Bailey Falter will start NLCS Game 4 for the Phillies

Bailey Falter will start Game 4 of the NLCS for the Philadelphia Phillies against the San Diego Padres, manager Rob Thomson announced after a victory in Game 3.

For Falter, it will mark his first appearance this postseason, even though he’s been on the roster for each round. The 25-year-old lefty last pitched in the final game of the season, allowing two hits in a scoreless frame against the Houston Astros.

Since then, Falter has thrown bullpen sessions, but not appeared in a game. The plan is to have Falter pitch one time through the lineup, but that can of course change given how successful he is or isn’t in the early going.

Noah Syndergaard was seemingly the other option, after he pitched effectively in the clinching game of the NLDS. But with a lineup that features perhaps the best left-handed hitter in the league in Juan Soto, Thomson and the Phillies will opt for a lefty of their own.

“Well, there’s just a few more left-handed hitters in this lineup,” Thomson said Friday night. “A lot of their right-handers are even split guys, so we kind of like that matchup better. And, you know, Syndergaard is not out of the question within the game.”

There had been some speculation that Zack Wheeler could come back on three-days rest in Game 4 after throwing only 83 pitches in the series opener, but Thomson squashed that idea on Thursday, saying there was “no chance” of it happening.

Instead, the Phillies have a 2-1 lead in the NLCS, and with a win Saturday, they’ll have a chance to hand the ball to Wheeler on Sunday with a shot to clinch the National League pennant. If not, Aaron Nola will be waiting on Monday in San Diego.

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