Phillies Manager Rob Thomson Sounds Off on Bullpen Woes, Targets Ross and Ruiz After Giants Loss
The Philadelphia Phillies have plenty to clean up early in the season, but their bullpen has emerged as a major concern—especially when it comes to relievers Joe Ross and Jose Ruiz. Following a tough loss to the San Francisco Giants, manager Rob Thomson didn’t mince words in his postgame press conference.
When asked about Ross’s recent struggles, Thomson pointed directly to poor execution: “Just execution. Not hitting his spots, getting behind in the count, that type of thing.”
Ross had a disastrous outing, surrendering four hits and four earned runs in a single inning, effectively swinging the game in the Giants’ favor. His ERA for the season sits at 5.40, and he’s been trending in the wrong direction.
Ruiz didn’t escape scrutiny either. After entering the game with the bases loaded and immediately walking the first batter—forcing in a run—Thomson was candid: “Leadoff walk, you can’t do that. He’s gotta come in and attack the zone… it’s just a lack of execution.”
Though Ruiz didn’t record any earned runs in the outing, he allowed two to score and has now posted a rough 7.94 ERA in just 5.2 innings, giving up eight hits along the way. Just two days earlier, he gave up two runs on three hits in another shaky inning against the Giants.
While both relievers are under fire, Thomson emphasized he hasn’t lost faith in them. “He’ll be better,” he said of Ross. As for Ruiz: “He’s better than this.”
Still, with the offense slow to get going and the rotation cooling off after a strong start, the Phillies will need Ross and Ruiz to find their footing quickly—or risk falling deeper into early-season trouble.
