In the final leg of a relay, who's running the baton? The fastest guy on the team. The same logic applies to Game 7 of the NLCS, where both the Phillies and Diamondbacks are expected to trot out their star pitchers for relief work.
Phillies' Zack Wheeler and Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen will both reportedly be available in relief on Tuesday. Each club's managers echoed the same sentiment: "All hands on deck."
Rob Thomson said after Game 6 that everybody except for Aaron Nola would be ready to step up. Not long after, Torey Lovullo said Zac Gallen plans to be available, too.
One October legend and one NL Cy Young candidate going toe to toe in a gotta-have-it Game 7. Bring out the popcorn.
Phillies' Zack Wheeler, Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen expected to go head-to-head in Game 7 of NLCS
Wheeler and Gallen faced each other twice this postseason in Game 1 and Game 5; the Phillies won both games.
Amid concerns about both aces' health, as Wheeler and Gallen had just played two days ago, both club managers appear to be in agreement about one thing. In a win-or-go-home game like this, you've got to put your best players out there.
The World Series is on the line tonight, and each club should feel confident entering this matchup with its respective aces.
On one side, savvy playoff veteran Zack Wheeler has a 2.08 ERA this postseason and is 3-0. In his postseason career, opponents have hit .164/.211/.256 against him. On the other side, Zac Gallen, the NL starter in the All-Star Game, has a 5.24 ERA in this year's playoffs and has gone 2-2.
If Game 7 comes down to the final innings, Wheeler and Gallen are primed to be the pitchers of the moment. In the words of Mikey Berzatto, let it rip.
