What’s the definition of a broken record?: Braves 3, Phillies 1
Apr 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images When I was growing up, the term “broken record” never really made sense to me. If a record was broken, to my young and impressionable mind, how would it actually work in the first place?
I knew that the general meaning was that if something sounded like a broken record, you’d hear it over and over and over again, but it remained one of those things that I just didn’t comprehend. I’m reminded of this as the Phillies post another loss at home, one marred by sloppy play that put their starting pitching in a hole and an offense that continues to spin its wheels. It’s the same things that have been at the forefront of their slow start, the plagues and blights on their season.
It’s a broken record. A marquee pitching matchup was billed between Cristopher Sanchez and Chris Sale and it largely lived up to it. One might have thought that a first at bat home run robbery by Brandon Marsh would be a portend of things to come, but no sir.
GO GET IT MARSHY pic. twitter. com/8Tzy5DDvYh — Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 18, 2026 Outside of one pitch, Sale shut down a Phillies offense that tried to load up on right handed hitting to try and counter the southpaw.
The lone highlight of the evening was Felix Reyes, in his major league debut, taking Sale deep to the opposite field in his first at bat. Felix Reyes homers in his first Major League at-bat! pic.