PHILADELPHIA — Rob Thomson didn’t commit to a starting rotation Wednesday for the National League Division Series, preferring to wait for the Phillies’ opponent to reveal itself.
He did, at least, indulge speculation over whether Aaron Nola or Cristopher Sanchez would get the ball in Game 2 against the Brewers or Mets.
Nola has occupied the second starter role each of the last two postseasons, behind Zack Wheeler. But Sanchez has not only emerged as an All-Star but is markedly better at home than on the road.
“The talk around town is Sanchey’s home and road splits, so you’ve got to factor that in,” Thomson said Wednesday on a Zoom call after his players took part in a simulated game. “He’s just so much better at home, plus the fact you can have the ability to break up the right-handed starters and break up the left-handed starters. You’ve got a guy in Nola that is calm and cool. It doesn’t matter where he’s pitching.
“I think a lot of those things are in play, and they’re things to have a conversation about.”
Sanchez has a 2.21 ERA and 0.973 WHIP in 17 starts (110 innings) at Citizens Bank Park his season and a 5.02 ERA and 1.661 WHIP in 14 road starts. Those splits were reversed last year, with a 2.08 road ERA, albeit in just six games (five starts).
Nola sported a 3.29 ERA in 17 home starts and a 3.87 ERA in 16 road starts. He has a career 3.21 ERA at home and 4.21 on the road. He’s allowed 11 earned runs in 15.2 career road postseason innings (6.51 ERA) and nine earned runs in 33 innings at the Bank (2.45).
For his part, Nola was unperturbed as to where he might land in the rotation.
“Whatever they need from me, I’ll be ready for it,” was Nola’s short and sweet answer Tuesday.
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Neither pitched in Wednesday’s sim game. Nola worked to the side. Sanchez threw but departed early, as he and his wife are expecting a child imminently.
Ranger Suarez started and assuaged concerns about his recent form.
“I saw a big improvement with him,” Thomson said. “He only went two innings, but it was 21 pitches, sat 92-93 for most of the day. Breaking ball was sharp. I thought the command was really good, so that was a good sign.”
Suarez has posted a 7.79 ERA in his last four starts, hitters batting .364 against him. He’s been one of the team’s most dependable postseason arms the last two years.
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The sim game, where players divided themselves into two teams, ended in a 5-5 tie after eight innings. Nick Castellanos and Bryce Harper homered off Tanner Banks, pitching for a team led by Kyle Schwarber.
“I was really excited about the intensity of it,” Thomson said. “I thought the guys really got after it. Hitters were really good.”
All the bullpen arms pitched, save for Jeff Hoffman, who woke up with a stiff neck that Thomson said is no concern.
Weston Wilson, vying for a roster spot, homered off Kolby Allard. Johan Rojas, who had been fighting an illness, played well, as did Austin Hays, who had two hits in his effort to round into form after missing most of September.
