With the Arizona Diamondbacks' season seemingly on the line, the team entering Thursday with a 2-0 deficit in the NLCS, Brandon Pfaadt was put in a difficult position. The right-handed rookie pulled through with the best performance of his career in a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
In 5.2 innings pitched, Pfaadt allowed only two hits, zero runs and struck out nine batters. He tamed a ferocious Phillies lineup and when manager Torey Lovullo went to take him out in the sixth inning, with Kyle Schwarber looming in the on-deck circle, fans at Chase Field booed. But Lovullo was adamant about not letting Pfaadt go a third time through the vaunted Phillies lineup and elected to take him out despite him cruising and only throwing 70 pitches.
"He did a nice job," Phillies manager Rob Thompson said. "He threw strikes, mixed his pitches well, kept us off balance. It's a guy we haven't seen before, so it's a little bit different. But I thought he did a good job."
The Diamondbacks having Pfaadt pitch in Game 3 of the National League Divisional Series against the Dodgers, a game that they won to sweep Los Angeles, underscored their confidence in the right-hander. They turned down significant trade inquiries for Pfaadt at the July 31 deadline, according to major-league sources, and believed that he had the ability to be a long-term stalwart in their rotation.
It was not always smooth sailing in 2023 for Pfaadt, however. While he has a fastball-heavy attack, the Diamondbacks optioned him to the minors to work on his secondary pitches. Pitching coach Brent Strom moved Pfaadt to the other side of the rubber on the mound the last time he was optioned. Since then, he has been a totally different pitcher, and on Thursday became:
- The first pitcher in baseball postseason history with back-to-back starts allowing zero runs and zero walks
- The first starting pitcher in Diamondbacks history with nine or more strikeouts in a playoff start
- The seventh most strikeouts by a rookie in a postseason game (9)
It's given the Diamondbacks a third reliable starter behind Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. And on Thursday, it got them right back into the series against what had looked like an unstoppable Phillies team.
"That's what we've been doing all year," Christian Walker said. "Backs against the wall, and someone steps up."
Alek Thomas, Brandon Pfaadt overcome adversity
In the Diamondbacks' clubhouse, minutes after the game ended, outfielder Alek Thomas remembered the moment before both he and Pfaadt were optioned to Triple-A together earlier this season.
"We got breakfast together. Hang out together. We knew we were going to be back and go through all the adversity to get back here," Thomas said. "To look back on it, we were down on ourselves. Now, we're happy. None of that matters. We're just going to keep on doing our thing. But it's definitely an awesome moment for him today."
For Thomas, the addition of Tommy Pham midseason, as well as having veteran players Evan Longoria and Ketel Marte in the locker room, was instrumental in getting back to the majors and bouncing back. "They are all veterans, but they all have different qualities. You take bits and pieces from each guy, and they help you with your mindset. For us being so young, it's been pretty invaluable."
The presence of those veterans and the emergence of star rookie Corbin Carroll helped position the Diamondbacks to upset the Brewers and Dodgers. The pitching stepped up throughout the regular season and has continued into the postseason. It's put the Diamondbacks in position to come back from an early 2-0 deficit against the hottest team in baseball and while their Cinderella run surprised many observers, that has not been the case for the players themselves.
"I wouldn't say we're surprised," Thomas said. "We're definitely just going about our business and things seem to fall our way. We're going to keep with that mindset and not think that we shouldn't be here. We definitely should be here based on what we've done this season and what we've proven to the league."
"I believe in this team," Ketel Marte said.
Where does the NLCS stand now?
For the Diamondbacks, they've preached optimism. They believe that the win on Thursday can be used as a launching pad for Game 4. The Phillies, meanwhile, have continually stated that they are onto Game 4, with Brandon Marsh saying that the team has already moved on from the Game 3 loss.
It's difficult to imagine the Diamondbacks keeping the Phillies' lineup quiet once again, especially as they turn to Joe Mantiply in a bullpen game for Game 4. It's where the Diamondbacks' lack of starting pitching depth could be exposed. But this is why the Diamondbacks hired Brent Strom, regarded as one of the best pitching coaches in baseball.
Immediately after the Game 3 victory, Strom looked across the Diamondbacks' locker room and waved over to Mantiply. The two disappeared into a private area, surely to study the Phillies' lineup and to begin the process of putting together a game plan for Game 4. The Phillies will surely be ready, and it will take everything from Strom and the Diamondbacks' pitching staff to piece together 27 outs against the vaunted Phillies lineup on Friday.
"Just have to dust yourself off and come back tomorrow," Thompson said, "and that's what this team does."
If they are successful in doing so, they'll be one win away from reaching the World Series for a second consecutive season. If the Diamondbacks win Game 4, they will ensure that the series goes back to Philadelphia – and considering their status as underdogs, will put the pressure squarely on the Phillies.
Which makes Game 4 critical for both teams, and could very well determine the outcome of the series.
