Phillies, Diamondbacks Starting Best Pitchers in Game 1 of NLCS
The Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks will send their best to the mound for Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Monday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
The Phillies will start Zack Wheeler and the Diamondbacks will start Zac Gallen.
This will be a matchup of two pitchers that are a combined 3-0 in the postseason.
Wheeler is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts this postseason, as he’s pitched 13 innings, given up eight hits and four runs (three earned). He has struck out 18 and walked one.
He won Game 1 of the NL Wild Card series against the Miami Marlins, throwing 6.2 innings and allowing just five hits and one run, while striking out eight and walking none. He then started Game 2 of the NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, and although Philadelphia lost that game 5-4, Wheeler set them up well. He threw 6.1 innings, allowed three hits and three runs (two earned), while he struck out 10 and walked one.
Wheeler is 1-1 against Arizona this season. He absorbed the loss on May 22 at home in a game in which he gave up eight hits and four runs (three earned) in six innings. He struck out three and walked one. He bounced back on June 13 on the road, where he took the win. He gave up four hits and one run in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson is expecting a usual Wheeler start on Monday.
“Yeah, he just has great stuff, and he holds his stuff, which allows him to go deeper into games, and that's what his goal is at the start of the game,” Thomson said. “It's a good combination to have stuff and competitiveness and being able to hold your stuff.”
Gallen is 2-0 in this postseason with a 3.18 ERA. He’s thrown 11.1 innings, given up 10 hits, four runs (all earned) with eight strikeouts and five walks. He went six innings against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card series and then 5.1 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.
He’s only made one start against Philadelphia this season, which was on May 24 at Citizens Bank Park. He went 5.2 innings and got a no-decision, but he was effective. He allowed five hits and two earned runs. He struck out three and walked two.
The Somerdale, N.J., native, may be well-equipped to handle the atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park, as he’s been around Phillies fans most of his life and he’s pitched in the park several times. Plus, he had his best regular-season ever in 2023 — 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA.
“Zac Gallen is that he is as good as anybody I've been around at slowing down the moment and not being too overexcited,” D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “You will get a chance to talk to him. For those that don't know him or haven't talked to him, you can tell how his mind works and how he is very slow-moving and process-oriented with everything that he says, does, and executes on a daily basis.”
Given his family’s proximity to Philly, Gallen tends to have a large contingent at Citizens Bank when he pitches.
No doubt the Phillies fans will drown them out on Monday.
NLCS: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
(Best-of-7 series, all times eastern)
Game 1: Arizona at Philadelphia, Monday, 8:07 p.m., TBS
Game 2: Arizona at Philadelphia, Tuesday, 8:07 p.m., TBS
Game 3: Philadelphia at Arizona, Thursday, 5:07 p.m., TBS
Game 4: Philadelphia at Arizona, Friday, 8:07 p.m., TBS
Game 5: Philadelphia at Arizona, Saturday, Oct. 21, 8:07 p.m., TBS*
Game 6: Arizona at Philadelphia, Monday, Oct. 23, 5:07 p.m., TBS*
Game 7: Arizona at Philadelphia, Tuesday, Oct. 24 8:07 p.m., TBS*
*-if necessary
