Phillies fall to Yankees 5-3 on July 25, 2025, despite Kyle Schwarber's 34th homer. Andrew Painter shows flashes in his return but takes the tough loss. Recap.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a classic Friday night fight in the Bronx, but the Philadelphia Phillies came up on the short end, falling 5-3 to the New York Yankees. Despite another moonshot from Kyle Schwarber and the much-anticipated return of top prospect Andrew Painter to the mound, the Phils couldn't overcome an early deficit, dropping them to 58-45 on the season and a half-game behind their pinstriped rivals.
With his home run against the Yankees, Kyle Schwarber reached 34 homers on the season, tying his career high for home runs before August.
All eyes were on Andrew Painter, making a spot start in the big leagues, and the top prospect delivered a performance that was both tantalizing and frustrating. Over five innings, Painter flashed his electric stuff, striking out four Yankees. However, he struggled with command at times, surrendering six hits that led to four earned runs. It was the kind of outing that shows the immense potential but also the room for growth. 'Andrew gave us a chance, and his stuff looked sharp at times,' Manager Rob Thomson said postgame. 'We’re excited to see him build on this.' While Painter took the loss, the bullpen was stellar, tossing three scoreless innings to keep the game within reach.
While the team result wasn't there, Kyle Schwarber continued his torrid home run pace. He crushed his 34th homer of the season, a two-run shot that kept the Phillies in the game and sent social media into a frenzy with the hashtag #Schwarbomb. The blast also marked a personal milestone, as Schwarber tied his career high for homers before the month of August. He now leads the team with 78 RBIs and remains the engine of this offense. Trea Turner also had a solid night, going 2-for-4 with a double, but the rest of the lineup couldn't string together enough hits to complete a comeback.
Despite the loss, the clubhouse mood remains positive. Bryce Harper, appearing on MLB Network's 'Intentional Talk' earlier in the day, echoed that sentiment. 'We’re focused on playing our best baseball down the stretch. This group believes in each other,' Harper said. That resilience was praised by Rob Thomson, who emphasized the team will regroup for Saturday. And while the big league club battled, the future continued to shine in Triple-A. Top outfield prospect Justin Crawford launched his 12th homer for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, a reminder of the talent pipeline that produced Painter and is still flowing.
One game does not a series make. The Phillies have a chance to even things up tomorrow and prove their mettle against a fellow contender. With the trade deadline looming and the playoff race heating up, every game against a team like the Yankees feels magnified. The Phils will need to flush this one and come out swinging on Saturday to get back on track in the Bronx.
