Oct 5, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos (8) before playing against the New York Mets in game one of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
If it's an excuse, it's a pretty elaborate one.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson elected to start Johan Rojas in center field with Brandon Marsh in left field for NLDS Game 1 Saturday, suggesting that he believed with the 4:08 start time it could be difficult for hitters to see and he wanted his best defensive lineup in the game.
His prediction turned out to be right.
Granted, Kyle Schwarber did launch a missile off of Kodai Senga to lead off the afternoon for the Phillies. But through the first seven innings of the game, the Phillies and Mets combined for three hits. Sure, some of that can be chalked up to Zack Wheeler turning in his latest dominant postseason outing. But the Mets were essentially doing a bullpen game.
So did the shadows play a factor? Nick Castellanos —who broke into the hits column with a single in the bottom of the eighth — believes so.
"I feel like from the first inning to the seventh inning, it was really hard to see the baseball," Castellanos said. "I think on both sides. What did we have, three hits in the first seven innings?
"And then I think both teams, after the sun was behind the stadium, put together better at-bats."
The Phillies had a 1-0 lead until the bottom of the eighth inning, when the usually-reliable bullpen trio of Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering melted down, allowing the Mets to score five runs. The Mets would add a sixth run in the top of the ninth, and the Phillies finally scored a second run in the bottom of the ninth inning on a Kody Clemens double. Obviously, it was too little too late by that point, as the Phillies lost Game 1 by a score of 6-2. But almost all the hits and runs coming late in the game supports the theory that the shadows affected both teams at the plate for much of the afternoon.
What is it about the shadows that make it more difficult to hit?
"It's just a lot harder to see the baseball," Castellanos said. "It's kinda like it is when we have that 1:30 start. [When] it gets to the back end of the game, it gets more difficult. 4:00 start, it's gonna be harder if there's no clouds in the sky. And then it will get easier as the game goes on. If you look at the box score today, it was just that."
Trea Turner — who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts — agreed with Castellanos.
"Yeah, I mean, you could see [how hard it is]. I think there was three hits through seven innings and as soon as the sun kind of went away, the at-bats got a lot better by both sides," Trea Turner said. "So yeah, it's a part of the game."
Trea Turner talks about the Phillies at bats in their Game 1 loss to the Mets. @KYWNewsradio pic.twitter.com/uBhba4PWW9
But even if everyone agrees that the shadows are a real factor, they're one the Phillies have to deal with. Game 2 will start at 4:08 ET Sunday, and similar weather conditions are expected. Game 3 at Citi Field on Tuesday will start at 5:08 ET.
So what can the Phillies do to adjust to the shadows?
"It's gonna be a grind," Castellanos said. "It's gonna be the same for us as it is for them. We're gonna have to find a way to deal with it and put together good at-bats and score more runs than them."
Turner — who took extra batting practice in the cage after the game — echoed similar sentiments when asked the same question.
"I mean, same thing. You kind of got that little bit of practice today, but it's tough," Turner said. "Sometimes you see certain pitchers. Sometimes matchups are better or worse, you don't know what to think all the time. You gotta grind 'em out.
"Like I always say, it's not fun, but they're doing the same thing over there," Turner continued. "You know, I've played quite a few 4:00 postseason games in my career and it always seems to be the case, and one team wins. So we gotta find a way."
