Mick Abel has another quality start in Phillies' 2-1 walk-off loss to the Blue Jays

Lochlahn March, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jun 4, 2025

Published in Baseball

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TORONTO — Jordan Romano and Jeff Hoffman were both drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014.

Their career paths diverged almost immediately afterward, as Hoffman spent the first few months injured and was traded to the Colorado Rockies within a year. But on Wednesday, both pitchers were warming in opposite bullpens at the Rogers Centre, preparing to face their former teams in the ninth inning of a tied ballgame.

This time, it was Hoffman who got the edge. Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk hit a walk-off single off Romano in the bottom of the ninth to break the stalemate for a 2-1 Blue Jays win over the Phillies.

Two pitches into Romano’s outing, Bo Bichette fouled off a pitch that hit J.T. Realmuto in the groin. He was removed for Rafael Marchán.

Phillies starter Mick Abel was dominant against the Blue Jays. He only recorded two strikeouts against Toronto, after tying a Phillies record with nine in his debut. But the only blemish on an otherwise perfect first five innings from Abel was a single from Toronto nine-hole hitter Andrés Giménez in the third.

With each out, Abel also extended his scoreless streak, becoming the first Phillies pitcher to throw more than 10 consecutive scoreless innings to start his career since Cole Hamels did so in 2006.

The streak came to an end in the sixth inning. Giménez sent a single to right field for Toronto’s second hit of the night. Abel, who last pitched on Friday in Triple-A Lehigh Valley, started to show some fatigue. He threw three straight balls to Bichette followed by a sinker that only clocked 92.4 mph, which Bichette sent to left-center field.

Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh converged on it, but the ball bounced off of a sliding Marsh’s glove. Gimenez easily scored, spoiling the shutout, while Bichette advanced to third.

That ended Abel’s night at 5 1/3 innings. He has not yet allowed a walk in the major leagues.

Nick Castellanos’s solo homer to right center in the second inning was the only run support Abel received. The offense had the opportunity to give him more of a cushion, but left the bases loaded in the fifth inning.

Orion Kerkering helped preserve what was then a 1-1 tie by stranding Bichette at third with a flyout and a strikeout in the sixth.