Manager Rob Thomson defended his bullpen usage during the postgame press conference, pointing to heavy starter usage and back-to-back bullpen games earlier in the week. "Our guys have pitched in high-leverage spots all summer," Thomson said. "Right now, we are missing over the plate, and good hitters don't miss those pitches in late September."
Opposing scouts echo that sentiment. Philadelphia's late-inning relievers have seen an average drop of 1.4 mph on four-seam fastballs over the last ten days. Secondary pitches are bouncing short of the dirt or hanging in the upper half of the strike zone. That mechanical fatigue turns routine flyouts into multi-run home runs, putting impossible pressure on a cold offense.
