Matt Gelb

2 days ago | nytimes.com | Matt Gelb

HOUSTON — Yeah, Brandon Marsh was surprised. “Maybe a little bit,” Marsh said. “But you always want to go to bed expecting to be in there.” Before he fell asleep Tuesday night in Texas, he saw Wednesday’s lineup pop into his phone. He was in there, against a lefty starter. So was Bryson Stott. The Philadelphia Phillies hit the halfway mark of another season this week, and it still qualifies as newsworthy whenever Stott or Marsh starts against a lefty.

3 days ago | nytimes.com | Matt Gelb

HOUSTON — The ball darted toward Ranger Suárez’s head until he recoiled and shielded himself with a Cristopher Sánchez glove — Suárez forgot his at home in Philadelphia — and the momentum of making a great catch carried him off the mound. He stepped toward first base with a huge smile. “Bro,” Suárez said to Buddy Kennedy, “it scared me.”Kennedy laughed. That was the second out of the fifth inning. Suárez had still not permitted a hit.

5 days ago | nytimes.com | Matt Gelb

PHILADELPHIA — For weeks, the Phillies have made public an inside joke that players have vowed never to explain. Whenever someone collects a hit, they turn toward the dugout and mimic what appears to be a claw. The dugout does it back. Sometimes, depending on the player, it looks like they are finishing a jump shot. There is no consistency to the thing, but for the onlookers who wondered if the Phillies were actually having fun this season, this is confirmation that they still joke around.

6 days ago | nytimes.com | Matt Gelb

PHILADELPHIA — It took Juan Soto 30 seconds to round the bases, every tick excruciating for Mick Abel. The rookie righty retrieved a new ball before Soto was halfway to second base. He fiddled with the rosin bag while Soto shuffled to third. Soto had not yet stepped on home plate before Philadelphia Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham emerged from the dugout to meet Abel on the mound. Francisco Lindor had bashed a 3-2 fastball at the knees. Brandon Nimmo had smashed a 2-2 curveball down and in.

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Matt Gelb

PHILADELPHIA — Moments before the Philadelphia Phillies scored two runs in a straight-from-a-movie play at the plate, Trea Turner found Brandon Marsh in the dugout. He had forgotten to tell him something earlier in the week. The six-run inning in a win that catapulted Philadelphia back to first place will be remembered for J.T. Realmuto drafting Nick Castellanos as they scampered home together and scored in succession like synchronized swimmers, but Marsh started the whole thing.