“What kind of crazy is that?” Rob Thomson said with a shake of his head. “Yeah, that’s crazy. Happened so quick. We’re playing pretty well right now, and we’ve had some fortunate breaks.”
That’s been the theme of this week: wins piling up, rivals collapsing, and the finish line appearing almost overnight. But it hasn’t just been the standings moving in the right direction — the injury report finally carries some good news, too.
Alec Bohm, sidelined with shoulder trouble, is back swinging. “Bohm’s going to tee and toss and ramp it up, so it’s feeling good,” Thomson said. Trea Turner, nursing a hamstring strain, is also making progress. “I hate to say it, but it looks like he’s ahead of schedule. You hear that all the time … but he’s going good.”
Last year, Turner’s running was cautious when he first returned, and Thomson understands why. “There’s kind of fear in there for everybody when they come back. Hopefully we can get through that. He’s 100 percent and he runs 100 percent.”
There’s also the question of the rotation.
Off days loom, which could mean adjustments to the six-man rotation the Phillies are using, but the manager isn’t ready to commit. “Right now, yeah, we may fiddle with it a little bit, but the next four days will tell us a lot.”
Even if the division is put to bed on Sunday, don’t expect the Phillies to coast. Seeding matters, as it will dictate home field advantage. The Phillies enter Sunday trailing the Brewers by two games for the top spot in the National League.
“We still want the best record as well,” Thomson said. “If it’s there for the taking, we’ll go for it.”
It hasn’t been his sharpest season, but on a day when the Phillies can clinch, Thomson has no hesitation.
“He’s a veteran guy. The moment’s not gonna be too big for him. He’s coming off a really good start. So I feel really good about it.”
For Nola, the longest-tenured Phillie, it’s a fitting moment. He pitched through the lean years and now potentially stands at the center of the celebration. “It’s probably very rewarding for him … to now be on a winner and to have four chances in a row to clinch this thing, it’s pretty amazing,” Thomson said.
A magic number that evaporated in a week. Injuries on the mend. A trusted arm on the mound. The Phillies are one step from finishing the job they’ve been building toward since spring.
For Nola, the longest-tenured Phillie, it’s a fitting moment. He pitched through the lean years and now potentially stands at the center of the celebration. “It’s probably very rewarding for him … to now be on a winner and to have four chances in a row to clinch this thing, it’s pretty amazing,” Thomson said.
A magic number that evaporated in a week. Injuries on the mend. A trusted arm on the mound. The Phillies are one step from finishing the job they’ve been building toward since spring.
"These guys work all year … all the weight room stuff, all the recovery work, being with the trainers, healing the little nicks on the way," Thomson said. "All the adversity — travel, rain, weather. It’s really satisfying when you get to this day and can get this done."
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