Sep 7, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola (27) pitches in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Having to choose between Cristopher Sanchez and Aaron Nola as a Game 2 starter is a first world problem for the Phillies.
They are weighing the options of both - and to a man no one has said one way or another which way they are going to go - and strategically, it doesn't make sense to say anything just yet.
Hell, they don't even know who their opponent is going to be at this time.
But there may have been some subtle clues that would indicate which way they are leaning - and if you want to read the tea leaves - and to be clear, that's all this is, as it's not a sourced report - it seems like they are leaning toward Sanchez in Game 2 and Nola in Game 3.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski said they know what they are going to do, but he's not going to share just yet.
"I'm not going to be at liberty to talk about it because Rob (Thomson's) got some work that he wants to do and talk to different people, and I'll let him handle that when it gets to that point."
Are we ready to admit Cristopher Sanchez is legitimately good?
6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Season ERA: 2.83
pic.twitter.com/VSZuMUHNR3
Just being coy tells you they are leaning Sanchez because the expectation is that your 1-2 punch is always Zach Wheeler followed by Nola.. But there's also this that Dombrowski said when asked about pitcher schedules this week:
"For Sanchez and Nola, it's going to be quite a while since they have pitched..."
If Nola was starting Game 2, it would only be on six days rest, which he's done before.
When asked about it, Nola was nonplussed about which game he's going to be asked to start.
Whatever they need from me, I'll be ready for it," he said.
But what's his plan this week?
Aaron Nola, Filthy 79mph Knuckle Curve. 😷
6th K pic.twitter.com/q8eStwGjGu
"I'll throw (Wednesday) because that's my normal day," Nola told On Pattison referring to his regular bullpen day three days after a start. "After that I'll probably throw a side (session) this weekend."
If he was starting Sunday, would he throw a side session on the weekend? Maybe Friday, if you consider that the weekend. But, if he's not going until Game 3, which isn't until next Tuesday and would be on eight days rest, then it totally makes sense to throw one on the weekend as kind of a buffer between the bullpen and the next start.
It's an interesting conversation, but maybe not as big a deal as one would think off the cuff. First of all, the Phillies might be waiting to see i their opponent is the Brewers or the Mets to determine which is the better order. Also, if the Phillies chose to go with Sanchez in Game 2, it splits the lefties in the rotation, and, depending on when the NLDS ends, if the Phillies advance, it gives them the opportunity to have both Sanchez and Nola available for an early game in a seven-game series.
Again, first world problem... but it's something everyone wants to talk about - except for the Phillies. At least, not yet anyway.
