Nathan Ackerman

Los Angeles

Podcaster at Phillies Nation Podcast

Digital News Editor at NBC Sports

USC alum || @PhilliesNation, @NBCSports || Past: @FOXSports, @ANNMediaSports, @DT_Sports || Jeff Passan roasted my bars. Had Nico Hoerner in a 1-2 count in HS.

Featured in: Favicon

nbcsports.com Favicon

philliesnation.com Favicon

substack.com Favicon

dailytrojan.com Favicon

newsbreak.com Favicon

illinoistimes.com Favicon

ourcommunitynow.com Favicon

uscannenbergmedia.com Favicon

superwestsports.com Favicon

yahoo.com + 1 more

Articles

Schwarber’s big fly makes Sánchez, Phillies winners in Miami

1 week ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

Sometimes, it only takes two. Cristopher Sánchez and Kyle Schwarber were those two for the Phillies in a series-securing win over the Marlins on Thursday night in Miami. The former dealt for eight innings of one-run ball, keeping a dormant Phillies offense alive long enough for Kyle Schwarber to provide the big blow in the eighth inning. Sánchez was a notch from dominant against the Marlins, surrendering five hits in eight innings and walking none.
Can the Phillies keep Otto Kemp in the lineup when Bryce Harper returns?

1 week ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

It’s always a good thing when a minor-league call-up forces you to make uncomfortable decisions, and that’s what the Phillies may be dealing with in regard to Otto Kemp. The 25-year-old racked up four hits in the Phillies’ win over the Blue Jays on Sunday. It spiked his average at the majors to .345 after he hit .313 with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. “I feel good. I think it’s really just an extension of where we were just building on this whole season,” Kemp told reporters after Sunday’s four-hit game.
Jesús Luzardo changed his fastball mix

2 weeks ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

Jesús Luzardo, it’s been well-documented (including here by The Athletic), was confident he was tipping his pitches when he allowed a historic 20 runs across his previous two outings before facing the Cubs on Wednesday. He made some changes to correct it. There was something else that stood out in his six-inning, one-run bounce-back outing against the National League’s best run-scoring offense: Luzardo flashed things back to 2023.
Luzardo’s bounceback, Bohm’s big day lift Phillies in rubber match against Cubs

2 weeks ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

However little sense baseball makes, the Phillies often make less. After losing nine of 10 games and getting swept out of Pittsburgh by the lowly Pirates, the Phillies returned to Citizens Bank Park and got back on track with a series win over the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs. They capped it off with a comfortable 7-2 win on Wednesday, led by a promising bounceback performance by Jesús Luzardo.
Bunts, bullpen bail baserunning out as Phillies beat Cubs

2 weeks ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

It is poetic, and perhaps emblematic of the state of the Phillies’ offense, that after 10 innings of double plays, baserunning gaffes and pressing offensively, it was a couple of bunts that did the heavy lifting in a walk-off series opener against the Cubs. The Phillies played one of their uglier games of the season on Monday, but a couple perfectly-placed half-dozen-foot hits and a refreshing day from the bullpen helped them snap a five-game losing streak.
Aidan Miller heating up with Double-A Reading

2 weeks ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

Eight losses in nine games and a bleak outfield situation does not quite mean it’s time to redirect your attention to the long-term future. Regardless, Aidan Miller is continuing to make that look better. The Phillies’ No. 2 prospect walloped his sixth home run of the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils’ season on Saturday against Harrisburg.
Three National League standings takeaways with Phillies back in second place

3 weeks ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

Three years ago Sunday, the Phillies won their series finale over the Giants, and it did little — if anything — to improve morale. They moved to 22-29, six games out of a Wild Card spot and 12.5 out of the NL East lead. It was the last game in Joe Girardi’s tenure as manager. The Phillies lost their fourth straight game on Sunday to cap off a sweep by the Brewers. It moved them to 36-23. The point of the non-parallel: Things could be worse.
Phillies trade for minor-league southpaw reliever

4 weeks ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

The Phillies traded for left-handed reliever Josh Walker from the Blue Jays, the club announced on Thursday. Cash considerations head back to Toronto. Walker had been designated for assignment on Sunday after allowing four runs on eight hits in five innings at the MLB level this year. He had a 6.30 ERA in almost a dozen Triple-A appearances. He does have some solid strikeout numbers: Eight in five innings with the Blue Jays, 16 in 10 with the Buffalo Bisons.
Phillies bullpen trust ranking: Installment No. 2

4 weeks ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

The first edition of this trust ranking included the declaration that the Phillies’ bullpen went “Alvarado, then everyone else.” Well. Everyone else, it is. It’s too early to tell whether they’ll be able to weather the storm without their best-performing reliever. So far, they’ve managed — their bullpen ERA is eight-tenths of a run lower without Alvarado than it was with him — but it’s happened against the Pirates, Rockies, A’s and Braves. A few have taken some notable steps forward, though.
Something the Phillies are doing well this year - again

1 month ago | philliesnation.com | Nathan Ackerman

When you think about all the value Kyle Schwarber brings to the Phillies, you think of the obvious: power, especially against lefties. Plate discipline and on-base ability. Clubhouse leadership and whatnot. Those are all true. He did all of them on Saturday. But you don’t think of his baserunning. And that was pivotal against the A’s in one of the wilder games the Phillies will play this season.