June 14, 2026
Benny Sieu/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Phillies were overwhelmed by Brewers pitching, and the Brewers slugged a bunch of homers – including this two-run shot by Garrett Mitchell – to win the series.
Cristopher Sánchez's main competition for National League Cy Young award might have stole the spotlight early in the series between the Phillies and Brewers, but Sánchez had the chance to steal it back Sunday in the rubber match in Milwaukee.
The ace Phillies lefty had a chance to one-up an absolute gem from young Brewers phenom Jacob Misiorowski on Friday, but Sánchez lacked his typically baffling changeup and watched two pitches leave the yard early as the NL Central-leading Brewers opened a four-run lead that turned into a 4-0 final to take the three-game set.
Misiorowski, the MLB leader in ERA and strikeouts, came as advertised Friday night, tossing a complete game one-hitter and striking out 15 to completely overwhelm an already outmatched Phillies offense in a 6-0 win while Phils rookie Andrew Painter continued to struggle.
The Phillies warmed up offensively Saturday with a 17-hit effort in a 9-8 win, setting the stage for Sánchez, the MLB leader in pitching WAR and last year's Cy Young runner-up, to match Misiorowski's dominant start and help the Phillies take another series, but Sanchez was without his signature stuff and was lifted before the end of the sixth, his shortest outing since April 23.
Meanwhile, Brewers lefty Kyle Harrison continued his All-Star bid and put the Phils offense back on the struggle bus, tossing six scoreless frames and improving to 8-1 with a sub-2.50 ERA. The Phils were blanked for the second time in the series and sixth time this season.
The Phillies, who opened June with a home sweep of the Padres followed by taking two apiece from the White Sox in Philly and from the Blue Jays in Toronto, dropped their first series of the month. They've slightly capitalized on the NL East-leading Braves losing four of their past five, but could've made a bigger dent with a better showing in Wisconsin.
Philly trails Atlanta by 8 games in the NL East but stayed squarely in an NL Wild Card spot with six homes games upcoming against NL East rivals – three against the Marlins, followed by three against the Mets. In fact, their next 13 games will come against NL East foes.
Here's a look at the winners – spoiler, there weren't many – and losers – another spoiler, there were plenty – from the series:
Kyle Schwarber
He didn't leave the yard, but Schwarber was the lone Phillie to get a hit off Misiorowski and the only Phillie to get a hit in all three games. In total, Schwarber went 5-for-12 (.416) while the rest of his teammates went 17-for-92 (.184) in the series.
Jhoan Duran
The Phillies' closer needed just 11 pitches Saturday to retire a Brewers team in the ninth that had rallied for five runs in the seventh and eighth innings, without allowing a batter to reach. Since blowing his first save against the Blue Jays on June 9, Duran is 2-for-2 in save opportunities.
Bryson Stott
He didn't have a great series, but in comparison to his teammates, Stott was pretty good. His RBI double in the sixth Saturday night broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Phillies a lead they wouldn't relinquish, part of a 2-for-5 effort that included an RBI double in the fourth. The Phils' second baseman also had one of the team's four hits Sunday.
Aaron Nola
The struggles continued for the Phils right-hander, who actually got a three-run cushion thanks to some unlikely offensive production from the bottom of the order, an RBI double by Bryson Stott in the fourth, followed by an RBI single from J.T. Realmuto to build on an 1-0 lead. But Nola's penchant for not keeping the ball in the yard resurfaced, as he allowed a two-run shot to Garrett Mitchell in the bottom of the fourth and a solo shot to Jackson Chourio in the fifth before exiting with a runner on first. Nola hasn't seen the sixth inning in any of his last three starts, and his ERA is creeping back to 6.00.
Adolis García fill-ins
Both replacements for right fielder Adolis García, who's probably out for the rest of the season with a torn lat, got a chance to play in the series, and neither seized the opportunity. Outfield prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. made his MLB debut Friday and struck out twice in three at bats – granted, they came against Misiorowski – and newcomer Derek Hill started the next two games, combining to go 2-for-8. In total, the tandem went 2-for-11 with seven strikeouts, a .181 batting average that's even worse than García's .195.
No. 2 and No. 3 in the order
What a disaster of a series for 2-hitter Trea Turner and 3-hitter Bryce Harper. Turner combined to go 1-for-17 with six strikeouts in the series, waving at a bevy of pitches outside the zone as he's done all season. His batting average sunk to .223. Harper also went hitless in nine total at bats, with three strikeouts – not nearly as bad as Turner's series, but bad enough to ensure the Phillies weren't threatening in two of three games.
Brad Keller
The righty reliever, who had been pitching a tad better in June, imploded Saturday and nearly the cost the Phillies their lone win of the series. Entering to start the eighth with a 9-5 lead, Keller proceeded to let the first four Brewers he faced reach base – single, walk, single, walk – with a wild pitch sandwiched in to let a run score. Then came a deep fly for a sacrifice that made it 9-7 followed by a Chourio RBI single – the third hit in six batters – to make it a one-run game, forcing manager Don Mattingly into having to use overused closer Jhoan Duran in the ninth.
Keller, who signed a two-year deal in the offseason to be the right-handed high-leverage arm late in games, has an ERA of 4.15 and 1.35 WHIP. He hasn't pitched a clean, hitless full inning in any of his last six appearances but has allowed multiple hits in three of them. He has just six hitless, walk-less innings in his 31 appearances
Cris Sánchez's Cy Young bid
There's plenty of season left, but Sánchez entered the series as the favorite to win NL Cy Young, which could change after Misiorowski sparkled while Sanchez fizzled. Sánchez just wasn't sharp, and the Brewers won the oddest chess match ever by starting platoon right fielder Blake Perkins, who had four hits in four at bats against Sánchez going into Sunday, including two doubles.
Perkins launched a three-run homer off the lefty in the fourth, opening a 1-0 lead from an earlier Chourio solo shot. Perkins – a .113 hitter this season who entered the game with just 71 at-bats – added a two-out double in the sixth off Sánchez, but he did strike out in his first at-bat, so he's no longer batting 1.000 against the Phils' ace. (Yay!)
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