PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies’ postseason pitching plans are clear from the start and at the finish. In between lies a quandary.
Or, as Walker Buehler and Taijuan Walker would’ve been wise to approach it Thursday, an opportunity.
The identity of the pitchers toward the fringes of the Phillies’ playoff roster is hardly set. And both Buehler and Walker made convincing cases against the Miami Marlins to be in the mix.
Buehler, in his second start as a Phillie, went five innings, navigating constantly into trouble but then out of it without surrendering a run. It takes his tally to one earned run in 13.2 innings over three outings.
Walker piggy-backed, tossing two scoreless innings. He likewise courted trouble with a hit and two walks but found his way out of it.
Both showed some of the attributes manager Rob Thomson said he was looking for.
Buehler has a proven track record of both postseason pitching and recovering from putrid regular seasons to contribute in October. He did both last year, recording the final out for the Dodgers’ in the World Series. He allowed six earned runs and 12 hits in 15 innings over four appearances.
“He’s in a real good position right now,” Thomson said pregame. “But just make sure he’s healthy, No. 1, and that he’s commanding the baseball, especially the fastball. But he can get right-handed hitters out.”
Buehler was terrible with the Red Sox, designated for assignment in August after a 5.45 ERA in 112.1 innings. He started once in Lehigh Valley, then allowed one earned run in five innings of his debut against Kansas City on Sept. 12.
He appeared in relief, an important box to check for the postseason, in Arizona, tossing 3.2 innings of two-hit ball.
On Thursday, Buehler threw 74 pitches, then headed to the bullpen for two simulated innings to keep his arm lengthened out. He’s been using a lot of pitches — 90 in five innings against the Royals, 78 for his three innings with the IronPigs — but he’s getting results.
Walker has had a similar, if longer-term reversal. He was awful last year for the Phillies with a 7.10 ERA in 83 innings. He’s bounced back this year to post a 4.11 ERA in 122 innings, filling in capably when injuries have befallen the rotation, while also making 12 relief appearances.
One bugbear of late is first-inning stumbles.
Walker has an 8.57 ERA in the first inning of appearances this season. He’s allowed opponents to hit .376 off of him, with a 1.093 OPS. He’d given up 12 runs in the first innings of his last four appearances.
That would seem to be a problem in short postseason stints.
“Getting quick outs, getting through that first inning, because it’s kind of been a bugaboo the last couple of starts,” Thomson said. “That’s pretty important. So hopefully he can do that tonight.
Thursday was better, if only just. He allowed a walk and a single to the first two batters he faced before getting a fly out to center and two strikeouts.
Walker had a great 2023 — 4.38 ERA over a career-best 172.2 innings — and made the postseason roster but didn’t appear in a game, then didn’t make the roster in last year’s NLDS.
The Phillies need only three starters in the NLDS, which begins Oct. 4. Cristopher Sanchez will get the ball in Game 1.
The two pitchers in the best form to follow would be Jesus Luzardo and Ranger Suarez. Thomson said Thursday that he’d have no qualms about stacking three lefties, depending on opponent.
Aaron Nola has never pitched out of the bullpen, but his 6.46 ERA would make him a gamble.
The postseason eligibility of Jose Alvarado and recent struggles by Max Lazar and Orion Kerkering make the bullpen shorter on reliable arms, especially righties. It may be enough to see Buehler or Walker find a spot in the middle of a postseason game to get a few valuable outs.