NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 12, 2022

Rob Thomson

Truist Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Braves - 3, Phillies - 0

Q. Was that a play in your mind that Rhys should have made?

ROB THOMSON: I think if you asked Rhys he would say he should make that play. I don't know whether he didn't get a good read off the bat, but it's probably a play you should try to front, keep it in front of you if you can. I don't know whether he had time to do that or not. I think if you asked Rhys he would probably tell you he should make that play.

Q. I know Wheeler pitched tremendously, but a hit batsman, a defensive miscue and not enough offense, do you feel he gave one away here tonight?

ROB THOMSON: You've got to give credit to Wright. Their pitching was pretty good too. But I thought Wheels was outstanding. He had everything going. I don't know whether the hit batsman threw him off a little bit or not. He walks Swanson and then there's a play we should make and then infield hit and another base hit up the middle. Just kind of unravelled. I thought he was outstanding all night.

Q. What have you seen out of the at-bats between Schwarber and Hoskins?

ROB THOMSON: They're just missing right now. But I think Rhys is close because he's lofting a lot of balls. And that's a good sign for him. Maybe Schwarb's trying to do too much right now. But they'll be fine. I trust them.

Q. You used Noah today. Was that just kind of trying to get him some work, and how does that factor into Saturday what you might do?

ROB THOMSON: Getting him some work. There's a number of different guys that we could start on Saturday. So we're working through that. We'll know that more after the game on Friday because it depends on what happens during that game.

Q. What have you seen from Wright over the last few years? How has he grown, is it more than just confidence?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I think so. I think he shortened up that breaking ball and it's real effective. He runs the ball through the zone. He's not going to hurt himself. He's got good sink on his fastball and gets a lot of soft contact.

And I thought we hit some balls hard tonight. I thought we hit more balls hard than they did, really. It's they ran balls down and were standing in the right place. But he can pitch.

Q. With the series where it's at right now, what does it mean to go home and have those two games?

ROB THOMSON: It's huge. Obviously we want to win both of these games. We had an opportunity to. But to leave here split with a split and go back home in front of a packed house of passionate people that I think they'll give our guys a little shot in the arm and I think it will be great.

Q. How do you think, in addition to being in Philly for a playoff game at home for the first time in a while, how will the guys will feel about being at home in general for a long time?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, it's been a long time. It's been a long time. And I think they'll be happy to get home. And then Friday, I think, is going to be electric at the ballpark. Just knowing that it's been a long time since our fans have seen this ballclub in the playoffs. So I think they're going to be riled up pretty good, yeah.

Q. Did you think that the kind of little delay there with Acuña, that had anything to do with disrupting the rhythm of that inning?

ROB THOMSON: You'll have to ask Wheels that. He kind of lost the zone against Swanson, but he made good pitches against Olson and Riley.

So maybe for a second. You'd have to ask Wheels, but he settled back in. I thought he threw the ball great, I really did.