Phillies bullpen gets back to its ‘PHAH’ ways to close out the D’backs in Game 5

PHOENIX — For years, Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman had three initials carved into the side of his bright blue glove. They read “FAH.” He had it done when he was in Cincinnati, as an homage to a slogan that his former Reds pitching coach, Caleb Cotham, frequently preached. “FAH” stood for “[expletive] all hitters.” It embodied Hoffman’s mindset on the mound.

Cotham brought the slogan to the Phillies when he was hired as their pitching coach in 2020, but made a slight change. He replaced “FAH” with “PHAH.” As in, “[expletive] all hitters,” Philly-style. Hoffman liked it. So, he recently reached out Marucci Sports, and asked them to make him a new glove, swapping out “FAH” with “PHAH.”

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They expedited it to him, just in time for the playoffs. It arrived before the National League Division Series against the Braves.

“It’s ready to go,” he said. “It’s broken in and everything.”

The change felt fitting, in more ways than one. Hoffman is now an integral part of this bullpen, and “PHAH” is the Phillies’ pitching mantra. It’s about fearlessness and attacking the zone; challenging a hitter with your best stuff, rather than pitching around him.

After a demoralizing loss 6-5 loss to the Diamondbacks in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Friday, the bullpen showed that fearlessness on Saturday in Game 5. Hoffman pitched in Games 3 and 4, combining for 34 pitches. Rob Thomson typically doesn’t like to use his relievers three days in a row, but Hoffman made a point of relaying a message to his manager.

“Let him know that I’m feeling fine today,” Hoffman told Cotham. “If he needs to use me, I’m available.”

His gesture went a long way. Thomson used seven relievers on Friday when the bullpen gave up three runs in the eighth inning to squander a lead and eventually the game. Starting pitcher Ranger Suárez was an option out of the bullpen on Saturday, on just two days of rest. It wasn’t ideal, and if Game 4 taught the Phillies anything, it was that no lead should be taken for granted.

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But after Zack Wheeler pitched seven innings of one-run ball and left with a 6-1 lead, there was no stress. Hoffman entered in the eighth, and allowed just one hit, retiring three hitters on his next 10 pitches.

“You would have never known he’s thrown four of our last five games,” said catcher J.T. Realmuto. “His stuff was as sharp tonight as it’s been all year long.”

Seranthony Domínguez entered after Hoffman in the ninth, but ran into a bit of trouble. After getting two quick outs, he allowed a walk, and deflected a comebacker from Geraldo Perdomo for a single to put runners on the corners.

Left-hander Matt Strahm quickly warmed up as Perdomo stepped into the box. He faced Corbin Carroll and struck him out on six pitches to end the game.

Strahm said he had Suárez in mind when he did so. He didn’t want the starter to be used out of the bullpen on Saturday if he didn’t have to.

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“I’m speaking for myself when I say it was in my mind,” Strahm said. “It was just, ‘OK, we just limit the free passes and attack hitters. Make them beat us.’ Because we have elite stuff and we’ve got back-end stuff all the way through.”

Thanks to the trio of Hoffman, Domínguez and Strahm, Suárez can be used out of the bullpen in Game 6, or as a starter in Game 7, should the series go that far. As Strahm walked toward Realmuto after the game, the camera caught him saying something to his catcher.

“Five more, baby,” he said.