Like his predecessor, though, Melvin has faced sizable challenges. Read the full story here. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez / USA Today)Dennis Lin·Staff Writer, PadresGO FURTHERIn Padres’ dramatic season, Bob Melvin has made communication a constantOctober 18, 2022 at 8:33 AM EDTNLCS-bound Phillies are confident, dangerous and riding a high they can’t explainPHILADELPHIA — Rhys Hoskins stood in the middle of it all Saturday evening. Cigar smoke wafted inside the home clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park.
ET, FS1 (if necessary)Game 7: Phillies at Padres, Oct. 25 at 8:03 p. ET, Fox/FS1 (if necessary)(Photo: Orlando Ramirez / USA Today)October 18, 2022 at 1:59 PM EDTPhillies trusting David Robertson in NLCSSAN DIEGO — Last weekend, when the Phillies were on the verge of advancing to the NLCS, David Robertson played coy.
A rookie pitcher making his big-league debut blanked them for seven innings. The offense finished with three hits, one walk and no runs. San Diego’s tenuous hold on a wild-card spot slipped even further. Afterward, inside the visiting clubhouse at Chase Field, manager Bob Melvin upbraided the team for its lack of intensity, surprising some in the room with an uncharacteristic outpouring of frustration. “It was a little shocking, not in a bad way, ” Musgrove said. “But just, we hadn’t heard that side of him or seen that side of him. ”Melvin, a stoic but decidedly competitive man, had seen enough. The Padres had gone 37-42 over the past three months.
If Robertson reinjures the calf and must be removed from the roster, he would not be eligible for the World Series. Thomson said the Phillies needed Robertson to be full-go to put him on this roster. “It’s a big question mark with that injury, ” Thomson said, “that you say, ‘Oh, in three days he's going to be ready.
It’s not that he didn’t believe in his teammates. This just happened so fast. The Phillies were the last team to seal a berth in this MLB postseason tournament and they were the first to advance to the league’s Championship Series. They swept St. Louis. They outscored Atlanta, the defending champs, by 13 runs in two games at Citizens Bank Park. They advanced to the next round by conquering, of all things, a bullpen game.
There were lengthy discussions between the training staff and the front office. They decided to trust Robertson. The Phillies will need every available reliever for this series. If it goes the distance, the Phillies and Padres would play five games in five days with a cross-country flight in the middle of it all. The bullpens will be tested.
They had weathered Fernando Tatis Jr. ’s season-long absence and his jarring suspension. But they had not played up to their still-considerable talent. Despite a gaudy payroll, they were providing little reason to believe a deep October run — or, for that matter, any kind of run — was possible. That night in Arizona was not the first time Melvin had expressed his displeasure. In late July, following a lopsided defeat in Detroit, he “came in and basically ripped us for losing to a bad team, ” veteran reliever Craig Stammen recalled. Yet Melvin, pushed to the brink after the latest in a string of listless performances, reserved his most pointed message for Sept.
Bottles and cans littered the carpet. José Alvarado stuck a bottle of expensive liquor between his legs and random teammates grabbed at it. The Phillies partied for the third time in 13 days, and the whole routine was ingrained by now. The toast. “Eight more, Topper, ” J. T. Realmuto said to manager Rob Thomson before everyone sprayed bubbly. The playlist. The dance routines. All of it. But it was difficult for Hoskins to believe what he saw.
Part of it was human nature; second-guessing comes more easily when things are going awry. Part of it was because explanations seemed in short supply. “It was a lot of decisions last year, ” said Joe Musgrove, the only starting pitcher to not miss a turn. “It was just a little less open communication.
Phillies vs Padres live stream: How to watch Game 1 of the Game 4: Padres in Phillies on Saturday, October 22 at 7:45 p.m. on Fox; Game 5: Padres in Phillies on Sunday, October 23 at 2:37 p.m. on FS1
’ I don't know if anybody can answer that question. That's a big roster spot to take up and sort of not be able to utilize it properly. ”(Photo: Eric Hartline / USA Today)Matt GelbOctober 18, 2022 at 1:34 PM EDTIn Padres’ dramatic season, Bob Melvin has made communication a constantSAN DIEGO — The 2021 Padres started strong, treaded water and eventually nosedived, dragged down by pitching injuries and clubhouse unrest. As the team crumbled, players and even coaches wondered about strategy choices made above them.
He was embarrassed about injuring his right calf while celebrating Bryce Harper’s home run against St. Louis on Oct. 8. But the veteran reliever would not say how severe the injury was. If it was a Grade 1 strain, Robertson said, he would have been pitching in the NLDS. So, what was the diagnosis? He would not reveal it.
Pause. The Phillies — the Phillies — advanced to the National League Championship Series by winning a bullpen game. “I’m going to pay my respects to the baseball gods, ” Hoskins said after an 8-3 win in Game 4 of the Division Series, “because they gave us these situations. ”The baseball gods have a sense of humor. The Phillies are not just advancing to the NLCS. They are soaring to California, where they’ll face the Padres, with their pitching aligned in perfect form. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola can pitch in four of the series’ first six games. Wheeler will have extra rest for Game 1. Nola will be on regular rest for Game 2. The Phillies have two days to reset everyone in the bullpen before the series begins Tuesday. (Photo: Bill Streicher / USA Today)Matt GelbGO FURTHERNLCS-bound Phillies are confident, dangerous and riding a high they can’t explainOctober 18, 2022 at 8:32 AM EDTHow did the Padres go from underachieving to surging into the NLCS? SAN DIEGO — One month before Saturday, before Joe Musgrove started what his childhood idol predicted could be this city’s biggest sporting event in two decades, the Padres played an awful baseball game.
San Diego Padres vs Philadelphia Phillies - Bolavip Check out everything you need to know about this MLB Playoffs matchup, such as when, where and how to watch or live stream free this game.
How to Watch Philadelphia Phillies vs Padres NLCS Game 1 Location: Petco Park, San Diego, Ca. Date: Tuesday, Oct. 18. Time: 8:03 p.m. EDT. TV Channel: FS1. Live Stream: fuboTV (start your