MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

November 3, 2022

J.T. Realmuto

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Pregame 5 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with questions for J.T.

Q. Just wondering, how much do you think the extra day will help Zack in Game 6?

J.T. REALMUTO: I think quite a bit honestly. I think the numbers kind of speak for themselves with how well he's pitched, not just this season, but his entire career with that extra day. I think it helps most starting pitchers, just that extra day of rest. I don't know I've never been a starting pitcher, so I don't know exactly how to define it, but they always seem to do a lot better and feel a lot better with that extra day.

Q. If the velo isn't what it was in those first four postseason starts, what gives you the confidence that he can go out there and compete at a high level?

J.T. REALMUTO: Zack's a competitor. Even in his starts this season, when his velo hasn't necessarily been as high as it always is, he always competes for us. He's got the stuff to get the job done. Whether his velo is at 98 or not, he's got, as long as he's got his command and then he's able to attack the strike zone and work ahead of hitters, I'm not too worried about the velo.

Q. I'm assuming Rob wasn't much different after last night's loss, but did he try to lighten the mood for a moment there after getting no-hit? Was he any different at all when he came in there?

J.T. REALMUTO: I think he mentioned, hey, the last time we got a no-hit we turned around and won the next day. That's a pretty simple message, but it speaks for itself.

Q. Kind of an odd question to ask a Gold Glover, but team defense this year was a hot topic coming into the season and continued to be, but from your perspective, how have you seen that evolved as the season has gone along? And what have you seen during the postseason how the defense has contributed to this run?

J.T. REALMUTO: Yeah, I feel like all season long our defense has continued to get better and better. The guys have put in a ton of work with the coaching staff. They're out there every single day grinding. The infielders are out there taking ground balls. The outfielders are out there getting reads, throwing to bases. There's been a lot of work that's gone into it and we're definitely a better defensive club today than we were two or three months ago and that's a testament to how much work the players and this staff has put in.

It wasn't supposed to be one of our strengths coming into this season obviously, but I feel like our defense the way we played this postseason is a huge reason why we're still playing today, because they have shown up every single day and made a lot of plays for us.

Q. Can you speak to the importance of this game, your last home game of the year.

J.T. REALMUTO: Yeah, at this stage every game is extremely important. They all mean a lot. Every win is one step closer to the ultimate goal. So it's really important for us to, after yesterday's game, to try to get the momentum back on our side heading back to Houston. It's obviously a great team we're playing over there and we don't want to go back to Houston down a game. Obviously, today's a really big game for us.

Q. You tagged Justin Verlander for five runs in Game 1. What's your approach now here in Game 5?

J.T. REALMUTO: I think we just have to put good at-bats together, continue to do what we do as a team, and see pitches, swing at good pitches, and good things will happen for us.

He's obviously a great pitcher over there. We were able to kind of get him in the last couple innings that he was in there. If we just have a good approach and put the ball in play, obviously pass the baton to the next guy and just have that mentality and just grind out at-bats, we should be good to go.

Q. What do you expect the extra rest that Zack Wheeler's getting, how do you think that's going to affect him in Game 6?

J.T. REALMUTO: I just answered that question. Did you just get here? Okay. I'm sorry. Sorry.

Yeah, I think the numbers kind of speak for itself. He's been really good all year long when he has, and really his whole career when he has that extra day of rest. I think hopefully his velo, he gets a little uptick in velo from that. But even if he doesn't, Zack's a competitor. He's going to command the strike zone, throw strikes, mix his pitches. But for me, I think the numbers kind of speak for themselves with having that extra day of rest.

Q. Can you tell right away in the bullpen if he is going to be on or do you have to get into the flow of the game?

J.T. REALMUTO: It's kind of hit and miss. Sometimes I can tell right out the gate, but there's other times where, I can remember Sandy, like, oh, man, he didn't look great in the bullpen, and then he goes out and has one of his great, great games. So sometimes you can, but not necessarily all the time.

Q. I'm curious, in your thoughts on Christian Vázquez, I know you guys have been in opposite leagues your whole careers, but in the times that you've been able to watch him or occasionally play against him or otherwise interact in any setting, what have you thought of him as a catcher?

J.T. REALMUTO: Oh, I think he's a great player. He's always been fun to compete against. I think he's really good behind the plate. He's a good game caller. He manages the pitching staff really well. I think he receives well. He pretty much does everything you ask for defensively and then he's also an above-average hitter for a catcher. I've always enjoyed competing against him and he's one of the better catchers in the game, I think.

Q. We just saw José Alvarado riding a bike around the warning track. A lot of the players are dancing. What allows you guys to remain so loose even after a game like last night?

J.T. REALMUTO: I just think that the chemistry we have in the clubhouse, honestly. Baseball's, it's a game of ups and downs and you're not going to win every game. We kind of, we do a really good job in this clubhouse of putting bad games behind us and kind of moving on and continuing to have fun together. And at the end of the day, we're all playing a child's game for a living, so it's hard to go out there and be too upset. And I feel like we play better when we're loose and just having fun and that's what we do pretty well as a group.

Q. Noah is one of the rare players on this roster that's been in the World Series before, obviously getting the start tonight. What's his attitude tonight? And what kind of attitude has he brought to the clubhouse in such a situation like tonight?

J.T. REALMUTO: Noah's been great for our clubhouse. Ever since he come over, he just gelled right away, kind of blended in immediately. He really gets along with the young guys well. He kind of spits with them quite a bit.

And I think on the mound, he's been a guy for us that's taken the ball and done well every time we've given him the ball. He's pretty consistent. He throws the ball over the strike zone a lot. He's going to attack hitters. He's not going to walk guys, which is huge this point in the season. He's going to make them put the ball in play and our defense is going to make plays behind him.

Q. One more question about last night. What made Cristian Javier so effective?

J.T. REALMUTO: I just think that for me he stayed out of the middle of the plate. Even when he missed his location he would miss it in the right spot.

Obviously he's got really good stuff. He's got a really good fastball, really good slider. I thought last night his command was great. He got ahead of us really well. He was just able to mix his speeds and keep us off balance.