Pat Neshek facing more lefties, but his ERA is still 0.00

Pat Neshek faced 185 batters last season with the Houston Astros. Less than a third of them were lefthanded because the Astros actively avoided using the funky righty reliever in those situations. Neshek became a specialist; Houston saw such a discrepancy in his platoon splits that it limited his usage.

So, when Neshek joined the Phillies this spring, he sought a few coaches on the staff to share his opinion. He didn't need to be lobbed into the group so many side-arming righthanded pitchers fall into. He could pitch in whatever situation the Phillies wanted.

The Phillies have just one lefty, Joely Rodriguez. Neshek, in his first seven innings with the Phillies, has faced double the amount of lefthanded batters than righthanded ones. He has a 0.00 ERA overall.

What has been the difference?

"Just letting me face them," Neshek said. "That's the biggest thing."

For now, it's an early trend to note. Neshek has added value in the middle of the Phillies' bullpen. Lefties batted .250 with a .967 OPS against him last season and .233 with a .729 OPS for his career. This season, they are 2 for 16 with a double and no walks.

Lefties typically have a better look against a pitcher with a delivery like Neshek's, and that is what prompts generalizations, he said.

"It's a label that gets used because righties are like .180 or .170 against me in my career," said Neshek, 36. "When they see lefties are like .230 - oh, it's such a big split. But .230 is better than the league average. I don't know where it all comes from. But that's a typical knock on submarine, sidearm guys."

Clay Buchholz said he apologized to general manager Matt Klentak and others in the Phillies organization for his injury that required surgery last week. The Phillies do not believe Buchholz will pitch again in 2017 after suffering a tear in the flexor tendon of his right arm.

The veteran righthander thinks he can return.

"My goal now is to let this heal, get it well, and if this team keeps playing the way it is right now, we'll be playing in September and October," Buchholz said. "And that's my goal."

Buchholz, 32, is a free agent at season's end.

"I definitely don't think I'm done playing," said Buchholz, who has gone on the disabled list in seven of his 11 seasons. "I've stayed healthy for the most part. This is the first issue that has involved surgery for me."

When Cesar Hernandez (26), Aaron Altherr (26), and Odubel Herrera (25) hit back-to-back-to-back homers in Sunday's win, they became the youngest trio in Phillies history to do it, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The last time a threesome that young hit back-to-back-to-back homers was in 2008, when the Angels' Kendrys Morales, Mike Napoli, and Brandon Wood did it.

Triviality: The Phillies returned to action Wednesday after not having played a game since Sunday, marking the first time they had consecutive days off in a season (not coinciding with the all-star break) since April 30-May 1, 2014. . . . Jeremy Hellickson will face Edinson Volquez in Thursday's afternoon finale of this abbreviated series.