PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies manager Rob Thomson met the media pregame on Saturday and laid out how he plans to handle the opener and the moving parts behind it. He spoke plainly about starters, leverage pockets, and why Harrison Bader earned everyday work in center.
“He’s pitched so well the last month,” Thomson said when asked why Jesus Luzardo is lined up for Game Two. “He had pitched prior to Ranger during the regular season. It just made the most sense to me.” He added a note about flexibility for Game One. “We’ll have Ranger (Suarez) available out of the pen tonight. We’ll have (Aaron) Nola available if there’s an emergency.”
The follow up was about where Ranger Suárez might fit if he does not start. “I’m really comfortable with our leverage guys at the end starting in the sixth inning,” Thomson said. “So it would probably be early. Could be an extra inning game, that type of thing for tonight.”
Aaron Nola’s role remains fluid. “He could be length. He could be starting,” Thomson said. “I’m not announcing a Game Three starter until after Monday’s game, just to see how it all plays out.”
Harrison Bader’s rise to everyday center fielder has been one of Philadelphia’s late-season pivots. “From day one we knew we were getting good defense, plus defense,” Thomson said. “He got hotter at the plate there for a while. He’s cooled off a little bit, but he looked pretty good in the last couple of days.” Thomson explained why Bader hits eighth. “It’s more about turning the lineup over with him and starting at the end, and then we get to Trea and Schwarber and Harper,” he said. “He’s played great for us and I love the energy, and I love the confidence he brings to the team.”
A bench piece who grabbed a roster spot also drew praise. “It’s a great story,” Thomson said of utility man Kody Clemens–type rookie depth, asked generally about an undrafted player who made the club. “He worked hard. He can play all over the diamond, swings the bat, he’s got a great approach.” Thomson outlined the matchup plan in left field. “I see either him or Weston Wilson probably playing left field against left-handed pitching, possibly pinch hit,” he said. “Wilson’s more of a pinch run type guy than Kemp is, but I really like his ability and I think he’s got a great future.”
The update on Trea Turner was encouraging. “Maybe he said he didn’t go 100 percent, but I think he thinks he can go 100 percent,” Thomson said. “He played seven innings in that intrasquad game the other night, moved around well, ran balls out probably at 90 percent. I think he’s ready to go and I’m glad he’s ready to go.” Thomson credited the training staff. “We kept him back here when we went to L.A. and Arizona and the trainers kept telling us he’s doing great,” he said. “We got back and saw it firsthand, and they were correct. They did a great job.”
Zack Wheeler will be in the building, even if he is not taking the ball. “He gives us a lot of confidence even if he’s not pitching,” Thomson said. “He’s here today. He wanted to be here and I’m glad he’s here. He’s just a great person to have around. He has that aura about him.”
Asked about veteran right-hander Taijuan Walker’s presence and potential role, Thomson pointed to both intel and versatility. “He’s given some information to our pitching coaches and he’s a winner,” he said. “We’re going to use him out of the pen in this series. Whether it’s for length or for one inning, that’s to be seen. He’s in the middle of everything in that clubhouse and he’s a good guy to have around.”
Thomson circled back to why Bader sits in that eight spot against a Dodger bullpen with many lefties. “We had to go right, left, right, left, right, left all the way down other than the Schwarber-Harper tandem,” he said. “He gives us a lot of length in that lineup if he’s swinging the bat.”
Depth at the very bottom matters too. “Two guys that have potential to get on base for the guys at the top,” Thomson said, when asked about pairing Bader with Bryson Stott at the end of the order. “Scott’s been swinging the bat right. He made that adjustment earlier in the year and since then he’s taken off. He looks like the guy that we think he is, that line-drive gap guy with occasional power who really controls the strike zone. He’s done it, so hopefully he keeps doing that.”
Game One is all about options for Thomson. “We’re comfortable with our leverage guys from the sixth on,” he said. “Ranger could be early. Nola is there if there’s an emergency.” He likes the way his defense and speed set the table. “Bader turns the lineup over,” he said. “If he gets on, then we’re right back to Trea and Schwarber and Harp.”
On the health front and star power in the room, the manager kept it simple. “Trea’s ready to go,” Thomson said. “Wheels being around gives everybody confidence.” On the pitching chessboard behind his starter, he left himself space. “We’ll see how it all plays out,” he said. “I’m not naming a Game Three starter until after Monday.”
For Dodger fans, that is a clear snapshot of the other dugout. The Phillies will ride defense in center, mix and match in left based on handedness, keep trusted relievers lined up from the sixth, and hold Ranger Suárez and Aaron Nola in reserve if the script calls for it. Thomson’s own words tell the story best. “It made the most sense,” he said of the plan. “We’ll have people ready. We’ll see how it plays.”
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