Everything seemed to be lining up for a Phillies sweep—perfect weather, a red-hot offense, the Phanatic’s birthday festivities, and another solid start from Jesús Luzardo, who allowed just two runs (one earned) over seven innings. But things unraveled in the eighth inning when reliever Orion Kerkering gave up a crushing three-run homer to Javier Sanoja—his first career home run—which gave the Marlins their first lead of the series.
“It came down to just one pitch,” Kerkering said. “That’s really all it was. They had a solid plan against me.”
Kerkering’s usually dependable sweeper didn’t land where he wanted, hanging over the plate, and Sanoja took full advantage. The blown save marks the Phillies bullpen’s sixth of the season—the most in MLB so far—and highlights a troubling trend despite an otherwise strong rotation, which entered Sunday with a 3.59 ERA.
Phillies blow a late lead, fall to the Marlins on Easter Sunday
Manager Rob Thomson remained composed after the game, choosing not to feed into the growing frustration from fans and media.
“This one’s behind us,” Thomson said. “It’s over. We can’t change what happened today—we just have to focus on what’s ahead and control what we can.”
Even so, the Phillies’ failure to seal the sweep drew sharp criticism from the local broadcast team. NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Michael Barkann and Ricky Bottalico were especially vocal, offering some pointed and passionate takes in the aftermath.
Here’s a clean paraphrased version of that passage, maintaining the tone and key points:
“If the Phillies end up missing out on the division title or home-field advantage, circle this game,” said Michael Barkann. “Leading 4-1 in the seventh and letting it slip—that’s a missed opportunity.”
Ricky Bottalico didn’t hold back either, calling out the team for not closing the door on an opponent they should’ve beaten.
“This Marlins team is awful,” Bottalico said. “You’ve got to step on their throat and not let them get back up.”
The defeat cast a shadow over what had been an encouraging stretch at the plate. The top of the lineup—Bryson Stott, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper—continued to produce, racking up 15 hits, 11 RBIs, and seven walks across the weekend. Kyle Schwarber extended his on-base streak to 28 games, and Nick Castellanos pushed his batting average past .300.
But the bullpen collapse erased those positives. Even with Rob Thomson’s continued belief that “we’ve got the pieces to get it done,” Philadelphia’s bullpen currently ranks 28th in ERA and has made a habit of letting leads slip away late—an unsettling trend early in the season.
With a critical matchup against the division-leading Mets (15-7) looming, the 13-9 Phillies will be put to the test once again. Thomson remains calm, trusting his relievers to bounce back.
“This is just part of the grind,” he said. “I think things will level out eventually. It’s a resilient group.”
Still, after Sunday’s collapse, it’s clear the pressure is starting to mount—and the Phillies’ margin for error is already narrowing.
