NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: PHILLIES VS PADRES

October 23, 2022

Blake Snell

Citizens Bank Park

San Diego Padres

Pregame 5 Press Conference

Q. Blake, how much confidence do you have in this ball club to be able to string together three wins that you need, and how challenging is it to stay focused on just one game at a time and not get distracted maybe by the big picture in front of you?

BLAKE SNELL: I think you've just got to focus on today's game, try to win. What's happened has happened. If you think about us going back home and playing two games there, it's going to be tough to beat us there.

So we've got a big task ahead of us going against Zack, we know how good he is. We've got Darvish going, so that's good for us.

We know it's going to be a tight game. So if we can get a lead quick and hold that, I like our chances, especially with the three guys we've got in the back of the pen that could help us at any moment.

Just got to get a lead. If we can get a lead early, I think we'll be fine. It's going to be tough. Zack's good.

Q. How much are you looking forward to getting another start at Petco Park in front of that crowd? What did you learn out of that last outing after you got through the strange second inning along with your toughness to get through it, about their lineup and about yourself?

BLAKE SNELL: I'm really excited for another start. There's nothing like postseason baseball, nothing like starting at home.

What I learned was I learned I can get through it. I don't think I learned that, though. I think I knew that. It's just like moments, I think, through that game that helped me build as a pitcher to be better and better.

But being able to do it just helps me with what I believe in myself. Also being able to face that lineup and understand their strengths, their weaknesses, I was able to learn a lot. And gets me more excited to face them knowing how good that lineup is. Definitely want to face them again.

Q. How do you physically and mentally prepare for a day like this where you could potentially be starting across the country tomorrow or you could be going into this game, if necessary?

BLAKE SNELL: You don't really look into it too much. You just focus on winning today. I think that's your main focus. If we win today, we go into tomorrow and see what we've got.

I think the biggest thing is just understanding that today is a must-win game, and to feel -- I don't really think we have that much pressure. I think all the pressure's on them. So we've just got to go out and play the game we know we can play.

We win today, going back home feels a lot better. And we know they don't want to go to San Diego. We know that. We're in the same position when we played L.A. We didn't want to go to L.A., so we know they're feeling the same way we felt.

Q. Your last start that second inning was really weird, and then after that you kind of locked it down. There were some starts earlier this season, maybe one inning kind of went awry, and you weren't able to stem the tide. What was the difference in that start and kind of how you've managed to handle those kind of weird innings in this part of the season versus earlier?

BLAKE SNELL: I just think it's postseason ball. You're way more locked in. You're way more focused on everything. For me, everything slows down a lot more in the postseason, just because I'm aware of how big everything is. And I know how good my stuff is, so I trust it a lot. That allows me to know I can get through any of that.

As weird as it was giving up those hits and those runs and as frustrating as it was, I think I understood there was nothing I could do about it. The only thing I could do is focus on what I'm going to do next, how I can attack, and try to help our team win.

I knew if I can go five or six and the guys see that, it's going to fire them up, and they're going to find a way to hit. And that's what happened.