[jaa36]

The Phillies ran their losing streak to seven miserable games, including a four-game sweep against the Mets, before finally winning the last two games of the week.

April 12: Mets 3, Phillies 0. Robert Gsellman stifled the Phillies' bats, striking out eleven and allowing just three baserunners over eight shutout innings. Pete Alonso homered twice off Chase Anderson.

April 13: Mets 3, Phillies 1. Jacob deGrom allowed four hits and one run over eight innings as the lifeless Phillies lost again. Aaron Nola pitched well in defeat.

April 14: Mets 8, Phillies 6. A four-run lead in the eighth inning was no match for the Phillies bullpen, as Jose Alvarado allowed two runs in the eighth and Hector Neris allowed three in the ninth to give the Mets a walk-off win. Andrew McCutchen and Didi Gregorius both homered and had three hits for the Phils.

April 15: Mets 11, Phillies 4. Zach Eflin was knocked out after four innings, and the bullpen continued its immolation, with Ranger Suarez, David Hale and Brandon Kintzler all allowing runs. Pete Alonso homered in his fourth consecutive game against Philadelphia- he now has eight homers on the season, and all of them have come against the Phillies.

April 16: Cardinals 7, Phillies 5. Hector Neris was brought into a tie game in the eighth and served up a homer to the first batter he faced, Dylan Carlson, as the Phils lost their seventh straight. Matt Moore was atrocious, though Connor Brogdon gave the Phillies 2 1/3 excellent innings in relief. Alec Bohm homered, had three hits and drove in three.

April 17: Phillies 7, Cardinals 6. Chase Anderson was chased after three innings and four runs, but the Phillies mounted a comeback to finally snap their losing streak. Adam Haseley and J.T. Realmuto homered, and Brad Miller drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the eighth.

April 18: Phillies 4, Cardinals 0. Aaron Nola pitched a gem, a complete-game shutout in which he struck out nine and walked nobody, and lowered his ERA to 1.73. Adam Haseley went three for three.

Transactions:
With the bullpen a bloody mess, I acquired Matt Barnes from the Boston Red Sox for a nothing minor leaguer, with Boston picking up 75% of his salary. Barnes had been rocked for seven runs in 2 1/3 innings himself, so I'm hoping a change of scenery does him some good. Of course, the Phillies' recent track record in acquiring Red Sox relievers has not been good... Sam Coonrod hit the IL with a mild oblique strain, Ranger Suarez showed up briefly from the alternate site (allowing two homers in his lone inning of work), with JoJo Romero up to replace him. And Chase Anderson was DFA'd after allowing 15 runs in 12 innings of work; I doubt I'll find any. takers for the chump. We won't need a fifth starter for another week, but Spencer Howard will be called up to make that start.

Around the league:
-James Paxton will miss six weeks with an oblique strain. (His UCL is apparently fine in this universe.)
-Dylan Bundy will miss the rest of the season with a torn rotator cuff.
-Yoan Moncada and Dominic Smith were the players of the week.
-Fernando Tatis Jr. has gotten off to a great start, with a .441 average.
-The Cincinnati Reds somehow have the best record in the NL, at 11-4.