Jesus Luzardo to Open Game 1 of Wild Card Series, Luis Arraez Left Off Roster

The Phillies are coming into the National League Wild Card Series with an ever-changing plan built on flexibility, and not all of it by choice. Interim manager Don Mattingly outlined his roster and pitching approach on Monday, and the main takeaway is a staff stretched by a Game 162 scramble and a lineup short on options.

Game 1 is Tuesday at Truist Park in Atlanta at 2 p.m., the site of all three games. The Atlanta Braves won nine of 13 meetings with the Phils this season and will send their ace, Chris Sale, to the mound in Game 1, trying to take an early stranglehold on the series. That makes Mattingly’s decision to open with left-hander Jesus Luzardo, then follow him with Andrew Painter out of the bullpen.

“I’m prepared to give the team whatever they ask, whatever they need,” Luzardo said.

Despite his injury and four-pitch inning in Game 162, Luzardo makes the most sense to get the starting assignment. He threw a complete-game shutout against the Braves on Sept. 7, striking out 12, and has a 2.89 ERA in 11 career starts against them. The only real catch is his health. He was activated Sunday after a short stint on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, so the Phillies cannot count on him to go deep into a game. Painter is the insurance policy. Painter has been building on a second-half turnaround, and he may be asked to cover the middle innings of a game that truly sets the tone for the whole series.

The rest of the rotation is not what the Phillies drew up in August. Zack Wheeler went six innings in the clincher, which takes him out of the mix, and Aaron Nola threw 21 pitches in relief on short rest Saturday. That leaves Cristopher Sanchez in Game 2, and the Phillies have a known quantity there. He owns a 2.79 ERA in four postseason starts. Nola is lined up for a potential Game 3 on Thursday, and Mattingly made clear that a deciding game will not be handled with normal boundaries or roles.

The Phillies bullpen has proven that normal roles and usage will not cut it in this series, especially with the inconsistent play that has plagued them all season. Jonathan Bowlan is active after dealing with a groin issue, and he joins closer Jhoan Duran and Alex McFarlane as the arms Mattingly has leaned on late in games. Behind them, the group has been largely inconsistent, Jose Alvarado included, so expect Mattingly to go with whoever is sharpest.

“We’re going to prioritize our best guys,” Mattingly said. “Pretty simple.”

That philosophy puts the balance of the series on those arms, because the Phillies will likely need them early and often. It also puts pressure on an offense that has been among the worst in the majors in September.

The lineup took its own hit when Luis Arraez, the NL batting-title runner-up, sprained his left ankle last Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers. He will not be on the roster for this series, adding stress on an offense that needs consistency. Otto Kemp takes his spot, and the exchange is not exactly a positive one for the offense. Kemp went 2-for-25 with 10 strikeouts in his time with the Phillies this season. His value is positional versatility, and he will likely be a bench player. With Arraez out, the Phillies have Edmundo Sosa and Kemp available for the infield. This will make the first game against Sale an even tougher hill to climb.

The Phillies will also carry three catchers: J.T. Realmuto, Garrett Stubbs, and Rafael Marchan. Injuries in the minors depleted the organization’s depth, which limited Mattingly’s options. It may have cost the Phils a stronger bat. Another hitter or a bullpen arm would have been a better use of the spot than Stubbs.

Mattingly is crafting the entire strategy for the Wild Card round based on availability. The pitching plan leans on covering innings creatively, and the offense leaves little room for any mistakes. If Luzardo and Painter can get into later innings and the bullpen holds, a cold lineup might only need to come up with a few runs. If things don’t go according to plan, Nola may be part of an all-hands-on-deck night and burned sooner than planned.

Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox: