NEW YORK — The Phillies will use every man and every resource they can to avoid elimination in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. That could even mean going to ace Zack Wheeler out of the bullpen in a dire situation.
After a 7-2 loss to New York on Tuesday at Citi Field, Philadelphia trails this best-of-five series, 2-1, and could be knocked out of the postseason as early as Wednesday night by the surging Mets. Phillies manager Rob Thomson indicated that he’ll use an all-hands-on-deck approach with his pitching decisions behind starter Ranger Suárez to try to keep his season alive.
“I think everybody is available tomorrow,” he said after the Game 3 loss when asked about the potential for Wheeler to pitch.
Wheeler, the former Met and Philadelphia’s workhorse pitcher with a convincing October resume, dazzled with seven shutout innings in a Game 1 loss this past Saturday. He’s scheduled to start a potential Game 5 on Friday at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies, of course, have to get there first.
Thomson elaborated on how he’d be comfortable deploying Wheeler in relief on only three days’ rest on Wednesday afternoon.
“In an emergency,” he said, “meaning we don’t have any pitching left.”
Left-handed starter Cristopher Sánchez, who pitched well in the Phillies’ Game 2 win on Sunday, will also be available. He didn’t throw his usual side session of about 30 to 35 pitches on Wednesday. Sánchez will spend the game in the bullpen; he could be in play for an inning — “maybe two” — per Thomson.
While Philadelphia’s offense has been the highlight of the team’s disappointment in this series, scoring just one total run before the sixth inning of the three games, the bullpen has struggled as well. Phillies relievers have allowed 13 runs, 12 earned, in nine innings pitched against the Mets.
Trusted firemen Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm combined to lose the lead in a disaster Game 1 finish. Strahm blew a save in Game 2. Carlos Estévez allowed an unearned run to score in Game 3, José Alvarado continued to look shaky and Orion Kerkering and José Ruiz failed to work out of inherited jams.
All seven relievers the Phillies have used in this NLDS have allowed at least one run, so the club will look to its starters for some possible help.
“They’re putting good at-bats against them,” Thomson said. “I don’t think we’re executing pitches, to tell you the truth. … They’re putting good at-bats against our bullpen, that’s for sure.”
Sánchez, a swingman before his emergence as a legitimate rotation piece last season, has 19 career appearances out of the bullpen in the majors. Wheeler’s only relief outing came in last year’s Game 7 loss in the NL Championship Series. The Cy Young candidate mowed down the Diamondbacks in 1 2/3 brilliant no-hit innings.
While Thomson said he’d only go to Wheeler in an emergency, it’s fair to wonder when the Phillies would actually signal S.O.S. They might need some length with Suárez on the mound, coming off a poor second half and a two-inning start in his last game of the regular season. Strahm and Hoffman, their two best relievers this year, will be ready to go after some rest. From there, it’s hard to argue that any single reliever is definitively a better option than Wheeler right now.
Sure, Thomson did say he’d only throw Wheeler if he had no other pitcher to call upon, and using him would certainly complicate a Game 5. But would Thomson really throw Tanner Banks or Kolby Allard over his No. 1 arm in a close game if the Phillies have to go to their bullpen early?
They can only worry about Wheeler’s next start if they win on Wednesday.
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