PHILADELPHIA — Most groups would like to be the Phillies proper now.
Following Saturday evening’s 8-4 victory over the Marlins, they’re in a supremely sturdy place to make the postseason. They have a three-game lead over the Cubs for the No. 1 National League Wild Card with 21 video games to play. FanGraphs offers them a 98 % probability to make the postseason.
But the Phillies aren’t simply making an attempt to make the postseason. They try to win the World Series. And their probabilities enhance considerably with Nick Castellanos and Aaron Nola enjoying nicely.
Castellanos and Nola every entered Saturday in slumps — to various lengths and levels. Castellanos had simply three hits in his previous 29 at-bats, having struck out 11 occasions and walked twice in an eight-day droop. Phillies supervisor Rob Thomson bumped him to eighth within the order for the primary time since his second full season with the Tigers in 2015. Nola, in the meantime, entered Saturday with a 5.59 ERA in his previous seven begins, although his struggles have lasted all season — his ERA has by no means dropped beneath 4.25.
“It’s huge,” Thomson mentioned when requested in regards to the pair’s significance to the workforce’s postseason success. “Nick’s going through a tough time, great night tonight. He’ll come out of it because he’s a really good hitter. The same thing with Aaron. He’s a really good pitcher. There’s a lot of really good numbers on the back of his baseball card.”
Castellanos hit a two-out double to plate two runs within the second inning and put the Phillies on the board, 2-0. He additionally hit a one-out single within the fourth. Thomson mentioned Castellanos will transfer up within the lineup as soon as he will get straightened out. It labored for Trea Turner, who hit eighth for 3 consecutive video games in early August after struggling for 4 months. Turner has been certainly one of baseball’s hottest hitters since.
Castellanos, who was one of many Phillies’ solely two All-Stars, was unavailable for remark Saturday. Thomson mentioned earlier than the sport that Castellanos took the information professionally.
“I’m sure he’s not exactly happy, and I don’t blame him for that,” Thomson mentioned, “but he’s an experienced guy. For the most part, he’s been our most consistent hitter, especially in the first half. But the one thing about Casty, he posts up every day. And he never complains. Ever.”
Nola is a unique, extra regarding story. The Phillies noticed him a 5-0 lead on Saturday, however he couldn’t end the fifth. He allowed 5 consecutive hard-hit balls because the Marlins reduce the result in one.
“It just kind of unraveled,” Nola mentioned. “I feel like it’s gone that way all year. One big inning does it in for me.”
Nola has a 4.64 ERA this season, which is the second-highest mark of his profession. He had a 4.78 ERA as a 23-year-old in 2016.
“It’s not mental,” Nola mentioned. “I felt fine all day, until the fifth. It just unraveled, man.”
He additionally mentioned it’s additionally not associated to his impending free company.
“I haven’t really thought about it, honestly,” he mentioned. “I’m kind of worried about this year, and focused on trying to give the team a chance to win and turning that corner in my starts and get to the postseason.”
The Phillies are higher positioned to deal with a droop from Castellanos than they’re from Nola. Consider final season, when Thomson by no means hit Castellanos decrease than sixth, regardless of a career-low .694 OPS. But on Saturday, Thomson felt snug with Castellanos within the eight-hole.
“It’s a little longer lineup this year,” Thomson mentioned. “And to create balance throughout the lineup, some guys are going to have to hit down there. Look at [Brandon] Marsh’s numbers. Is he really a seven-hole hitter? And putting Casty in eight, you figure [Bryson] Stott’s going to get on base, you figure Marsh is going to get on base. So he’s going to get ample opportunities to produce.”
There has been extra inconsistency within the rotation behind Phillies ace Zack Wheeler. There are Nola’s struggles, in fact. He is the presumed No. 2 starter in a postseason collection. Taijuan Walker has a 5.20 ERA in his final 5 begins. Michael Lorenzen has an 8.14 ERA in 4 begins since his no-hitter. Ranger Suárez, who begins Sunday’s collection finale, simply returned from the injured record.
The Phillies have 21 video games to get Castellanos and Nola proper.
“I trust that we’ll straighten this thing out,” Thomson mentioned.
Content Source: www.mlb.com