Phillies’ NLCS rotation lines up with Zack Wheeler to start Game 1 vs. the Padres

In outlining the Phillies’ pitching plans for Game 4 of the National League Division Series, manager Rob Thomson kept it simple.

“Everybody’s available,” he said Saturday morning.

That included Zack Wheeler.

Never mind that Wheeler started Game 2 on Wednesday night, or that he was a possibility to start a potential winner-takes-all Game 5 on short rest Sunday back in Atlanta. If the Phillies needed their ace for a few outs in relief, they were ready to call on him.

» READ MORE: Red October returns: Phillies revel in postseason magic

It wasn’t necessary. For a second game in a row, the Phillies poured on the offense. Wheeler never had to go to the bullpen, and now, after the Phillies vanquished the Atlanta Braves — 8-3 in the game, 3-1 in the best-of-five series — Wheeler is available to start Game 1 of the NL Championship Series on Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres, who eliminated the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

Perfect, isn’t it?

“It’s going to be nice, wherever we end up going,” Wheeler said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Could Wheeler really have pitched Saturday?

“I could have,” he said amid another loud, sudsy clubhouse celebration. “Probably not ideal, but yeah, I could have.”

In the first three games of the series, the task of patching together 27 outs was straightforward because the Phillies had their best three starters — Ranger Suárez, Wheeler, and Aaron Nola — lined up.

But Game 4 was always going to be trickier. For days, the Phillies talked about how they might approach it. They settled on Noah Syndergaard as the starter, even thought he hadn’t made a start since Oct. 1. Thomson said he would’ve been “really happy” with three innings from Syndergaard. That’s exactly what he got.

Syndergaard retired nine of 10 batters, yielding only a solo home run to Orlando Arcia. With 18 outs to get and a 4-1 lead, the Phillies passed the bullpen baton.

» READ MORE: Phillies avoid vaunted Dodgers, will face Padres in NLCS after wild rally

Andrew Bellatti for three outs.

Brad Hand for three more.

José Alvarado for five — and a celebratory wave as he walked off the mound to a standing ovation.

Zach Eflin for four outs.

By the time Seranthony Domínguez took the mound in the ninth inning, with 45,000 strong roaring and waving red rally towels, the Phillies had a five-run lead that felt like 15 runs and Wheeler tucked away for NLCS Game 1 on regular rest, followed by Aaron Nola on regular rest in Game 2.

David Robertson hasn’t thrown from a mound since he strained his calf while celebrating Bryce Harper’s homer in Game 2 of the wild-card series. But the veteran reliever thinks he’s closer to being ready to pitch.

“I’m doing everything they tell me to,” Robertson said. “I want to be active. I didn’t play all these games this year just to sit out and only get one appearance.”

» READ MORE: Phillies close out Braves with a 8-3 victory to advance to first NLCS since 2010

Robertson said it’s “embarrassing” to have gotten injured while jumping up and down in the bullpen after Harper’s homer in the second inning last week in St. Louis. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection and has been getting treatment.

It’s not clear whether Robertson can be ready by the start of the NLCS. He’s a key member of the late-inning bullpen mix, with Domínguez, Alvarado, and Eflin.

”It was an awesome home run,” Robertson said. “I just need to stay within my limits.”

When J.T. Realmuto’s third-inning drive banged off the wall in left-center field and rolled halfway across the outfield, Braves rightfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. wasn’t backing up the play. Center fielder Michael Harris II had to retrieve the ball, enabling Realmuto to score on an inside-the-park home run.

A few notes on the play:

Braves starter Charlie Morton took a line drive off the elbow in the second inning. When he came out for the third, he was unable to get loose and had to be replaced.

“He said, ‘I’m going to try it,’ and I’m thinking if it doesn’t go well then I think we’re in a deeper hole,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker, who said Morton went for an X-ray. “I watched the warmup pitches and just told him my eye test wasn’t real good right there.”

It was reminiscent of Game 6 of the 1993 NLCS, when Mickey Morandini lined a ball off Braves starter Greg Maddux’s leg. Maddux stayed in the game but lasted only six innings in the Phillies’ series-clinching victory at Veterans Stadium.

Among the local celebrities in attendance: Jeffrey Lurie and Joel Embiid. Lurie sat with Phillies owner John Middleton; Embiid held up a No. 21 Phillies jersey when he was shown on Phanavision. ... Alvarado said Hand was responsible for making the “Strike One, Strike Two, and Good Luck” T-shirts based on Alvarado’s comments after Game 1 against the Braves. ... Former Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell, a core member of the 2008 World Series-winning team, threw the ceremonial first pitch.