Aug 6, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) delivers to the plate in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK — Ranger Suárez — one of three Phillies starting pitchers selected to this year's NL All-Star team — will take the ball Wednesday evening at Citi Field with his team facing elimination. Could the other two All-Star starters play a role in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Mets?
It sounds as though there's a distinct possibility that Cristopher Sánchez — who threw 88 pitches in a Game 2 win — will factor into the game.
Rob Thomson says that Sánchez will sit in the bullpen from the beginning of Game 4, and said that the lefty could give the Phillies "one inning, maybe two if the first one is efficient." This is Sánchez's normal side day, when he'll typically throw 30-35 pitches.
Zack Wheeler — currently in line to start Game 5, if there is one — is less likely to appear in Game 4, although Thomson didn't rule it out entirely when asked what circumstances he would turn to his ace in relief for.
"In an emergency," Thomson said. "Meaning, we don't have any pitching left."
Of course, not everyone has the same definition of what qualifies as an emergency. If Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm and Carlos Estévez have already been burned and the Phillies have a one-run lead going into the ninth inning, it would be interesting to see if that qualifies as an emergency.
Orion Kerkering has pitched in all three games of this series and struggled. Josè Ruiz — like most Phillies relievers so far this series — hasn't fared well in his two outings. That would seem to be a situation where if it's not an emergency, you're trying to prevent it from becoming one.
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Obviously, all this depends on what Suárez does in his start. Both he and the Phillies were encouraged by how he pitched over two inning in a sim game last Wednesday. But it's fair to be skeptical of how Suárez will do given that he posted a 5.65 ERA in eight starts following the All-Star Break, seven of which came after he spent nearly a month on the injured list with lower back soreness.
The Phillies won Game 1 of the 2023 NLDS against the Atlanta Braves a year ago in perhaps Thomson's finest managerial performance, as he pulled Suárez after just 3 2/3 innings and masterfully maneuvered his bullpen. The Phillies had a day off before and after that game, though, which allowed Thomson to do that.
The manager said Wednesday afternoon that there isn't a similar plan to be as aggressive with the hook on Suárez as he was in Game 1 of 2023. But if Suárez doesn't have it, he's not going to sit on his hands either. This is win or go home for the Phillies.
