The Philadelphia Phillies are in an enviable position as of Wednesday afternoon.
After winning Game 3 of the World Series against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night, they hold a 2-1 lead with two more games to be played in Philadelphia.
Since they are 6-0 at home during the 2022 playoffs, you could say that’s a dream scenario for them.
The Astros, however, are far from dead: they have shown time and time again they are an elite team.
However, it’s hard to deny the Phillies have the advantage at the moment.
They are also in a great spot because they did not use their top bullpen arms to win last night, which is a huge victory.
“Worth noting: The Phillies’ big lead allowed manager Rob Thomson to avoid using Seranthony Dominguez and Jose Alvarado. Going into Game 4, each will have had four days of rest. It’s a ton for this time of year — and will allow Thomson to get very aggressive with his bullpen use,” MLB insider Jeff Passan tweeted.
Worth noting: The Phillies' big lead allowed manager Rob Thomson to avoid using Seranthony Dominguez and Jose Alvarado. Going into Game 4, each will have had four days of rest. It's a ton for this time of year — and will allow Thomson to get very aggressive with his bullpen use.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 2, 2022
The Phillies Bullpen Is Well-Rested
The Phillies will use one of their best starters today, Aaron Nola, who had a 3.25 ERA in the regular season but struggled in Game 1 in Houston.
Nola led them in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) this year and it’s hard to see him struggling two times in a row.
If he ever gets into trouble, however, the Phillies’ top arms are well-rested.
It’s not hard to see Dominguez and Alvarado covering three or four innings between Games 4 and 5 on Wednesday and Thursday.
Additionally, David Robertson and Zach Eflin, two trustworthy relievers, also have rested for multiple days and will be available for a lot of work, as well.
The Phillies might just have stolen the Astros’ status as favorites.
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