Diamondbacks Beat Phillies With Early Hook for Arizona Rookie Starter
The Arizona Diamondbacks make in-game decisions by committee. Thus, it was no surprise during the course of Thursday’s 2-1, Game 3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series that there was some spirited discussion among manager Torey Lovullo, pitching coach Brent Strom and bench coach Jeff Banister about how long to leave rookie starter Brandon Pfaadt in the game.
The right-hander had surprised all by holding the big-hitting Phillies to no runs on two hits while walking none and striking out nine through two outs in the sixth inning.
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But with left-handed Phils slugger Kyle Schwarber coming to the plate in a scoreless tie, Lovullo knew he had reached his own capacity with Pfaadt.
“I want everybody to know that’s trying to think along with me [in the dugout] we have a strategy, I have a strategy, for everything that’s done,” Lovullo said in his postgame media conference. “Everything that’s done has been well-talked about. It’s not just analytics. I know how quickly playoff baseball can change, and I felt like Brandon kept the game under control, and it was time to turn it over.”
This is the way the Diamondbacks have made in-game decisions all year—Lovullo seeks input from his coaches in the dugout and then makes an instantaneous choice. Thursday’s decision worked out, and now Arizona is back in the series, trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven series with Games 4 and 5 at home the next two nights.
Pfaadt had been slated to toss no more the 50 pitches, but as his pitch count rose past 50 to 60, the pitcher was still mowing down the Phillies. He had reached 70 when Schwarber, who hit three homers in the Phillies’ first two wins, came to bat for the third time (though Pfaadt had already whiffed Schwarber twice in the game, allowing a long foul to right in the third inning).
Lovullo turned to his coaches and asked the most pertinent question: “Am I an idiot taking him out of the game with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 [innings]?”
Was that really the question he posed to his coaches?
“I’m the manager, and I’m asking them if I’m an idiot,” he reiterated, “because I know it’s a very unpopular decision.”
Lovullo found out just how unpopular that decision was when he strode to the mound to relieve Pfaadt—the sellout crowd of 47,075 filled Chase Field with a cacophony of loud jeers and boos. But Lovullo understood the reaction. It was his decision, and he would wear it no matter how it turned out.
“Yeah, I’m sure I was the most unpopular guy in the city of Phoenix,” he said. “At least in the downtown area, and maybe the entire state of Arizona. I’m prepared to get booed. I would have booed me. But we won a baseball game. That’s all I care about.”
A similar incident happened in Game 6 of the 2020 World Series, when Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash pulled starter Blake Snell with one out and a runner on first in the sixth inning, and the Rays leading the Los Angeles Dodgers, 1-0. Cash didn’t want Snell to face Mookie Betts again in that situation despite Snell having struck out Betts twice already in that game. Cash’s decision blew up in his face, the Dodgers won the title and the Rays have only won one playoff game since.
Wednesday night, Lovullo’s move produced the opposite results. Pfaadt was replaced by another rookie, left-hander Andrew Saalfrank, who proceeded to walk Schwarber to the moans and groans of those same fans. But Trea Turner bounced into a force out, ending the inning without incident.
It all led to Ketel Marte’s walk-off single with the bases jammed in the bottom of the ninth that gave the D-backs the win, leaving the crowd jubilant and putting the Arizona back in the series. Five pitchers, including four relievers, contributed to the must-win decision, holding the Phillies to three hits.
Sure, Pfaadt said he wanted to stay in the game.
“But at the end of the day, who knows?” Pfaadt said. “Woulda, coulda, shoulda. The bullpen did great. They’ve done great this whole postseason. You just have to trust his decision and move forward.”
After dropping the first two games at Citizens Bank Park by a combined score of 15-3, the Diamondbacks now have a pulse. In Friday night’s Game 4 at Chase Field, they are stepping right back into the fire.
It will be another bullpen game with left-handed reliever Joe Mantiply starting for the D-backs. The Phillies are throwing left-hander Christopher Sanchez and have 15-game winner Taijuan Walker—a former D-back—behind him. Philadelphia still has every opportunity to wrap up this series in five games on Saturday night.
That one should be a replay of Game 1 starters—Zac Gallen for the D-backs and Zack Wheeler for the Phillies. Wheeler defeated Gallen, 5-3. Get your popcorn and peanuts ready.
Phils manager Rob Thomson said he’s not worried about his club, which is now 6-0 at home in the playoffs and 1-2 on the road.
“We just have to dust yourself off and come back tomorrow, and that’s what this team does,” he said.
What they didn’t do on Thursday was solve Pfaadt.
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