NEW YORK -- Twenty minutes after the final out of the Phillies’ 10-3 blowout loss to the Mets on Saturday night at Citi Field, Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly summoned Orion Kerkering to his office.
A few minutes later, Kerkering emerged, visibly shaken. He looked at his phone, then dropped it into his locker. He quietly showered, changed and left.
The Phillies optioned Kerkering to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following Saturday night’s game because they could no longer pitch him with seven games remaining in the regular season and so much on the line. Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series is Sept. 29, and despite the Phillies losing 10 of their last 16 games, they remain in a strong position to make their fifth consecutive postseason appearance. But they still want to earn home-field advantage in a best-of-three series.
Every out matters.
Kerkering allowed four runs, four hits, two walks, one hit batter and one wild pitch in the eighth inning to extend his multi-month nightmare. He has allowed a run in eight of his last nine appearances for an 11.57 ERA. He has a 10.24 ERA in 22 appearances since July 22.
Kerkering was spiraling. Mattingly acknowledged his concerns about the 25-year...