Derek Hill's jaw-dropping catch keeps Phillies in front and Zack Wheeler delivers 2-1 win over Mets

Scott Lauber, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jun 26, 2026

Published in Baseball

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NEW YORK — Zack Wheeler stood on the mound, looked out to center field, and, well, LOL.

For real. He laughed out loud.

How else was the Phillies ace supposed to react? After what Derek Hill had just done — sprinting to the warning track, timing his leap, hanging in the air, and reaching over the wall to take a two-run homer away from Mets star Juan Soto — even super-intense Wheeler couldn’t stifle a chuckle.

It was the first inning here Friday night, and although it took a go-ahead single from Trea Turner in the seventh to decide a 2-1 Phillies victory, Hill’s catch — as good as homer robberies get — was the jaw-dropping highlight.

The Phillies won their fourth game in a row and, at 46-36, got to a season-high 10 games over .500. They also deepened the misery for the Mets, who fired manager Carlos Mendoza, then dropped their seventh straight game while fans chanted to fire president of baseball operations David Stearns.

Hill’s catch came after the Phillies seized a 1-0 lead on Bryce Harper’s single, the third consecutive hit to open the game against Mets rookie lefty Zach Thornton.

And Wheeler continued his remarkable comeback after having a rib removed last September to treat thoracic outlet syndrome. In his 12th start, he allowed one run on four hits in seven innings to leave his ERA at 2.03.

There’s no telling, though, how much differently things would have gone if not for Hill.

Wheeler gave up a leadoff single to Carson Benge before getting ahead 0-and-2 against Soto. But when Soto crushed a 96-mph fastball to right-center field, Wheeler turned and dropped his shoulders slightly, the look of a pitcher who knew the ball was gone.

The Phillies had Hill shaded slightly toward left-center. But he got a good jump and made a perfect read on the ball, never breaking stride until he reached the wall.

Consider it the cherry on top of a memorable week for Hill, acquired by the Phillies only two weeks ago from the White Sox after right fielder Adolis García tore the lat muscle near his right shoulder and needed season-ending surgery.

Hill, who starts only against left-handed pitchers, came up as a pinch hitter with two out in the ninth inning Wednesday night in Washington. Down to his last strike, he smashed a go-ahead two-run homer to propel a 5-4 victory.

One night later, Hill came off the bench and picked up two hits, including a two-run homer in the Phillies’ five-run ninth in a come-from-behind 10-5 victory.

“He’s been a good guy in our clubhouse,” interim manager Don Mattingly said earlier in the week. “He’s a guy that’s prepared. He’s low maintenance, ready to go at all times. We go look for a pinch-hitter, and he’s ready with a bat in his hand, or he knows when we defend with him, and things like that.”

Turner broke a 1-1 tie with a two-out, two-strike hit in the seventh inning against Mets reliever Huascar Brazobán. In the midst of a rough season, the star shortstop is heating up at the plate. He finished with two hits and has eight hits in his last 20 at-bats to raise his average to .235 and his OPS to .625.

If Turner is turning the corner at the plate, the reigning National League batting champion would represent a more impactful addition than anyone the Phillies could get at the trade deadline.

“I think Trea’s fine,” Mattingly said before the game. “I mean, when do we decide that he’s there? When he’s getting two hits a night for 10 straight days? He’s getting his hits.”