The Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros are set to showcase their top pitchers in the first game of a three-game interleague series on Monday.
The Astros will rely on Ronel Blanco (9-6, 3.14 ERA), who is looking to bounce back from a tough outing last Tuesday, where he lasted just 3 2/3 innings in a 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox, giving up five earned runs and walking four batters for the first time since May 9.
Despite the setback, Blanco remains confident in his physical condition and is focused on competing. Blanco hasn’t secured a win since July 9, and his challenge won’t be easy as he faces Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler (12-6, 2.73 ERA), a leading contender for the National League Cy Young Award.
Wheeler has allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 starts and most recently gave up two runs over six innings in a loss to the Atlanta Braves. Wheeler expressed his desire to pitch longer innings, stressing the importance of winning crucial games as the season progresses.
Both pitchers have limited experience against their Monday opponents, with each making just one appearance against the opposing team in 2023. Blanco pitched a scoreless inning of relief against the Phillies, while Wheeler dominated the Astros, striking out seven over six scoreless innings in a 6-1 Philadelphia victory.
The Phillies enter the series with momentum after winning two consecutive games against the Kansas City Royals, outscoring them 22-5. On Sunday, Kyle Schwarber drove in three runs, and Garrett Stubbs recorded a career-high four hits in an 11-3 win. Philadelphia’s offense seems to have found its rhythm after struggling in a previous series against the Atlanta Braves.
The Astros, on the other hand, had a mixed series against the Baltimore Orioles. After winning the opener 6-0, they lost two close games but managed to even the series with a 6-3 win on Sunday, thanks to back-to-back homers by Alex Bregman and Yainer Diaz.
Bregman, who recently returned from an elbow injury, noted that his swing felt the best it had since his return. Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez (neck) may also return after missing three straight games.
This series serves as a rematch of the 2022 World Series, which Houston won in six games. Last season, the Phillies took two out of three games against the Astros, and this series marks the only meeting between the two teams this year.
