NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS PHILLIES

October 23, 2023

Rob Thomson

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Postgame 6 Press Conference

Diamondbacks 5, Phillies 1

Q. Rob, how jarring was it to see Nola's stuff kind of fall down there in the second, and was there anything going on with him?

ROB THOMSON: No, nothing physically. Yeah, it was a little strange, because first thing he comes out and he really acts executed everything. Even in the fourth inning, I thought was a good inning.

The second inning, the breaking ball to Pham, maybe a little bit of a hanger. The home run to Gurriel, they wanted it to go up a little bit higher, and he couldn't get it there.

Yeah, didn't execute some pitches, and he paid for it. But we didn't score any runs.

Q. Did you see some overaggressiveness tonight from your lineup?

ROB THOMSON: Offensively?

Q. Yeah.

ROB THOMSON: Maybe a little bit, but he was getting ahead. A lot of first pitch strikes. He did get us to chase a little bit, so we just have to get back in the zone tomorrow and hit it like we can.

Q. You kept the same lineup structure all throughout the postseason. Give the dire circumstance of tomorrow night, any consideration to making any changes?

ROB THOMSON: Zero.

Q. Is Zack Wheeler going to be available out of the bullpen tomorrow?

ROB THOMSON: I would think so. It's going to be all hand on deck. Everybody but Nola.

Q. Then you were the bench coach for the Yankees when they were in a Game 7 in 2017. How do you kind of take that and impart it as you try to prepare for tomorrow?

ROB THOMSON: I think you just have to come in here like it's any other day and be loose and relaxed and go play your game.

Q. With Ranger's disposition, do you feel like he is kind of the perfect guy for a Game 7?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I don't think he'll be too nervous out there. He's a cool customer. He'll go out there and pitch his game.

Q. You wanted a low leverage spot for Kimbrel. A, what did you see from him? B, does that change how you might use him going farther, or maybe you want to see him once more in something like that?

ROB THOMSON: I don't know how we're going to use him moving forward. It depends on the game state. But I thought he was better. He moved his hands down to his belt. I don't know whether you saw that or noticed that, but I thought he was better. I thought he had a little bit more rhythm, and he was powering the ball through the zone.

Had a couple yanks, but I thought he was better.

Q. Then just with Rojas tonight, he had a ball hit well into the gap there in the fifth. Was there any consideration to pinch hitting from the seventh guy on, nobody out or...

ROB THOMSON: Not there because they had Mantiply up. So if I go to Cave, they just bring the left hand.