Phillies News and Discussion 2025 (Part 2)

[andyb]

Lazar showing he's not ready.

I was a little worried the first time I saw him that his success partly depended on deception and the second time around the league may not be so easy. His location was pretty bad yesterday though. Guessing Trivino (who I had barely heard of a few weeks ago) is rapidly solidifying a long man role on the playoff staff.

[Philsmania]

Back in ST, who thought Lazar would pitch in 32 games for us?

[andyb]

I thought Lazar was the next man up in Spring Training. Not really given a great chance to make the team because he had options left. We were adding Ross and Romano and had to keep Walker in the bullpen so were stashing the next tier of guys at AAA for the inevitable need.

Whether Lazar was that good was an open question of course. We kept Jose Ruiz initially because of that and he was terrible ((his stuff regressed).

[EastFallowfield]

Wondering why Nola wasn't pulled when he started to melt, maybe Rob wanted to see him make in-game corrections when things aren't going right.

Someone on the goodphight posted this from Salisbury:

“If that's an October game and he is in the rotation, I think he's out of there after five innings yesterday. I think Rob wanted to push him a little bit, much like he pushed him against the Mets to go sixth. Because he's in evaluation mode.

They're in win mode, but they're also in evaluation mode on Aaron Nola.”

[zambonir]

Unless they actually plan to leave Walker and Nola off the NLDS roster entirely it probably doesn't matter much who the the last two relievers are. There's also Buehler. And no real reason to completely sit your fourth starter if he isn't going to have to start one of the first two games of the LCS, which the way the schedule goes, is probably not the case. Will be different if they falter and end up in WC round.

Trivino has experience. Mayza is a LHP (and I assume makes the roster). Lazar probably deserved a shot last year but they went with Allard for the possible longman/mop-up situation.

[andyb]

It seems 99.99999% certain now that Luzardo is not going to the bullpen, so short of a total implosion Mayza is on the roster. They are just going to want 3 LHPs in the bullpen.

[zambonir]

Agreed, I think he is the #6 reliever. But would you rather let Ranger or Luzardo face an Ohtani or Soto for the third time, vs Banks or Mayza?

But also no ghost runner so probably crucial to have someone for extras. Same with the long man.

[andyb]

The lefties are a little less valuable with all left-handed starters, but longer games and having redundancy is the way they have operated in the past.

Also, the right-handed options are just not that great. I suppose all of Nola, Walker, and Buehler could be on the roster, but that seems overkill if a 4th starter is not needed. At the moment I guess 2 of 3 with Walker being the likely odd man out. Buehler has some decent relief experience in the playoffs and Nola makes it out of respect. And I guess a tandem start in some way with Luzardo or Suarez is possible. Just because Nola has never relieved does not mean he can't - and Walker just is not that good.

Nola's K/BB ratio is still decent and that is kind of what you want in relief rather than Walker pitching to contact.

[zambonir]

Yeah Buehler is the x factor. But Walker could still make the team as the lowest leverage guy a la Lorenzen in '23. Nola in a tandem is certainly a possibility and who's to say he wouldn't be the opener? (Depending on the team).

Save Buehler for the NLCS is my guess. With the way the OF and 2B platoons are, that extra bench guy seems like a good idea.

[andyb]

that extra bench guy seems like a good idea.

Kemp is kind of forcing his way in. Turner will replace Walton on a healthy roster and Bohm will be added. Dropping the 3rd catcher gets you down to 13 but keeping Kemp gets you to 14. Wilson has really done nothing wrong to be dropped from the roster of late and does offer more defense than Kemp. Though Kemp is the guy to get you a pinch hit home run. Not sure if we want him hitting for Stott or Marsh or Kepler against a LHP in late innings, but at least you have the option.

The bench player could be useful in extra innings. If Wilson starts he gets pinch hit for by Marsh. Then you have the Kemp option late. Is a 13th pitcher more valuable? Hard to say. Nobody in the minors seems ready to grab a pitching slot (i.e. Seth Johnson, Romano, Painter), so we are talking about dropping 1-2 pitchers from the current 14 if everyone is healthy.

[zambonir]

It was 12 pitchers last year, even with four SPs. Would presumably only be for NLDS.

Rojas is still down there in Allentown too. If you hit Castellanos for Marsh or Kepler maybe you want that card late in a game. Or as a PR in extras.

[Philsmania]

I might go with Stubbs as the backup catcher over Marchan, not that Realmuto will get an inning off this October.

[Austinfan]

Since you often have a day off between games, 12 pitchers are more than enough, you can use your top RPs almost every game instead of every other game during the regular season.

[zambonir]

Well, I guess Stubbs would get exactly as much playing time then as he is now. He's clearly the #3, Marchán has started three of the last 10 games and will presumably get one out in Arizona.

[zambonir]

In the NLDS for sure. It's Game 1-off-Game 2-off-Games 3/4-off-Game 5. If they've used more than even 10 pitchers (three starters, seven relievers) by the end of Game 4 there was either a blowout or an extra-innings game.

They could also carry Nola as a Game 5 tandem option instead of with Luzardo in Game 3.

[andyb]

Stubbs not playing over Marchan the last few weeks is a clear indication that Marchan will be the backup catcher. In the event of an injury they'd probably want the better defense anyway.

[schillingfan]

I don’t think Nola pitches well out of the stretch. If he can go five really good innings, I’d take him out once he puts a runner on in the sixth.

[phillychuck]

I don’t think Nola pitches well out of the stretch.

Seems like that should be coachable.

[zambonir]

He'll be lucky to qualify for a W in the playoffs. Think Ranger in all his NLDS starts.

But PC also isn't wrong. This is an elite and very high-paid pitcher, if the pitch clock and men on base keep him from achieving at that level it is not ideal.