Gray (7-8) took the loss Friday as the Nationals were downed 7-2 by the Phillies, surrendering six runs on five hits -- including four home runs -- and three walks over four innings. He struck out four.

EDGE Analysis

Three of the long balls came in the first inning before J.T. Realmuto capped the barrage in the third with a two-run shot. Gray got the hook after 79 pitches (46 strikes) having served up multiple homers for the fourth time in his last five trips to the mound, a gruesome stretch in which he's compiled a 7.20 ERA and 1.44 WHIP despite a superficially successful 34:11 K:BB through 25 innings. Gray now has a 2.4 HR/9 for his big-league career, and the 24-year-old will never come close to reaching his full potential without first solving his homer woes.