9/15/26 : Reading in the Playoffs
Tonight the Reading Fightin Phils make their first Eastern League playoff appearance since 2019 when they host the Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) in game one of the best of three Northeast Division series with games two and three (if needed) in Hartford. The Erie SeaWolves (Tigers affiliate) meet the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants affiliate) in the Southwest Division series with the two winners meeting in the best of three league championship series. Reading has not won the Eastern League championship since 1995 - hall of fame third baseman Scott Rolen was a member of that team.
League Leaders :
This year’s Reading team has the Eastern League’s leader in hits (Raylin Heredia - 151), doubles (Raylin Heredia - 35), home runs (Bryan Rincon & Alex Binelas - 26), walks (Bryan Rincon - 95), total bases (Raylin Heredia - 257), OBP (Bryan Rincon - .410) and OPS (Bryan Rincon - .927). On the pitching side Luke Russo and Adam Seminaris tied for the league lead in pitching wins (11) with Seminaris also tied for league leadership in starts (26) and leading the league in innings pitched (138.1), strikeouts (162), Ks/9 (10.54), K’s/BB (5.40) and WHIP (1.22) for those who qualified.
Fan Support :
Reading finished the regular season with the third best overall attendance across all of AA baseball. The 379,514 fans who attended Reading home games ranks as the 22nd highest across all 120 minor league teams. The average per game of 5,839 was the second highest amongst AA teams and 17th highest in all of minor league baseball. The club has exceeded the 370,000 annual mark in attendance every season of play since 1996 excluding the 2021 restricted attendance season. - Jake Starr - Reading Director of PR/Media Relations, Client Fulfillment & Broadcaster
Hot Hitters :
Reading scored seventeen runs in their final regular season game and sixty-eight in their final five contests so a lot of hitters were “hot” during the week. Second baseman Aroon Escobar finished the season with a flourish posting a .372/.460/.674 slash line and 1.134 OPS in his last 12 games going 16 for 43 with 4 doubles, 3 home runs and 11 RBIs while also drawing 5 walks and striking out just 5 times, he scored 11 runs - it’s reminiscent of the streaks he went on at Low A Clearwater when there last season - Aroon is just 21 years of age - fall ball awaits and he’s clicking on all cylinders at the moment.
Third baseman Carson DeMartini posted an impressive 1.051 OPS in his last 12 games (.289/.472/.579) with 11 hits, 13 runs scored, 3 doubles, a triple, 2 home runs, 10 RBIs, 13 walks and 13 K’s. He was chosen as Eastern League player of the week for last week. Carson has battled the injury bug, in particular wrist injuries, but when healthy he’s always hit consistently. He’s also playing strong defense at third base as well since returning from the IL on 8/4/26. In fact since that return he’s hit .298 (28 for 94) with 5 home runs and 19 RBIs.
Shortstop Bryan Rincon has been an on base machine all season and that’s continued into September - he’s posted a .429 OBP, .600 slugging percentage and 1.029 OPS in 49 plate appearances with 4 home runs, 9 RBIs, 12 walks and 12 K’s.
Catcher Luis Caicuto has delivered in a backup role - this past week he was 5 for 9 (.556) with 2 doubles, a home run, 6 RBIs and a walk - 1.711 OPS 🔥😳. Raider Tello is 10 for 33 (.303) in September while fellow utility man Bryson Ware has 3 home runs, 9 RBIs and 8 walks - a .404 OBP and .983 OPS in 47 plate appearances.
The lineup generally consisting of Rincon, Dante Nori, Pedro Leon, Raylin Heredia, Aidan Miller, Caleb Ricketts or Caicuto, DeMartini, Escobar and either Austin Muir, Tello or Ware is a very formidable AA group, strong enough to win a title - just sayin.
Bullpen Strength :
The relief corps has been excellent in the second half of the season for Reading and finished the season on an upbeat. Three pitchers (LH Mavis Graves - 6 IP, RH Danielle Harper - 5.2 IP and RH Wen-Hui Pan - 4 IP) did not allow an earned run in their last four appearances. In fact Graves has found a niche as a reliever - he’s posted a 0.96 ERA in 14 relief appearances for Reading (18.2 IP) dominating opponents with 31 K’s.
RH Christian McGowan put himself back on the prospect radar with a very solid season (2.82 ERA in 38 games - 44.2 IP) featuring a mid nineties sinker and his version of a sweeper (new pitch for him) which has been very effective. RH Estibenzon Jimenez has also had a strong season (2.84 ERA in 28 games - 31.2 IP) with RH Evan Gates and RH Jack Dallas providing just about every day relief to get out of jams - both seemingly could pitch every game if needed and never turn the call down. Good group.
Starters :
RH Gage Wood gets game one with RH Cody Bowker, LH Adam Seminaris and RH Luke Russo available for games two and three. Each is capable of at least five innings of work before turning things over to the Pen.
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