Phillies’ rally falls short in 7-5 loss to Tigers as Tarik Skubal outduels Zack Wheeler

With Tarik Skubal warming up just a few feet above Zack Wheeler, fans milling around the center-field bullpens at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday afternoon were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at two Cy Young candidates.

Saturday’s Phillies-Tigers game was also a showdown between two of the top pitchers in the National League and American League. Both Wheeler and Skubal racked up strikeouts, recording 10 apiece, and both were charged with three earned runs.

But it was ultimately Skubal who came away with the 7-5 win for Detroit, while Wheeler took the loss.

“You just want to go out there and match him, put up zeros, and it was a battle, but I came up on the short end,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler’s fastball command wasn’t sharp. He didn’t walk a batter, but all the runs he allowed came on homers from mislocated fastballs. He gave up a pair of solo shots to Colt Keith and Kerry Carpenter in the third inning off his four-seam, and ended his day without recording an out in the seventh following a two-run homer from Javier Báez on his sinker. Only one run in the seventh was earned after a fielding error from Otto Kemp at third.

Tanner Banks came in to clean up, but allowed a solo home run to Gleyber Torres to put the Phillies in a five-run deficit.

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Wheeler said he had asked manager Rob Thomson to let him return for the seventh with his pitch count at 95.

“I told him that I really wanted to, and we just have that respect for each other, so he let me,” Wheeler said. “But at the end of the day, maybe I shouldn’t have, but I really did feel good being able to go back out there. If it turned out differently, then I’m not even sitting here saying that, but I just want to take that off of him, and that one’s on me.”

Wheeler’s command has been inconsistent in his four starts following his complete game against the Reds on July 6. He said he doesn’t think the issue is mechanical.

“It’s kind of just a feel thing,” he said. “... I need to be better. I need to get my command back. And for whatever reason, I just haven’t had it.”

Meanwhile, the Phillies stacked right-handed hitters in an effort to combat the left-handed Skubal, with Harrison Bader making his first start as a Phillie in center field. But Skubal’s fastball and changeup were nearly untouchable through six innings. Even as he accumulated strikeouts, Skubal was efficient, and he entered the seventh with a pitch count of 71.

Bryce Harper’s single in the first inning accounted for the Phillies’ only baserunner until the sixth.

“Obviously he’s a top lefty in the game, top pitcher in the game,” said Harper, who went 3-for-4 with his 16th homer. “It’s always fun going up against a guy like that. He competes, man. He’s a big competitor out there. A lot of fun to play against and compete against, but he had our number today.”

An eight-pitch at-bat from Harper that ended in a leadoff single set the tone for a breakout seventh inning. J.T. Realmuto doubled to the left-field corner to score Harper from first, before Nick Castellanos sent a changeup out of the deepest part of the ballpark, Monty’s Angle in center field.

“They just kept coming, and that’s what this team does,” Thomson said. “I don’t think they ever believe that they’re out of the ballgame. And they just kept fighting, even with Skubal out there. So that’s good to see.”

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Castellanos’ homer was the second Skubal has allowed off his changeup this season. And suddenly, the Phillies were back in it, down 5-3.

“He’s got the depth on the pitch, and he knows what he needs to do and where he needs to throw it,” Harper said. “You kind of got to jump on him as early as you can, because it’s once he gets settled in, it’s super tough.”

But the Tigers once again created some separation in the eighth, scoring two runs on Matt Strahm after a pair of two-out walks and a bases-clearing triple by Báez.

“He just lost the plate a little bit,” Thomson said. “And then Báez hits a 10-hopper down the left field line for a triple.”

The Phillies fought back within two once again in the eighth inning on a two-run homer from Harper against reliever Will Vest. They went down in order in the ninth as the comeback attempt fell short.