The debate was raging about what Aaron Nola‘s role would be in the postseason. After an impressive final start – 8 innings of one-run ball against Minnesota with 9 strikeouts – it was a fairly safe assumption that he would be the game 4 starter. Prior to that, the prognosticators had him anywhere from starting game 4 to being in the bullpen, and a few even had him not making the playoff roster. Now, fast forward a week-and-a-half and put the Phillies down two games to one in the NLDS and Nola is your game 3 starter. Technically, there should be an asterisk by that because you get the feeling that the second he does so much as walk a hitter or God forbid, give up a hit, Rob Thomson is switching to Ranger Suarez.

There had also been a debate about having three left-handed starters pitch the first three games, but that’s how Thomson had initially laid out the pitching rotation. That’s not going to happen now, so needing something to worry about, we have all shifted our attention to Nola starting game 3. The roar might be bigger, but some fans have seemed to throw in the towel after game 2 and the debacle that turned into.

GET YOURSELF SOME PHILLIES “STUFF”

Wednesday night will be Nola’s 11th postseason start and he has a 5-4 record with a 4.02 ERA in the playoffs. In his last two starts – October 23, 2023 vs. Arizona and October 8, 2024 vs. the Mets – Nola has not been impressive, going 0-2 with a 7.74 ERA: 9.1 IP, 11 H, 8 ER, 4 HR, 4 BB, 12 K, .289 OPP AVG.

Perhaps Taijuan Walker hit upon the reason why Nola is getting the call: “Do-or-die playoff game, he’s the guy you want,” Walker told The Athletic. “No emotions. Still heartbeat. I think everyone in this locker room trusts him probably more than anyone. Just because he’s done it.”

From a more strategic point of view, Thomson took a look at the numbers and came up with a reason to move Nola to game 3: “The numbers on their lefty (hitters) are very similar, Ranger versus Nola,. And the trust factor — I have trust in both of them, don’t get me wrong. But Nola has pitched in some really big games for us in the last couple of years,” Thomson told reporters on Tuesday.

That statement though makes some wonder why Thomson hadn’t looked at those numbers and used them to justify having Ranger Suarez pitch in relief in either of the first two games of the series. Suarez on to pitch in relief rather than Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm might have made sense.

Figure on Nola and Suarez being one pitcher for purposes of game 3 of the NLDS. The Phillies will look to get out of them what they would hope to get out of one starter in a game. If they can each give them three innings with the Phillies in the game, consider the plan having worked.

The bottom line though is that if Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper don’t heat up their bats – they are a combined 2-for-21 (.095) with 11 strikeouts in the first two games – then Nola and Suarez can be near-perfect and the Phillies are still in trouble.

If you have tickets for game 5 at Citizens Bank Park, hang onto them. If there is one thing this team can do, it’s come from behind, so there is still hope.

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