Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly made a calculated but highly unusual pitching decision Saturday night, turning to veteran starter Aaron Nola on just two days’ rest as the club tried to stop a troubling late-season slide and move closer to officially clinching a postseason berth.
Speaking with Ken Rosenthal before the Phillies faced the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park, Mattingly explained that the decision was based largely on Nola’s normal between-start throwing routine and the club’s immediate need for a reliable option. Rather than viewing the short rest as an automatic obstacle, the Phillies believed Nola’s workload between starts made him uniquely suited for the assignment.
Mattingly said Nola normally throws roughly 40 to 50 pitches during his bullpen session between starts, which is considerably more than many starting pitchers. Because Nola did not complete that usual session Friday, the Phillies believed he had effectively preserved those pitches for Saturday’s game. Mattingly indicated that the club had anticipated the possibility of using him and had discussed the plan with Nola as early as Thursday.
“Felt like the best option tonight,” Mattingly explained.
The Phillies were facing an increasingly urgent situation. Philadelphia had entered Saturday’s game having lost three consecutive games, including a frustrating 2-0 shutout Friday. The offense had scored only two runs over its previous 27 innings, while the team had fallen to 9-13 during September.
That downturn had also tightened the National League playoff race around Philadelphia. The Phillies’ magic number remained at two, but their lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the relevant Wild Card position had been reduced to just one game. With the postseason approaching rapidly, Mattingly and the Phillies were willing to explore unconventional options to get through the final stretch.
Why the Phillies trusted Nola on short rest
Mattingly’s reasoning centered on Nola’s preparation and durability rather than simply asking him to pitch because the team was desperate.
The veteran right-hander has traditionally maintained a substantial throwing routine between starts. According to Mattingly, Nola’s normal bullpen work can reach 40 to 50 pitches, meaning the Phillies viewed his skipped Friday session as an opportunity to conserve that work for Saturday.
The team had also considered another option: moving Zack Wheeler forward and asking him to pitch on three days’ rest. Ultimately, however, Philadelphia settled on Nola.
Mattingly reportedly told Nola about the possibility Thursday, giving the veteran time to understand what the club might ask him to do. The manager also made clear that Nola’s experience and established routine played a major role in the decision.
“If anybody’s built for this, it’s probably Nola,” Mattingly said.
The plan was relatively straightforward. Philadelphia hoped Nola could provide enough innings to get through the Rays’ lineup once while allowing the bullpen to handle the remainder of the game if necessary.
The first inning quickly changed the calculation
Unfortunately for Philadelphia, the carefully constructed plan did not unfold as expected.
Nola struggled immediately.
The Rays hit the veteran right-hander hard, and Philadelphia found itself trailing 3-0 after the first inning. Nola was removed after throwing only 21 pitches and was charged with all three runs.
The quick exit was a dramatic contrast to the confidence Mattingly had expressed before the game. The Phillies had hoped Nola could navigate through the Tampa Bay lineup at least once, but the Rays’ early contact forced the club to abandon that strategy almost immediately.
The performance also placed additional pressure on Philadelphia’s bullpen during a period when every game carries increasing importance.
Mattingly also made a significant lineup change
The decision to use Nola was not Mattingly’s only major adjustment Saturday.
The Phillies manager also moved Trea Turner back into the leadoff spot, giving the lineup a different look after Turner had spent nearly two months hitting elsewhere in the batting order.
Mattingly explained that the decision was not necessarily a dramatic change in philosophy. Instead, he wanted to provide the struggling offense with something different while returning Turner to a position where he had spent considerable time earlier in the season.
“More than anything, just give a little different look,” Mattingly said.
Turner had moved between spots earlier in the year, but with the Phillies’ offense struggling badly, Mattingly decided that putting one of the team’s most important offensive players back at the top could potentially help spark the lineup.
Phillies facing growing September pressure
The larger issue surrounding the Nola decision is Philadelphia’s recent form.
The Phillies entered the Rays matchup having lost three consecutive games and were struggling to generate offense at exactly the point of the season when the margin for error was shrinking.
Their 2-0 loss Friday was particularly damaging from an offensive standpoint because it represented the team’s 12th shutout of the season. Across the previous 27 innings, Philadelphia had managed only two runs.
A 9-13 September record further highlighted the team’s problems.
The Phillies still remained in position to reach the postseason, but the shrinking cushion meant the club could no longer simply wait for its offense or pitching staff to rediscover its form. The Diamondbacks had moved within one game of Philadelphia, making the final games of the regular season increasingly significant.
That context helps explain why Mattingly was willing to consider Nola on two days’ rest.
A calculated gamble that did not pay off early
Mattingly’s decision was ultimately based on information the Phillies believed made Nola a reasonable option despite the unconventional turnaround.
Nola’s normal bullpen workload, his experience, his willingness to take the ball and the team’s immediate need all factored into the calculation. Philadelphia also had limited incentive to preserve conventional pitching schedules if doing so meant potentially allowing its playoff position to become even more vulnerable.
But baseball decisions made under pressure do not always produce the desired result.
Nola’s three-run first inning immediately put Philadelphia behind, forcing the bullpen into action much earlier than planned. The situation also placed even more importance on an offense that had already been struggling to score.
For the Phillies, the broader concern extends beyond one pitching decision. The club is entering the final stretch of the regular season with postseason expectations, but its September struggles have created questions about whether the offense and pitching staff can regain their earlier consistency.
Mattingly’s decision demonstrated just how seriously the Phillies are treating the final games of the season. With their playoff position tightening and the postseason approaching, Philadelphia is now navigating a difficult balance between protecting its players and doing whatever is necessary to secure its place in October.
Leave a Reply