NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 12, 2023

Rob Thomson

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Phillies 3 - Braves 1

Q. Rob, congratulations. If you could take us through the bullpen decisions, kind of step by step from the seventh through the ninth?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah. So when we had the lead and we were in the parts of their lineup, I felt like that was the time to go to the Alvarados and the Kimbrels and then we'll figure it out at the end. So it was a little unorthodox, but we got it done. And Strahm did an unbelievable job.

Q. And who was up in the bullpen at the end?

ROB THOMSON: Hoffman.

Q. So he was next, in other words?

ROB THOMSON: Probably.

Q. Rob, Nick said that Game 2's loss was a punch in the face, and we thrive when we're punched in the face. Is that what we saw the last two nights, especially from him?

ROB THOMSON: I think so. Nick had an unbelievable series. I'm really proud of him. He's had a great year. He's had some struggles at times, but he sure has come up big lately. And back-to-back nights, they score the first run, and he ends up hitting a home run the next half inning to answer, and that's huge.

Q. Your lineup is -- well, you spent a lot of money on it and three of the guys you spent the most money on, Harper, Turner and Nick really propelled you guys through this stretch.

ROB THOMSON: Yeah.

Q. Can you talk about what those three guys did as far as leadership by example, and also what your pitching staff did? You give up eight runs to the best offense since 1975?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah. Well, to start with, Trea and Harp and Nick, I mean I can't tell you how big they are on our club right now. I don't think the moment gets them at all. In fact, the moment, I think, helps Harp a little bit. But Trea has been unbelievable. That home run he hit today was huge. Nick's two home runs were huge. Harp's two home runs yesterday were huge. Those guys just -- they step up.

And our pitching staff, I can't say enough good about them, and our pitching coaches Caleb and Kap and Lundi, how prepared they are, and how well they work with our pitchers, it's just phenomenal what we did.

Q. Rob, again, congratulations.

ROB THOMSON: Thank you.

Q. Getting this series done as fast as you guys did, talk about how it sets you guys up now in terms of the rotation and everything else for the NLCS.

In terms of having this series done when you guys have it done, how it sets you guys up in terms of your rotation and everything else you have planned for the National League Championship series?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, it really helps to get it done early because Wheeler doesn't pitch Game 5. And so he can go Game 1, and we just fall in line. So Wheeler, Nola, Ranger. I'm assuming that's the way we'll go.

I'm not sure who's going to go Game 4, but we'll figure that one out. But yeah, anytime you can wrap up a series early, it's beneficial.

Q. Turner and Castellanos both had really tough starts to their Phillies careers after coming in with big expectations and the two of them carried you tonight and have been huge down the stretch. What does that say about their resiliency. What does it take to really turn the corner the way those two guys have?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, those two guys are tough guys, but I think you see a lot -- maybe not a lot. I don't know the numbers. But at times when guys sign big contracts, they expect to do a lot. They want to do a lot for their teammates, for the fanbase, for the city.

And so they put a little extra pressure on them. And it takes a while just to kind of relax and settle in and be themselves. And both those guys have done that now, and I'm happy about that.

Q. Just wanted to see what you thought when you saw Bryce take that hit at first base, and do you guys have any concerns about the future and what that might leave him with?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I don't think so. He went downstairs with our training staff, and they came up and said he's fine. We'll see how he feels tomorrow, but I don't think there's any concern about structural damage or anything like that.

It might be a little bit of just a scare, you know. And Olson, I think Matt just kind of bumped him as he was coming through, not intentionally, obviously. So we'll just check him out tomorrow, but I don't think there's any problem. Harp's a tough guy, and it would take a lot to keep him out of the next series.

Q. Rob, taking nothing away from your pitching, but they did a great job, but how much do you think the layoff for the Braves may have also impacted how well they were able to do?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah. It's interesting because the team that -- the only team that had a layoff and is still in it, I think, is Houston. So, yeah, I don't know. I've never been in that situation, but there must be something to it, and there must be something to the preparation you have to do.

I think it's gotta be tough, because I think the Braves did, from what I hear, they had intersquad games and they brought in people in the stands. I think they probably did everything they could possibly do to keep guys sharp. So it's a tough situation. So, you know, I hope I'm in that situation again. I'd like to win the division, but haven't been there yet.

Q. Rob, congratulations.

ROB THOMSON: Thank you.

Q. Question I had is was the plan for Ranger to always go five innings tonight or did he show you anything that led you to pull him or was that just part of the plan all along?

ROB THOMSON: No. There was really no plan for Ranger. We were just going to go watch what was happening and see where we were at in the lineup. And once we got to the third time through at the top of the lineup -- and he pitched great, and he had tons of pitches left. But we just decided to go to Seranthony and go from there.

Seranthony pitched great. He gave up a base hit to Riley, and so we went to Alvarado right away because I think we had a two-run lead at the time, and we didn't want to put anything in jeopardy.

So I thought Ranger was fantastic. I really did, but there was no real set plan like he was only going to see 18 hitters or 15 hitters or whatever like that.

Q. Rob, we talked a little pregame about running the higher payroll and bringing players in free agency. Would it be fair to say that you are happy that the Phillies made the decision to sign Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos on a night like this?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, it's not my money. So I'm very happy that we signed them. Thanks to John Middleton.

Q. Maybe the lowest paid player on their team maybe saved the game, Johan Rojas, and you guys added Craig Kimbrel who got out of it, got into it, got out of it. What was it like for you the bases loaded and that ball heading toward to the corner that David Montgomery put in there to facilitate inside the park home runs. Can you talk about Rojas being a rookie and making maybe the play of the game?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I wasn't sure if that ball was hit hard enough to get off the wall, but I felt like if it doesn't get up on the wall, Rojas is going to catch it, and that's what he does. This kid is so poised. He's so good of an athlete, electric in the outfield. I felt like he was going to catch it.

So he's been a huge addition to our ball club. He really has, even if he doesn't do anything at the plate. And he's had decent at-bats. But if he does nothing at the plate, just his defense helps the club.

Q. And Rob, you've had this team go through so many different gyrations over the last couple years in so many situations. You have seen them catch fire. Is it the makeup, personalities, talent on the team? Take one or all of the above about this team and the ability to do what they did the last couple years?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I think it's a combination of talent and make up. We got a really talented group. But, they are tough. And they have short memories. They have short memories for negative things, and they have long memories for positive things. And they just come out and they fight every day. And I love being around them. They have a lot of fun, but when it's game time, they're focused and they compete.