Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Management of pitchers could hurt Phillies in NLDS

By John Gidley | Last updated 10/10/23

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson lived by the leash and died by the leash over the span of two games.

In Game 1 of the National League Division Series in Atlanta on Saturday, Thomson made the boldest of decisions by pulling starting pitcher Ranger Suarez after 3.2 shutout innings.

The gamble paid off with six Phillies relievers combining to secure a 3-0 blanking of the Braves.

Game 2 on Monday was a different story. Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler was brilliant through five innings, not allowing a single hit. He began to show signs of wear in the sixth inning by walking Ronald Acuna Jr., who then scored on an Ozzie Albies single and an error by shortstop Trea Turner. Wheeler was able to strike out Austin Riley to end the inning and keep the score at 4-1. At 85 pitches, his night appeared to be done.

Instead, Thomson sent Wheeler back out for the seventh inning, and a two-run home run by Travis d'Arnaud cut the Phillies' lead to one.

We've got a ballgame!

Travis d'Arnaud brings the @Braves within 1! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/B1cfILwEpm
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2023

Wheeler was pulled immediately, but the aftershocks were evident. Philadelphia's equilibrium had been rattled. Reliever Jeff Hoffman surrendered a two-run homer to Riley in the eighth inning, and Atlanta tied the series with a 5-4 win.

BAH GAWD THAT’S AUSTIN RILEY’S MUSIC#AsOneATL pic.twitter.com/ZHX9oqIrGf
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 10, 2023

After the game, Thomson stood by his decision to let Wheeler go another inning.

"I wanted him to go back out. He said he was fine. And he still looked it."

He was fine. He said so. He looked fine ... until he didn't, that is.

Thomson and the Phillies learned the hard way that luck runs out quickly in the postseason. They'll have a chance to redeem themselves when they return to Citizens Bank Park for Game 3 on Wednesday, but it may not be easy.

Not only has Atlanta's offense awakened, but Philadelphia will be sending enigmatic starter Aaron Nola to the mound. Nola was outstanding in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against Miami, but he's been prone to a meltdown inning, for lack of a better term, in several previous starts. He'll cruise through four or five innings, then everything will unravel.

These are the situations in which Thomson can either redeem himself or play to old habits. Over the first two games of this series, he's proven that a short leash is more reliable than a long one. It was better to be safe in Game 1 than sorry in Game 2. Confidence is far from a bad trait, but overconfidence can spell doom in the postseason.

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