PHILADELPHIA — Now, the real planning begins.
On Tuesday night, the Phillies clinched a postseason berth for the second consecutive year. Before they celebrated, manager Rob Thomson told his players that they are built for another run deep into October. He explained what he meant before Wednesday night’s game against the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park.
“Just because of all of the parts to the club,” Thomson said. “We have good starting pitching. We have a good bullpen. We have a good offense. We have a couple of really high-end starters at the front. I think we are built for it. It was just a matter of getting in. Now we’ll see what we’ve got.”
Here are some questions you might have about what comes next for the Phillies:
What might the NL Wild Card Series roster look like?
C: J.T Realmuto, Garrett Stubbs
1B: Bryce Harper
2B: Bryson Stott
3B: Alec Bohm
SS: Trea Turner
OF: Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, Cristian Pache
INF/OF: Edmundo Sosa, Jake Cave
DH: Kyle Schwarber
Rotation: Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez
Bullpen: Craig Kimbrel, José Alvarado, Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm, Seranthony Domínguez, Gregory Soto, Michael Lorenzen, Taijuan Walker, Cristopher Sánchez, Orion Kerkering
Who will the Phillies play in the Wild Card Series?
If the season ended today, the Phillies would play the D-backs in a best-of-three series beginning Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. Game 2 would be Oct. 4. If necessary, Game 3 would be Oct. 5. But the Cubs and Marlins remain in the mix.
Philadelphia won the regular-season series against Arizona (4-3), but it lost the season series against both Chicago (5-1) and Miami (7-6).
How does the rotation set up?
Wheeler will start Game 1 on Tuesday, with Nola slated for Game 2 on Wednesday. Game 3 is TBD.
Suárez is the favorite to start Game 3, but Thomson could use him in relief in Games 1 or 2. Thomson used Suárez as a reliever in the 2022 postseason. He got the save in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series and picked up a couple of big outs in Game 1 of the World Series.
Wheeler will start Thursday’s series finale against Pittsburgh as scheduled, as he prefers to pitch on regular rest. Nola, however, will not make his scheduled start Sunday in New York. Instead, he will rest before Game 2.
“I think it’s the best thing for him,” Thomson said. “Throw a full bullpen and a touch-and-feel, and he should be ready to go.”
Will Orion Kerkering really make the postseason bullpen?
Based on Kerkering’s dominant performance on Sunday against the Mets and Thomson’s comments Tuesday, yes.
Asked if Kerkering had enough time to earn a spot on the postseason roster, Thomson said, “From what I saw the other night, that’s pretty much enough. He wasn’t even sweating. He didn’t even look like he was affected by anything.
“After seeing what I saw Sunday, I really don’t have any concerns with him, to tell you the truth.”
Kerkering has not pitched back-to-back days this season, but Thomson said Kerkering could do it, if needed.
Why Jake Cave over Rodolfo Castro and others for the final bench job?
Stubbs, Pache and Sosa are locks to be on the Phillies’ four-player bench. Cave is most likely to be the fourth. He makes sense because he can play the infield and outfield and hits left-handed, meaning he can pinch-hit for Pache or Rojas, who both hit right-handed.
Castro has barely played since he was acquired from the Pirates on Aug. 2. Before Wednesday, he had batted only four times since Aug. 29. He has been the last man on the roster because the Phillies want to preserve his last remaining option for 2024.
Is anybody injured?
Everybody is healthy except first baseman Rhys Hoskins. Understandably, there has been plenty of interest in Hoskins’ recovery from left ACL surgery in March. Thomson said if Hoskins plays in the postseason, it would happen in the World Series. But if it happens, he could only DH or pinch-hit, which essentially would be a two-player move because he cannot play in the field.
“I think there’s a chance,” Thomson said. “I really do. He’s progressed so well. There haven’t been any setbacks. We’re knocking on wood, but pretty soon here, he maybe has a chance to see live pitching. But there’s still some testing to do. So he’s not a guarantee. He’s not a lock for that. But I’m optimistic.”
If Hoskins gets close to a return, Thomson said he would join the team’s stay-ready camp in Clearwater, Fla. The group includes catcher Rafael Marchán; first baseman Darick Hall; infielder/outfielders Kody Clemens and Weston Wilson; right-handers Andrew Bellatti, Connor Brogdon, Yunior Marte, McKinley Moore, Nick Nelson and Luis Ortiz; and left-hander Michael Plassmeyer.
What’s the lineup?
Thomson has played a lineup recently that makes sense for a potential Game 1 against somebody like D-backs right-hander Zac Gallen.
1. Kyle Schwarber, DH
2. Trea Turner, SS
3. Alec Bohm, 3B
4. Bryce Harper, 1B
5. J.T. Realmuto, C
6. Bryson Stott, 2B
7. Nick Castellanos, RF
8. Brandon Marsh, LF
9. Johan Rojas, CF
Harper is expected to play first base every day once the postseason starts. It gives the Phillies a big boost defensively, if he does. Harper’s presence at first base allows Schwarber to be the DH, and that gives them their best defensive outfield with Marsh in left and Rojas in center. Against a left-handed starter, Pache could start in left field.
Who’s the closer?
Thomson said he will use his late-inning relievers interchangeably, meaning left-hander Alvarado and right-hander Kimbrel could pitch the eighth or ninth inning, depending on the situation.
