LOS ANGELES— It was in Dodger Stadium where the Philadelphia Phillies clinched their second straight National League East division title.
A party ensued in the visiting clubhouse. Champagne and beers were spraying the walls and floors. Cigars were lit. Teammates were embracing after a hard-fought battle had finally concluded. Gathering his players like a general huddles his troops, Rob Thomson asked his catcher one simple question.
"How many more we got left, buddy?"
Like seasons past, the veteran catcher would give a reply, launching the team into deeper celebration. "Whatever the hell it takes, Topper," quipped the longtime Phillies catcher. At that moment, the team knew they were preparing for another Red October, but nothing could prepare them for the stakes they faced heading into game three of the NLDS.
On the brink
Since that celebration in Los Angeles, the Phillies concluded the regular season. They earned a first-round bye, securing a trip to the National League Division Series. After two relatively easy victories over the Cincinnati Reds, the Dodgers would become the club's opponent in round two.
Confident, not cocky, the Phillies prepared for Los Angeles, which entered the season as the reigning World Series champions. The club boasts a lineup of future Hall of Famers, none more famous than Shohei Ohtani. The club knew it would not be an easy task to advance but felt strong about their own talent and star power.
That same confidence will be needed Wednesday night, as the Phillies hope to keep their season alive. Dropping both games one and two at home, the club sits behind 0-2 in a best-of-five game series. Philly has to win three straight, including two games in Los Angeles, to save their season.
Maybe being back in the same clubhouse they celebrated in just weeks ago can spark one of the most unlikely comeback stories in baseball history. Down 2-0 to the defending champs, if the Phillies can pull off this comeback, this team will likely go down in the history books of Major League Baseball. Regardless of future series in this postseason, everyone will remember when the Phillies flipped the script.
Or, maybe the odds will be too strong to overcome. It could very well be the end of what has become an all-time run in Phillies history. A franchise that is known for having the most losses in professional sports, the Philadelphia Phillies have not been a beacon of success. That is why opportunities such as this season are so greatly cherished by a fanbase that wants to finally earn a standard of greatness.
Now or never
Taking the ball in game three will be the longest-tenured member of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Aaron Nola, who is amidst his worst season as a professional, has been trusted to start the biggest game of the season. Nola, who started his journey in 2015, has grown with the team. Like the fans, he has been around since the days of rebuild and disappointment. A time period that destroyed the love and support that the previous core had worked so hard to build.
Nola has seen the rise of Phillies baseball in Philadelphia. A town that has given the franchise all they can ask for. It was Nola who took the ball in Houston when the team clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2011. It was Nola who took the ball in game one of the 2022 World Series, ending in their first championship round win since 2009.
He will have to give his teammates, coaches, and fans all that he has on Wednesday night against the Dodgers. It is now or never in Philadelphia, and his manager cannot afford to give him any benefit of doubt. If trouble arises, the leash will be short for the game three starter and longtime Phillie. Nola has to prove to his manager that he can handle the moment and give him little reason to doubt he can deliver a win to save their season.
The decision to start Nola over Ranger Suarez has been and will be questioned for a long time. It could be the final nail in Thomson's coffin if the team is unable to escape game three with a victory.
Preview & notes
Pitching Matchup: Aaron Nola (5-10, 6.01 ERA) vs Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA)
As mentioned, Nola will start the game for the Phillies. The club plans to be all hands on deck, as they must manage pitch by pitch in game three. Nola has good career statistics against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Freddie Freeman holds a career .237 batting average and .694 OPS against the right-hander. Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez, and Will Smith all have similar numbers.
On the flip side, there are a few Dodgers who have had great success against Nola. Mookie Betts, most notably, has a .391 batting average and 1.087 OPS against him in 23 career plate appearances.
Yamamoto has faced the Phillies just once in his young career. He suffered a loss in their matchup earlier in the season, despite not allowing an earned run. He allowed three hits in the outing, striking out five. He has faced Harrison Bader in two separate outings. Once with the Mets and once with the Twins, Bader has seen Yamamoto well. He has registered four hits in five plate appearances against the Japanese sensation.
Being down 0-2 in the series makes the chances of advancing difficult but not impossible. The last team to accomplish this feat was the 2017 New York Yankees, who took down the reigning American League champion Cleveland Guardians. There have been 10 teams in MLB history who have come back in a best-of-five game series after losing each of the first two games.
In his Phillies tenure, Bryce Harper has played in three elimination games. He is 1/11 in those games, with a double and three strikeouts. Last year against the Mets, he went 1/3 with a double, a run scored, and a walk. Harper will have to play better than these marks if the club hopes to stay alive.
First pitch is set for 9:08 EST and can be viewed on TBS and HBO Max.
