillies to just 18 hits over three games.

It was a rough day all around. After making an incredible sliding catch in the eighth inning of yesterday’s game, new Phillies outfielder Adolis García lost a fly ball in the sun to extend the sixth inning. Otto Kemp also struggled defensively in the outfield. Zach Pop allowed two earned runs in the seventh.

On a more positive note, Brad Keller looked sharp in his Phillies debut, pitching with the team down six in the eighth inning. Rob Thomson said he planned to get Keller into the game. He was the only bullpen arm to not make an appearance through the first two games, though he warmed up in extra innings on Saturday. He would have had the tenth inning yesterday had the Phillies tied the game in the bottom of the tenth.

Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo allowed six earned runs over six innings in his first start of the year and the lineup was no-hit through the first five innings against former Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore, making his Rangers debut.

The Phillies recorded their first hit in yesterday’s 5-4 loss in 10 innings in the fifth inning. Once again, it was a struggle to get anything going against Rangers starting pitchers.

Former Phillie Andrew McCutchen went 2-for-4 with a home run, double and three RBIs. His three-run home run off Luzardo in the fourth landed just above the flower bed next to the foul pole. McCutchen appeared to apologize to fans behind home plate after hitting the home run.

Luzardo also gave up a two-run home run to Brandon Nimmo. The former Met now has 11 career home runs at Citizens Bank Park, the most he’s had in any visiting stadium.