NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 7, 2023

Brian Snitker

Truist Park

Atlanta Braves

Pregame 1 Press Conference

Q. Snitker, when it came to Kyle and Jesse, was it just they weren't ready? I know with Kyle, we needed extra days. Does that play in the decision as well?

BRIAN SNITKER: Yeah. Kyle is not right. He had an MRI yesterday, and he's going to have to have a procedure done in order to get him right. And we are going to confer with the doctors and decide exactly what it is. But you could tell he wasn't right in the last three or four outings in the regular season, and it just wasn't going to be -- Jesse, too. Jesse has missed three months, and he wasn't throwing like he's capable of throwing pretty much.

Q. Snitker, when you look at Tonkin, how much could a little bit of extra rest this last week help him after kind of a rough end to the season?

BRIAN SNITKER: Yeah. I think it was good. He threw the ball well in the scrimmages. And on his part, you know, he's a guy that could throw three innings and then throw the next day if you need him to. I think that's the value that he brings is not only the versatility, but just the fact that he's durable.

Q. Did the extra day of rest in a short series allow you to go with one pitcher fewer than you might in the next round?

BRIAN SNITKER: I think so. Just looking at all that, and we liked having -- adding Grissom, too, with his versatility and an extra bat off the bench; he can run, do a lot of things for you, but it just kind of looked like with all the days off that we got, we should be able to get by.

Q. And Daysbel, did he show enough obviously?

BRIAN SNITKER: He pretty much pitched his way on in the inner squads. We threw him back to back, and it was as good as it was when we called him up early on and really liked him. But it was just pretty much the stuff that he showed.

Q. Snitker, for Kyle, the procedure, is there a chance he'll be ready for Spring Training next year?

BRIAN SNITKER: No. I don't think so. You know what, I think what they're talking about doing, and like I say, this is all for him to discuss with the doctors. I mean it's something that looking at it he's going to miss next year.

Q. He was a guy who won 21 games last year. How much do you just hate the news for him?

BRIAN SNITKER: I hate it for him. I mean it was -- you know, it's a tough decision, number one, when you have to tell him he didn't make the roster, but the reason, and then I think he just -- I mean he said, he wants to get everything taken care of, then. And I hate it for the person, just because the kid wants to be out there, coming off a year like he did last year, I know it killed him all year to not be out here. And it's hard, and there was something going on and they found it yesterday.

Q. What's your breakdown in Ranger Suárez, what do you tell the lineup about how to approach?

BRIAN SNITKER: Yeah. You know, he's a tough ride. He always is for us. Hopefully we can do what we've been doing and put some runs on the board early.

Q. Speaking of that lineup, you did shuffle some things around. The thought behind moving Riley up?

BRIAN SNITKER: Just a lot of their heavy leverage guys are left-handed, and just trying to get the right-handers up there more. It's something you know what we've done in the past. This is the postseason. This is different than the last 162 games we played. And, you know, a big part of their bullpen are left-handed guys.