Can Matt Strahm silence Ohtani again? | Extra Innings in Red October

I’ve watched the 1980 NLCS on YouTube but I can only imagine how nerve wracking it was to watch that series in real time. I have a feeling I’ll have a better idea after watching Phillies-Dodgers, which could be just as epic as that five-game Phillies-Astros showdown. David Murphy, The Inquirer’s poet laureate, once said that “Playoff baseball is like watching a loved one defuse a bomb.” Can’t wait.

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— Matt Breen (extrainnings@inquirer.com)

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The cheesesteak served in the visiting clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park has been rumored to be among the best in the city. It landed a big endorsement on Friday.

“One thing I do know is that they serve really good Philly cheesesteaks at the clubhouse,” Shohei Ohtani said at his news conference before Game 1.

So Ohtani feels pretty comfortable in Philly. Now the Phillies have to figure out how to get Ohtani the hitter out of his element as they prepare for Game 1. One option: Matt Strahm.

It felt last summer like a preview of October when Strahm quelled a Dodgers rally one night by striking out Ohtani and then forcing him the next night to ground out. Three weeks later, Strahm won again vs. Ohtani. The Phillies, it seemed, had their answer for how they would attack Ohtani in the postseason.

Well, we know that never happened last year. This weekend, we should get to see it.

It’s safe to assume that Ohtani will come to the plate in this series in a pivotal late-inning at-bat. Rob Thomson will go to his bullpen and it would be a surprise if he calls on anyone but Strahm. The left-hander allowed just one run in September over eight appearances as he seems primed for October.

Strahm faced the Dodgers last month and retired all three batters he faced, including a strikeout vs. Freddie Freeman. If Strahm gets Ohtani in the NLDS, he’ll also likely have to face the left-handed Freeman and right-handed Mookie Betts. Strahm’s OPS this season against right-handed batters (.585) is the 13th-lowest among left-handed relievers and right-handers actually hit worse (.196) vs. Strahm than left-handed batters. So the Phils can feel fine about Strahm facing Betts along with the left-handed Ohtani and Freeman.

The series could be defined by the team’s bullpens with the advantage going to the team that needs to ask for the fewer amount of outs from its relievers. If the Phillies need six outs, Strahm and Duran should be able to handle the task. If they need more, Thomson will have to press the right buttons. Dave Roberts’ job is even trickier as he seems to have the last three outs settled with Roki Sasaki while the rest remains unclear. He has options — the Dodgers will have extra starting pitchers in the bullpen — but has to make the right call.

Strahm was excellent in the 2023 postseason as Thomson used him seven times and Strahm did not allow an earned run. He struggled last October against the Mets but Strahm’s finish to the season makes him easy to trust again this October. Surely, he wants to redeem himself. He’ll get the chance this weekend and it could come with one of the game’s most pivotal spots against baseball’s biggest star. Last summer was a preview while this series provides a real stage. And the cheesesteaks are waiting.

As the Phillies prepare to open the postseason, there’s no better time to sit down with the greatest player in franchise history. Mike Schmidt joins “Phillies Extra” to share his thoughts on the team’s quest to win the World Series, Kyle Schwarber’s big season, Pete Rose’s Hall of Fame chances, and more. Watch here.

🔥 Preparing for Shohei: He held the Phillies hitless in September. What does Ohtani have in store for Game 1?

⏰ Now or never? Like the 1980 team, these Phillies have a ’sense of urgency’ to win it all. Can they get it done, too?

⚾️ L.A. story: Get to know the Dodgers with this look at the story lines to know.

🧩 Play Schwardle: Check out our new puzzle everyday to help you pass the time between games this postseason.

#1️⃣ Unlikely ace: Once a project, Cristopher Sánchez is ready for the spotlight as the Phillies’ Game 1 starter.

🤞🏻 Counting on Topper: Rob Thomson will need to come up big in a lot of ways for the Phillies to beat the Dodgers.

Ohtani said his start last month against the Phillies when he did not allow a hit in five innings was the end of his “rehab progression.” He threw 91 pitches in his next start, making it safe to assume that he’ll be able to throw 100 in Game 1.

So how did Ohtani dominate the Phillies last month? Ohtani threw sliders for 26.5% of his pitches, using it to generate four of his six swings-and-misses. His fastball topped out at 101.7 mph, tied for the fastest pitch he’s thrown this season. Expect Ohtani — who throws six different pitches — to attack the Phillies the same way with fastballs and sliders. They couldn’t figure it out last month. They’ll have another try on Saturday.

“He’s obviously going to be a challenge for us,” J.T. Realmuto said. “But I do think, hopefully seeing him a second time, will help our guys.”

How Cristopher Sánchez transformed from a castoff to one of baseball’s premier pitchers. The Phillies traded for him in December of 2019, sending minor-leaguer Curtis Mead to Tampa Bay because the Rays could not fit Sánchez onto their 40-man roster before the Rule 5 draft. The Rays, long known as perhaps the best organization at identifying and developing arms, let Sánchez and his triple-digit fastball go. He was 23 years old and just spent the majority of his sixth professional season in A ball. The Rays quickly looked like winners when Mead was raking in the minors and Sánchez was pitching to a 4.68 ERA at triple A.

Six years later, Sánchez is the No. 1 starter for a World Series contender and Mead was traded this summer to the White Sox for a rental pitcher. You have to tip your hat to Matt Klentak, who traded for Sánchez two weeks before he signed Zack Wheeler. Sánchez needed more time in Philly to develop and credit goes to pitching coach Caleb Cotham for working his magic. The lefty learned to harness his fastball, blossomed last season, and led all pitchers this season in Wins Above Replacement. He’ll likely finish second to Paul Skenes for the National League Cy Young Award but Sánchez is an ace in October. How did that happen?

Everyone saw the videos of Jhoan Duran’s entrance after the Phillies traded for him at the deadline. They were great, right? But I still didn’t expect it to resonate immediately in Philly. It would take about a month, I figured, before an entire ballpark bought in. I was at the park for his first appearance and watched with curiosity as he entered. Then the lights went out and the crowd reacted like a rock concert. It blew me away. I’ve been lucky to see some cool moments at CBP: the ‘07 clinch, the 2008 World Series, J-Roll’s hit vs. the Dodgers, and Bedlam at the Bank come to mind. But I immediately said this — a closer entering in an August game — was a Top 5 moment. The crowd’s reaction was so unique to anything I’ve heard at a Phils game. It was even cooler than it looked on TV and it looked pretty cool on TV. I wondered that night driving home what it would all look like in October. We might soon find out.

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