The Phillies are off to a 5-1 start — one that has been so dominant that they've only had one save and two save situations mixed amid their early plus-16 run differential.
And while it's not a surprise that manager Rob Thomson likes to employ a closer by committee approach, it has been interesting to see how he's managed the late innings in the closer games the team has played in the young season.
Perhaps due to matchups, or because the Phillies really, really like his stuff, José Alvarado pitched in his third straight game Thursday (all of them wins by the way). He relented one run and narrowly held on against the Rockies in that one, needing 35 pitches and a dramatic bases-loaded jam to secure save No. 1.
Through his four appearances, only two MLB pitchers have thrown a faster fastball, and just one a faster sinker. He has the highest velocity cutter in the majors right now. That sounds exhausting.
“It’s three out of four [days]. It’s 35 pitches. We’re going to take care of him now,” Thomson said of his flame-throwing reliever Thursday afternoon. “The control and command wasn’t there, but that might’ve been from the three out of four.”
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Alvarado has pitched three ninth innings and one eighth. This after an Opening Day blown save from new signee Jordan Romano, who has since settled down with a scoreless ninth in a blowout home opener win and a scoreless eighth Thursday.
Here's a look at the back of the bullpen hierarchy made apparent from Thomson's decisions against the Nationals and Rockies:
• Alvarado seems to be the regular closer, particularly when his lefty arm gives them a favorable matchup.
• Romano is the secondary closer, who is also called on when the ninth inning might include some big righty bats.
• Orion Kerkering, still just 24, has been put in the game a few times with men on base, typically in the sixth or seventh innings. He's been successful in those spots and doesn't appear to currently be in line for save situations.
• Matt Strahm appears to be the jack of all trades right now, having pitched in the seventh, eighth and tenth.
• Everyone else is just depth, garbage time or middle innings.
Clearly, the hot hand, matchups and days off (Alvarado is certainly in line to have one or two of those) will dictate which players appear in the highest leverage spots.
The days of having a Brad Lidge every day closer type — preceded by a Ryan Madson-led bridge to him — appear to be a thing of the past. Last season, eight relief pitchers earned at least one save, with Alvarado leading the pack with just 13. There were 22 pitchers with 20 or more of them.
The Phillies are going to continue to rely on a bevy of arms in different spots, which means it will both lessen the pressure on one guy, whilst also spreading it around to several arms, which will be immensely important late in games.
In 2024, while boasting two All-Star relievers (Strahm and departed Jeff Hoffman), the bullpen had the seventh-best ERA in MLB while utilizing relievers for the fourth-fewest total innings. If the starters can minimize the workload, the bullpen could be star-laden once again.
If the offense keeps putting up six runs per game, that'll help too.
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