Philadelphia Phillies Counting on Lineup to Power Past Padres in Game Four

With Mike Clevinger on the bump for the San Diego Padres, the Philadelphia Phillies are counting on their lineup to lift them in Game 4 of the NLCS.

Author:
Alex Carr
Oct 22, 2022 6:30 PM EDT

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Philadelphia Phillies

When the Philadelphia Phillies blew past the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series, they did so with relative ease. To the shock and awe of many a Phillies an Braves fan alike, it was the Phillies' offense, not the Braves', that posted multiple insurmountable run totals, outscoring the defending World Champions by a score of 24-13 across their four-game bout.

Unfortunately, the Phillies have yet to see that same productivity out of their lineup in the National League Championship Series. They've scored a measly 11 runs across the first three games of the NLCS, and have combined to go 5-for-21 (.238) as a club with runners in scoring position.

Philadelphia is hoping that all changes on Saturday night.

Phillies hitters will stare down Mike Clevinger to begin Game 4. Clevinger's first start this postseason did not go to plan, he allowed five runs across 2.2 innings versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, and was the losing pitcher the lone game that the San Diego Padres dropped in their NLDS series.

However, the right-hander had a solid regular season — at least, within the confines of Petco Park. He was spectacular while pitching in San Diego, turning in a 2.88 ERA at home, and holding batters to a measly .636 OPS.

On the road though, his numbers ballooned to a staggering 5.46 ERA, combined with a .774 OPS. A stark difference.

The Phillies have been bolstered greatly by their home crowd this postseason. Combine their strong performance in Citizens Bank Park with Clevinger's struggles on the road, and that should be a recipe for success.

Conversely, the Phillies are also at a disadvantage versus the Padres lineup, as they'll send Bailey Falter to the bump for his first-ever postseason appearance. Manager Rob Thomson detailed on Friday night that the hope is for the 25-year-old left-hander to go once through the Padres' order.

Falter emerged as a legitimate back-end rotation option for the Phillies in the latter half of the 2022 regular season, and the southpaw has shown flashes of brilliance, but he is far from an ideal option to send out to start a pivotal Game 4.

Both Falter and the Phillies will be hoping for a strong offensive performance to alleviate some of the pressure from what is, by all intents and purposes, a bullpen game for Philadelphia.

All in all, if the Phillies are aiming to take home a monumental victory, the bulk of the heavy-lifting resides with the offense. It would be a welcome sight to have signs of life from bats like Rhys Hoskins, J.T. Realmuto, and Nick Castellanos, all of whom are due for something resembling a strong performance.

Two wins separate the Philadelphia Phillies from their first World Series berth since 2009. If their bats can pick them up on Saturday, the team would have a chance to clinch their spot in the Fall Classic at home on Sunday.

I'll leave you to imagine the pandemonium that would ensue...