Phillies 6, Cubs 2: Let’s talk about Caleb Kilian

You didn’t think the Cubs would win this game, did you?

No. Not while the Phillies are one win away from the NL East title and the Cubs are chasing them with a bullpen game.

It worked out pretty much as you’d imagine. Nate Pearson threw a decent first inning, but Caleb Kilian, who had just been promoted from Triple-A Iowa, got hit hard and the Phillies beat the Cubs 6-2.

On Pearson’s Inning, by JohnW53 of BCB:

Nate Pearson was only the fourth Cubs starter in the last ten seasons to pitch exactly one inning.

Jason Hammel left the team after suffering a hamstring strain in a home game against the Cardinals on July 8, 2015. Cole Hamels left the team after throwing a warm-up pitch before Game 2 in Cincinnati on June 28, 2019.

“Opener” Luke Little took out all three batters in the home game against the Rockies on April 3 of this year.

Since 1901, Cubs starters have thrown exactly one inning 143 times.

I’ve written a number of social media posts and accounts here about bad umpiring decisions. Now, not only are they making bad decisions, but they also seem to be sugarcoating them after the fact. Here, Michael Busch is being called a strike 3 in the first inning, as I screenshotted from Gameday in the MLB app on my phone right after the incident:

This is what it looks like this morning in the MLB app:

This is a really bad look, MLB. You can’t change the position of a pitch hours after it’s thrown!

In any case, MLB must implement the challenge system for the 2025 season. There is absolutely no reason not to do so.

Kilian came into the game in the second inning and was hit right away: single, forced play, two-run homer by JT Realmuto. Third inning: leadoff homer by Kyle Schwarber, then a double by Trea Turner, who was finally brought home with a single by Nick Castellanos.

Oddly enough, although Kilian had not pitched well in his previous stints with the Cubs in 2022 and 2023, these were the first two home runs he allowed in his MLB career.

Thanks to the Cubs’ really weak defense, the Phillies only scored a single run in the fifth inning against Kilian (VIDEO).

Christian Bethancourt made a bad throw on a pickoff attempt – the Cubs had intercepted Bryce Harper – that Luis Vázquez couldn’t defend, and Vázquez was blamed for the error. Then Nico Hoerner picked up the ball and threw it… well, anywhere but near the plate, and Harper scored.

The Phillies made it 6-0 with a double play in the sixth inning. That’s six runs against Kilian, five earned, in 5⅔ innings, a 7.94 ERA for the game. And that sent his MLB career downhill. Before that game, he was 12.42. Now, he’s 11.28. He also issued four walks. And it could have been worse – the Phillies went 2 of 12 with RISP and left nine runners on base.

More about Kilian’s excursion by JohnW53 from BCB:

Caleb Kilian became the first Cubs relief pitcher in over five years to pitch at least 5⅔ innings.

Alec Mills threw six innings (third through eighth), also in Philadelphia, in an 11-1 loss on August 14, 2019.

Since the beginning of 2000, only two others have achieved this.

Eddie Butler threw seven balls (between the 10th and 17th innings) in a 2-1 loss at Miami on March 30, 2018.

Jamie Arnold threw 6⅔ (second through eighth) in a 5-4 home win over the Cardinals on September 22, 2000.

Frankly, I just don’t think Kilian has what it takes to be a starting pitcher in the MLB. A reliever? Maybe if he can throw the 98+ he’s shown in the past, but there was none of that on Monday night. You may remember Kilian throwing six hitless innings in the Arizona Fall League championship game… almost three years ago, in 2021. If Kilian can’t regain that form, maybe it’s time to move on. He turns 28 next June.

Oh yeah, that game. Well, the Cubs made it a little more interesting in the seventh inning. Isaac Paredes led off with a double and Hoerner hit a double (VIDEO).

Then Pete Crow-Armstrong got a walk and Bethancourt hit a single, leaving all the bases loaded and no one out. Could it be…?

No. Patrick Wisdom threw a strikeout and Mike Tauchman scored a second run on that groundout (VIDEO).

Still, there are runners on second and third base and a hit could have made it 6-4… but Michael Busch grounded out and the inning was over.

And that was basically it. Gavin Hollowell made his Cubs debut and it was a successful 1⅓ scoreless innings. Here’s a K from Schwarber on a nice looking sweeper (VIDEO).

Hollowell isn’t a reliever, but he could be a useful part of an Iowa shuttle for relievers in 2025.

With this win, the Phillies clinched their division title, their first NL East championship in 13 years, but don’t expect them to let up in the rest of the series. They’re still looking to have the best overall record in the NL and home-court advantage in the postseason.

Justin Steele will start for the Cubs in the second game of this series tonight. Tanner Banks, whom the Phillies acquired as a prospect from the White Sox at this year’s deadline, will start for the home team, and since he hasn’t started a game this year, he’ll likely be used as an opener in a bullpen game. Gametime begins today at 5:40 p.m. CT and will be televised on Marquee Sports Network.