The Philadelphia Phillies lost Game 1 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers in heartbreaking fashion, blowing the three-run lead they had early in the game. One of the main reasons for the loss was the three-run home run that Matt Strahm allowed in the 7th.
Shortly after giving up the homer, fans and media alike speculated over whether Strahm, with a runner on second base, was tipping his pitches, allowing for Teoscar Hernandez to know what was coming and be ready to pounce.
Ben Verlander, brother of Justin Verlander and an MLB analyst, criticized Strahm for showing the runner on second base "everything possible." The next day, however, Strahm blasted Verlander on Twitter/X, shutting down the tipped-pitches concern and taking a brutal shot at Verlander in the process.
Matt Strahm blasts the brother of Justin Verlander amid the defense of tipped pitches
"Ben I get stirring the pot is how you make a living since baseball didn't pan out," Strahm said. "But go watch the game he did the same thing on different pitches. Oh and if you know ball you'd know I've had my hands up the better part of a decade and have fingers together for all pitches."
Ben I get stirring the pot is how ya make a living since baseball didn’t pan out. But go watch the game he did the same thing on different pitches. Oh and if ya know ball you’d know I’ve had my hands up the better part of a decade and have fingers together for all pitches.
— Matt Strahm (@MattStrahm) October 5, 2025
Ben Verlander, who is an MLB analyst and host for the Flippin' Bats Podcast, played five seasons in the minor leagues, playing in 422 games with a .225 batting average and a .597 OPS. While making the minor league is impressive, Strahm still took a shot at Verlander after he took a shot at Strahm.
This message from Strahm not only blasts Verlander, but also dissuades from the talking point that Strahm was tipping his pitches. Andy Pages, the runner on second base, wasn't able to identify what pitch was coming from Strahm, as Strahm's been doing this his entire career and never had problems with sign-stealing.
Strahm made a mistake, leaving a ball over the plate, which allowed Hernandez, a great power hitter, to take advantage. It wasn't a matter of whether Strahm was tipping pitches, but rather that he made a bad pitch.
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This isn't the first time that Strahm has clapped back or blasted a fan before. In this case, however, it comes after a brutal game-losing home run. And while Strahm is to blame for the poor pitch, his claim is that he wasn't tipping his pitches.
Missing a location isn't uncommon for a pitcher, while tipping pitches is a much more pressing issue to fix. But, according to Strahm, he's not tipping his pitches, as Pages wasn't relaying what pitch was coming to Hernandez.
The Phillies will need Strahm to bounce back for the rest of the NLDS, especially with the Phillies needing to win three of the four remaining games left in the series, including at least one in Los Angeles.
It won't be easy, and Strahm will be a big part of the bullpen going forward. His $7.5 million option for 2026 was just guaranteed, so not only is Strahm a part of the bullpen this season, but he'll also be a major contributor next year as well.
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