All October there has been a learning curve, and Phillies manager Rob Thomson has been ahead of the rest of the league.
Needing to win on the road in the Wild Card round and then turn around to play more conventional five-game series, Thomson and the Phillies found ways to keep their pitchers aligned to start in the most important games. They've taken advantage of fleeting off days (like the one they had Thursday). They have stayed healthy and have been pushing the right levers in the bullpen.
But unlike in seven game series in the past, the Phillies and Padres will be playing their next five games in five days (potentially) if the NLCS goes the distance.
The good news for the Phils is, the next three will be in Philadelphia. After winning Game 1 at Petco Park, the Phillies have snatched home-field advantage, and they could avoid jumping on a plane again until next weekend if they dominate at home.
"We went into San Diego and split. Especially in Game 2, we were looking to sweep, but they did a nice job coming back," Thomson said. "I think for the most part we did our job in San Diego, and now we feel pretty good being home here for the next three games in front of our own fans, and it's going to be a lot of fun."
In the event the Phillies are unable to win three in a row, things will get tricky. First, with Ranger Suarez going Friday and a likely Noah Syndergaard led bullpen game in Game 4 Saturday, the Phillies will need to figure out who to pitch in Game 5. Will they turn to Zack Wheeler, or save him for a potential Game's 6-7 out west with Nola going in the seventh? Would they be aggressive with Wheeler and Nola, and worry about a Game 7 if they need to?
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"If we get to a Game 7, it will be all in," the manager said.
In addition, will they need to give any of their regular starters a break as they push through intense game after intense game?
"I think all these guys have gone at least five in a row, and even J.T. [Realmuto] has gone five in a row over the course of a year," Thomson, contemplating any necessary lineup changes. "As far as bullpen, I think you have to manage that a little bit. Like I said, you don't want to overwork guys so their production goes down, and you don't want to put them in harm's way as far as injury. So I think you do have to be cognizant of that."
Not to add even more importance to Game 3 Friday, but with the necessity of a bullpen game looming — like the one the team used to clinch the NLDS with last week — they'll need to have a rested bullpen to turn to. Which means Suarez might have some extra pressure to make it into the later innings.
"That's really what I'm focused on tomorrow," Suarez said. "I want to go as deep as possible in the game because I think the more I pitch, the more I'm going to save the bullpen ready for the next day."
It's all connected in playoff baseball. One game directly impacts how the next one will go. So while the Phillies have control, on paper, of their World Series hopes with three of the next five games at home, they'll need to do more than just win. They'll have to win to set up future wins.
It's tough. But Thomson seems like he knows what he's doing.
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