Oct 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola (27) pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game three of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
LOS ANGELES - The plan was one pitch into it's second phase, and it looked like it was going to set itself on fire.
In a win-or-go-home game for the Phillies, they concocted a pitching concept to keep their season alive. Aaron Nola would start, and pitch through the Los Angeles batting order one time.
Ranger Suarez would follow, and pitch through seven innings. Then Jhoan Duran would come on for a six-out save.
Anything else would mean the plan was blown to smithereens.
Nola did his part, pitching two shutout innings, even working his way out of a very sticky first inning made difficult when Brandon Marsh misplayed a Mookie Betts single into a triple.
And he looked good doing it. His fastball was humming at 95 mph, a season-best. His off-speed stuff was sharp. It was vintage Nola.
Aaron Nola, Wicked Knuckle Curves. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/RZiWneXl2A
And then, in the third, Suarez came in.
"I didn't know the gameplan was for him to only go two innings," said Trea Turner, who looked much mor like his pre-hamstring injury self with three hits. "When he came out I was like, 'What are we doing?' He looked really good, man. That was the Nola I faced for years. That's the Nola I've seen pitch a lot of postseason games for us.
"When I saw he was throwing 95 in the first inning and he was throwing strikes, I thought he was back to his old self."
Suarez entered and faced Tommy Edman to lead off the third. It was a curious case of conflicting stats. Edman has a career OPS against lefties of .804. Against righties it's just .684. So, why would you want to have Suarez face him?
"He was 1 for 20 with nine strikeouts against Ranger," manager Rob Thomson said. "Of course he hit the first pitch out of the ballpark."
Tommy Edman sends the first pitch Ranger Suárez throws to the seats!
Edman's got his 2nd homer of the postseason 🔥pic.twitter.com/bMN7nh4yPB
"Obviously I didn't want to give up a first pitch home run," Suarez said. "But it happened, so I just said to myself, 'settle down.'"
In the moment it just seemed to be the latest in a series of decisions and moves the Phillies were making against the Dodgers that were backfiring.
But Ranger Suarez in the playoffs is nails. He has that ice water that flows through his veins. Nothing bothers him. Slow heartbeat and all that. Pick you favorite metaphor.
The first pitch may have been greeted rudely, but the next 71 pitches were classic Ranger.
Over the span of five innings, he would face 18 more batters. He gave up four singles and a walk. He didn't allow another run.
Nola and Suarez combined for seven innings allowing one run. The plan couldn't have gone better in what would be an 8-2 Phillies win that staved off elimination.
"They pretty much did exactly what we wanted," Thomson said. "We wanted to use those guys to get as close to Duran as we could to save some of the bullpen for tomorrow if we want."
Rob Thomson told @ACPressMcGarry the Phillies planned to use Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez “to get as close to (Jhoan) Duran as we could.”
“They executed perfectly.”
(via @AntSanPhilly) pic.twitter.com/5q0xu1XwKW
What can't be underestimated here is the buy-in from both pitchers, but especially Nola.
A franchise icon, Nola is in just the second year of a seven-year, $172 million contract. He had a very difficult season - the worst of his career statistically (6.01 ERA), and it was marred further by a pair of injuries that kept him on the I.L. for three months.
But the Phillies still trust him, and couldn't imagine going through a playoff series without starting him at some point.
So they concocted this plan against the Dodgers.
"Nola is just a team guy," said J.T. Realmuto, who hit one of three Phillies homers on Wednesday. "I wasn't there for the conversation with Thomson but he just wants the ball and to help our team win. He doesn't care what it looks like."
What it looked like is Nola can be a factor for the Phillies going forward, if they find a way to survive one more game at Dodger Stadium on Thursday.
As in postseasons past, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez led the Phillies to victory.
Kyle Schwarber: “It’s been a heavyweight battle of two starting pitching staffs out there.”
(via @AntSanPhilly) pic.twitter.com/SzfsRHWobs
"We had a gameplan and we stuck with our guns," said Kyle Schwarber, who hit the other two home runs, the first of which hit the roof over the right field bleachers some 455 feet from home plate. "We wanted to get Nola out there to set the tone and he was able to do that for two innings. Ranger comes in, and he's a weapon for us and we're going to deploy all weapons in these must-win games. There aren't going to be any bullets left (in the chamber). We are using everything we have to try to win baseball games.
"It's win or go home. We did it. It worked out. It is what it is, but I hope Nola gets another shot because he's been huge for us."
It's likely that if the Phillies forced a Game 5 on Saturday that both Nola and Suarez would be available in some capacity.
"I have experience coming out of the bullpen," Suarez said. "If the chance comes for me to pitch in a Game 5, I'll prepare like I'm a bullpen guy. We have two days in between. If the time comes, I'll be ready, 100 percent."
If the Phillies have another plan for Game 4 that was as good as the one for Game 3, Suarez just might get the chance to prove it.
