Philadelphia Phillies Stare Down Astros on Doorstep of Playoffs

The Philadelphia Phillies' magic number is one.

One win in their next series, or a Milwaukee Brewers loss, guarantees the team their first playoff berth in eleven years. They will be fighting tooth and nail to secure that lone victory over their next three games, but it won't necessarily be easy.

The 104-win Houston Astros aren't pulling any punches in this series, lining up the top of their rotation and trotting out a fully-stocked lineup to face the Phillies.

So, without further ado, let's get into the pitching matchups for the most important series of the last decade of Phillies baseball.

Game One: Monday 8:10 p.m. ET - NBCSP | Aaron Nola vs. Lance McCullers Jr.

After spending the majority of the 2022 season rehabbing from injury, Lance McCullers has returned as an immediate difference-maker for the Astros. Across 41.2 innings of work, the right-hander has managed a 2.38 ERA, striking out 45 batters in the process. The 28-year-old has allowed his fair share of free passes on the season, however, walking 21 batters across that same span. He'll be the first of three tough tests the Phillies will face in this series.

Perhaps the Phillies' most consistent arm of their 2022 campaign, Aaron Nola will look to carry a strong September into October with his start against the Astros on Monday.

While his previous turn on the hill wasn't his best, the right-hander managed a 2.93 ERA across five starts in the month of September, and is set to cross the 200 innings-pitched threshold on his vastly underrated season. Across 198.1 frames, the Phillies' secondary ace has managed a 0.98 WHIP, alongside a nearly non-existent 1.3 walks-per-nine. He has been outstanding.

A strong Nola start could be the difference-maker on Monday night. The Phillies are certainly hoping he comes out strong.

Game Two: Tuesday 8:10 p.m. ET - NBCSP | Ranger Suárez vs. Justin Verlander

At 39 years of age, Justin Verlander stands to be the frontrunner for the American League Cy Young Award. What the veteran right-hander has managed to accomplish throughout his career is nothing short of Hall of Fame worthy, but winning his third Cy Young at this advanced age, as well as the ERA title, might just be the crowning achievement of his tenure. The Phillies are hoping he'll take it easy on them, just this once.

Ranger Suárez has managed to prove this year that his otherworldly 2021 season was anything but a fluke. After a compromised start to the year, the southpaw has managed a solid 3.37 ERA across 152.1 innings of work, and continues to be a superstar on the mound defensively. He faces a major challenge on Tuesday night, stacked up against the best pitcher in baseball, but will surely find a way to keep the Phillies in the game during his time on the bump.

Game Three: Wednesday 4:10 p.m. ET - NBCSP | Bailey Falter vs. Framber Valdez

Framber Valdez has been a revelation for the Houston Astros. His ability to induce soft contact is perhaps the best in the game, and the southpaw strung together 25 consecutive quality starts earlier this year, breaking a Major League record in the process. His 2.89 ERA across 196.1 frames this season has solidified him at the forefront of the Astros' rotation for years to come.

In a surprising turn of events, Bailey Falter has emerged as one of the Phillies' stronger rotation members in the final days of the 2022 season. Since the left-hander began primarily relying on his four-seam fastball on July 29, he's tossed a 3.06 ERA in 50 frames, walking just seven batters, and striking out 45 in that span.

The southpaw's emergence is a major development for the Philadelphia Phillies, and he has likely earned himself a spot in the back end of the team's starting rotation to begin the season in 2023.

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