Looking ahead to pitching advantages Phillies will have in Arizona

Looking ahead to pitching advantages Phillies will have in Arizona originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Diamondbacks have announced their starter for Game 3 of the NLCS – 25-year-old right-hander Brandon Pfaadt. Despite a shaky rookie season with a 5.72 ERA in 96 innings, Pfaadt’s opponents hit .282/.329/.534, a slash line similar to that of Austin Riley and Corbin Carroll. However, Pfaadt showed improvement in his last outing, pitching 4⅓ scoreless innings against the Dodgers in the NLDS. He will face the formidable Philly lineup that requires unpredictable pitching to be successful.

Arizona faces uncertainty in their rotation for the third and fourth spots. The Phillies, on the other hand, are set with Ranger Suarez starting Game 3 in Arizona. For Game 4, the Phils have three options: Taijuan Walker, Cristopher Sanchez, or using an opener. Despite Walker’s documented first-inning issues this season, the decision will focus on who can most effectively pitch over four or five innings. If an opener is used in Game 4, Matt Strahm is a solid candidate to counter left-handed leadoff batter Corbin Carroll.

The series could reach a fifth game, with Zack Wheeler starting against Zac Gallen in a rematch of Game 1. Aaron Nola would then face Merrill Kelly in Game 6, and Suarez could potentially start Game 7 for the Phillies.