DENVER — The Phillies flew to Colorado on Sunday after a whirlwind day that began with them losing top reliever Jose Alvarado for 80 games and the playoffs, continued with Mick Abel delivering one of the best debuts in team history, and ended with them trailing the Mets and Dodgers by just a half-game for the best record in the National League.
A day later, everyone has had time to process the most important news, which was the 80-game suspension for Alvarado, who tested positive for Testosterone that entered his body through a weight loss supplement taken during the offseason.
At some point, the Phillies will likely address the back end of the bullpen via trade. But the deadline is 10 weeks away so in the meantime, others need to step up.
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SIGN UP HERE "Just do your thing and try not to do more than who you are because I truly believe that we have enough stuff in our 'pen, we do," manager Rob Thomson said of his message to the relievers. "Just don't try to do too much. Throw strikes, just be yourselves and we'll get it done."
Matt Strahm will shift into the role previously held by Alvarado. Strahm and Jordan Romano will make up the closing tandem, with Strahm called on in the eighth inning if it's a left-handed section of the lineup and Romano used if there are righties due up. The other guy would get the ninth.
It also means that Tanner Banks will move up a role. He's now the second-most important lefty in the bullpen like Strahm previously was. And when Strahm is unavailable — as he most likely is Monday night after pitching in back-to-back games — Banks will see late-game leverage work. More eighth innings. Maybe even a ninth inning, occasionally.
"We'll figure out who falls where," Banks said Monday. "Ultimately, it's be ready whenever whether it's up one, down one or up or down five. The job doesn't change."
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The Phillies called up right-handed reliever Max Lazar from Triple A and he'll be in the bullpen for the series opener at Coors Field, taking Abel's roster spot. Jose Ruiz is also back after missing a couple of weeks with a neck injury. Orion Kerkering and those two would be the right-handers the Phillies feel most comfortable using against lefties in Banks' previous role as the third lefty.
"The number one goal is to find another guy or two that can go into leverage," Thomson said. "I think managing the leverage guys is pretty easy because I have certain rules and I stick with 'em and I'm not gonna move away from that because it's all about keeping them healthy."
One of those rules is not using a reliever three days in a row. Tempting as it might be without Alvarado, Thomson won't overuse Strahm and Romano.
"We've got to find out about some other guys, too," he said. "Joe Ross hasn't pitched in eight days so he's got to pitch tonight. That might be a leverage spot. Same thing with Ruiz. We've had Banks in some leverage spots lately and he's done a fine job."
He'll find himself in another if the Phillies have a narrow late lead over the 8-38 Rockies on Monday night.