‘Everybody’s available’ in Phillies’ pen
Such has been the success of the Phillies’ bullpen during the 2022 playoffs that manager Rob Thomson feels free to play and strategize for today without worrying about tomorrow’s implications.
That attitude worked well in Philadelphia’s 6-5 10-inning win Friday night when Thomson called on lefthanded reliever José Alvarado in the fifth inning and potential Game 3 starter Ranger Suárez in the seventh to handle the Astros’ lefthanded power hitters Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker and righthanded-hitting Alex Bregman.
Thomson, who has three lefthanders on his pitching staff, indicated prior to Game 2 that the same scenario could play out again in the series, even to the point of possibly knocking Suárez out of a starting slot if he’s needed in the bullpen.
“Everybody’s available,” he said.
Thomson said he called on Alvarado earlier than at any point this season because he wanted to stifle any comeback chances by the Astros after starter Justin Verlander squandered a five-run lead before exiting after the fifth.
“When we came back to tie it in the fifth, I felt like that was such a huge momentum swing that I didn’t want to let them breathe at all,” he said. “I wanted to try to do everything I could to shut that, shut it down right there. … I thought if we let them score, it would take the air right out of our offense and the momentum’s gone.”
Suárez, who struck out Alvarez to end the seventh and retired Bregman before giving up a base hit to Tucker, threw just 11 pitches and again displayed his flexibility to contribute in different circumstances.
“You don’t see those guys too often,” the manager said. “It’s like he’s playing in his backyard. He’s playing whiffle ball. And he’s just having fun out there. The situation, the role, doesn’t matter to him.”
Thomson said he made the call on Alvarado and Suárez in large part because of the presence of Alvarez and Tucker, but he also took into account the fact that Bregman, who hit .300 against lefthanders and .254 against righties in 2021, slipped to .225 against southpaws this year.
If Thomson prefers to save Suárez for a potential start during one of the three scheduled games in Philadelphia, he also has the option of lefthanded veteran Brad Hand, who has allowed three earned runs and two inherited runs to score during the playoffs.
“The last couple outings have been a little bit scattered with his command,” Thomson said. “But I still have trust in him. Because he’s a veteran presence. He’s been here before, and he’s done it.”
The Astros, in contrast, have just one lefthander in the bullpen in Will Smith, who was not on the roster for the American League Division Series or Championship Series.
In part because of that limitation, manager Dusty Baker is reluctant to structure his bullpen to attack a specific hitter, even one as dangerous as lefthanded-hitting Bryce Harper.
“If they get in with this three-batter-minimum rule now, that make it’s tough,” Baker said. “And if you’re bringing in a guy with two outs and if you walk Harper or don’t get Harper, now you’re in harm’s way with whoever is hitting behind him, especially if they’re better against lefties than they are righties.”
The Astros mostly stayed close to form in Game 1, using Bryan Abreu, Héctor Neris, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly in relief of Verlander entering the 10th.
However, Baker opted for Luis Garcia in the 10th rather than Ryan Stanek, who had a 1.15 ERA during the regular season, only to see Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto touch up Garcia for a game-winning home run.
With fewer settled arms in the bullpen — on paper, at least, although the Philadelphia bullpen is 6-0 with a 2.81 ERA in the postseason — Thomson takes each situation as it arises, with limited thought for consequences down the line.
“When we got into the Padres series where we had potentially five in a row, then it’s more like the regular season where you got to be careful with guys. I certainly don’t want to put any of our pitchers in harm’s way,” he said.
“In these seven-game series where you’ve got two days off potentially, you can use guys a little bit more. … This is a sprint now, and we have to go for it every day.”