The Phils' relievers have reached many low points this season, prompting the front office to make a couple of trades last weekend, as well as other moves to try to improve what was a beyond-glaring weakness.
“Yeah, it pisses you off,” Hunter said of the criticism the bullpen has received this season, per NBC Sports Philadelphia's postgame show. “I come in every day just like everybody else. We want to twin the baseball game at the end of the day. There’s no days we come in that we want to work harder than what we’re giving.
“That’s the thing. We are giving everything we have. Sorry it wasn’t good enough, but it’s not like we’re giving more now because we’ve been getting a little bit of heat. We’re the same guys that are showing up the same day and the same mindsets and the results are just working for us right now. That’s baseball.”
Hunter recorded four outs in Tuesday’s victory. Manager Joe Girardi liked the progress he got from his bullpen.
“When you make additions and guys start to get on a roll, I think it can turn quickly,” Girardi said. “And you just have to build off it.”
Girardi was even pleased with Héctor Neris, who allowed two hits in two-thirds of the eighth inning. Girardi thought he threw the ball well, and says he told Néris that in the dugout when TV cameras caught Néris chatting with Girardi.
Phillies All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto sees the progress the Phils bullpen is making, especially with the new arms.
“I feel like our bullpen has gotten a lot deeper in the last few days.”
And, he’s also encouraged by Néris despite the relievers recent inconsistencies.
“He’s just a little off,” Realmuto said. “A guy like Hector, he probably feels like something’s not right or it’s not going well for him, but from what I’m seeing from him from behind the plate, he’s really close to being himself.”
If the Phils' bullpen can turn things around consistently and compliment an offense and rotation that’s been pretty good, that would be a great sign for a team trying to make the expanded postseason field and end an eight-year playoff drought.
Taking home runs any way they can come
It never hurts to have luck on your side.