ATLANTA – Shortly after the Phillies opened the NLDS by winning the series opener in Atlanta for the second straight year, Rob Thomson revealed an interesting managerial decision that was made before the game.
He struggled with whether to tell Ranger Suarez that the left-hander wouldn’t start deep Saturday night. The Braves have six right-handed hitters who have crushed lefties this season, and the Phillies have felt comfortable combining their speedy right-handed relievers.
Suarez started the night with three scoreless innings and faced at least nine batters. He struck out 10 of the first 11, with the lone baserunner quickly erased on a stolen base attempt. His changeup and curveball worked and he took advantage of both corners.
But after a two-out single by Matt Olson and a fielder’s choice in which Ozzie Albies beat the throw to second base, Thomson walked up the dugout steps and out onto the mound to remove Suarez. The pitcher didn’t look happy, and that’s OK, Thomson said afterward.
“We were debating whether or not we should explain it to him before the game,” Thomson said. “We decided against it, but I explained it to him afterwards and he understood. He is a competitor. I understand. I agree he’s disappointed.”
“There’s a thought where you tell him to empty the tank early and not worry about going deep. Is that the best message you can send him or is it, ‘Just go and show your game?’ I decided not to tell him and let him pitch his game and he did, he hit well and was disappointed when he came out. All plays are scrutinized this time of year, I understand that. If that didn’t work, it would be questioned. But it is what it is and you have to make in your head the best decision that needs to be made.”
Thomson managed the 2022 postseason aggressively, often relying on his high-impact substitutes in the middle of the game to prevent potential turnovers. Jose Alvarado, for example, went to the fifth or sixth inning in five of his 12 playoff appearances a year ago.
That aggressiveness worked for the most part, until Game 6 of the World Series, when Thomson pulled a dialed-up Zack Wheeler on just 70 pitches in the sixth inning and the move backfired when left-hander Yordan Alvarez hit Alvarado to deep.
The plan Saturday night in Game 1 was to ride Suarez until a right-hander emerged from the Braves’ lineup in a tense situation. When that situation arose in the fourth inning, Thomson switched to Jeff Hoffman, the right-hander the Phillies were most comfortable and confident using in the middle of the inning.
“You hate dating a guy,” Thomson said. “He can pitch well, he knows he pitches well, but just because of the days off, Hoffman was definitely behind Suarez. I just wanted to make sure we got the right spot for him.”
The Phillies and Braves have Sunday and Tuesday off, giving both managers the opportunity to empty their bullpens if they wish. The Phils are better staffed in the box than the Braves, with eight different backup players they can rely on for leverage: Craig Kimbrel, Alvarado, Hoffman, Seranthony Dominguez, Gregory Soto, Matt Strahm, Orion Kerkering and Cristopher Sanchez. On Saturday evening they used six of them.
“There really wasn’t a script,” Thomson said. “I just read the situation and what Ranger was like. I thought Ranger was really good. … Hoffman, he’s done that for us all year, getting in and out of dirty innings. I just thought this was the right time.”
“Overall, great job by the pitching team.”
Dominguez, who hadn’t pitched in five days and had allowed five runs in his last nine appearances, ran into trouble by sending runners to the corners with one out in the fifth inning. Ronald Acuña Jr. should be next. Swallows anywhere in the Delaware Valley.
But Dominguez hit the inside corner to knock out Acuña, then challenged Austin Riley with a 99 mph fastball up the middle for an inning-ending punchout.
“Everything was encouraging,” catcher JT Realmuto said. “He got us out of a huge hole, first and third with one out, and the top of their lineup was just around the corner. For him to do that and hopefully gain some confidence and trust his stuff, that’s great for the Phillies.”
The Braves had not been shut out in 125 games. They had not been locked up at home for more than two years. This may have been the Phillies’ best win of 2023 and certainly their best pitching performance as a team against Atlanta’s record-setting offense.
“It’s very difficult to have so many players on one night, especially against such a good lineup,” Realmuto said. “They kept the batters off balance really well the whole game. Our pitching staff was incredible tonight. Every single player didn’t let us down today. They threw the ball really well.”
Even if the Phillies miss Game 2 on Monday night, they have a chance to win the series at home. They also know that if the best-of-five series goes the full five games, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola will be pitching in three of the remaining four games.
“This is one of the best offenses in the game in their home stadium,” said Bryce Harper, who hit a home run off Spencer Strider, reached base all four times and scored two of the Phillies’ three runs. “It was huge for us to come here and get one.”
Getting two would be even sweeter. The Phillies will have their ace on the mound and a chance to take a commanding series lead on Monday.
“This team has that innate toughness for a guy,” Thomson said. “They just keep fighting. It’s a great combination of talent and composition that we have at this club.”
“It’s always important to win Game 1, but I think Game 2 is also pretty important to keep your nose to the grindstone.