Phillies set NLDS roster with 12 pitchers
While the Phillies have yet to announce their Game 2 and 3 starters, they’ll likely go with lefties Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo.
The Phillies set their roster for the division series, and it was exactly as everyone expected.
Twelve pitchers will be on the roster for the best-of-five series, leaving 14 position players, including righty-hitting bench bats Weston Wilson and Otto Kemp. The Dodgers will have five lefty relievers in their bullpen, creating opportunities for both Wilson and Kemp.
The Phillies have not announced their Game 2 and 3 starters, but manager Rob Thomson is expected to go with lefties Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo. In that case, the Phillies will have three starters — Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker, and Walker Buehler — to provide multiple innings out of the bullpen in case of a short start and/or extra innings.
No matter what moves the Phillies make before the trade deadline Monday, they will have to fix some of their issues internally. Chief among them: Trea Turner's defense at shortstop. And that's where infield coach Bobby Dickerson comes in. Dickerson sat down with "Phillies Extra," The Inquirer's baseball podcast, to discuss Turner's struggles, the problems with analytics in measuring defense, his unique coaching style, and more. Watch here.
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Previous episodes: Jim Bowden | John Middleton | Ryan Howard | Dan Baker | Ricky Bottalico | Preston Mattingly | Caleb Cotham | Larry Bowa | Joe Maddon | Rhys Hoskins
