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Top Storylines to Follow in Phillies vs. Padres NLCS

With the Philadelphia Phillies taking on the San Diego Padres in the NLCS, there will be no shortage of interesting stories to watch for.

As the Philadelphia Phillies take on the San Diego Padres in a best-of-seven National League Championship Series, there will be plenty of fun and exciting storylines to follow for Phillies and Padres fans alike. 

From an individual team standpoint, Philadelphia is playing in their first NLCS since 2010, while San Diego has reached this point for the first time in nearly a quarter century. As the Phillies hope to win a third World Series title, the Padres are one step closer to their first. 

Both teams overcame their fair share of obstacles to reach this point. Philadelphia lost superstar Bryce Harper to injury on multiple occasions this season (once at the hands of Padres pitcher Blake Snell), while San Diego lost superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. to injury and then suspension. Both teams, too, toppled imposing division rivals on their road to the NLCS.

What will make this NLCS so compelling, however, are the storylines that come from the particular matchup, not just the individual teams. Here are the five things I'm most excited to watch unfold in this year's NLCS.

Wild Card Teams on the League's Biggest Stage

As recently as 2011, neither Philadelphia or San Diego would have made the playoffs at all. Now, they'll be battling it out for a chance to reach the World Series. 

The Phillies beat two division winners to get to the National League Championship Series, while the Padres beat two 100-win teams. Many fans would have preferred to see a matchup of division winners or 100-win ballclubs in the NLCS. 

However, while some might be unhappy that the 89-win Padres and 87-win Phillies are the last two NL teams standing, it's hard to deny that this matchup will make for exciting baseball. Philadelphia and San Diego are two talented and evenly-matched teams. And no matter who wins, the National League will be sending an underdog to the World Series,

The Nola Brothers Face Off in the Biggest Game Yet

Aaron Nola has faced his older brother a few times over the past couple of years, and it has always made for must-watch baseball. In 2021, Aaron threw his fastest pitch of the season to strike out Austin. Earlier this season, Austin hit a go-ahead RBI single off his brother in a 1-0 Padres victory. It was his first hit against Aaron in five at-bats.

In a few days, expect them to face off once again in Game 2 of the NLCS. Aaron has already expressed excitement for the matchup, but he sounds a little worried about how his parents will handle the situation.

The Harper-Machado Sweepstakes Have Finally Paid Off

Bryce Harper and Manny Machado in 2018.

Bryce Harper and Manny Machado in 2018.

In November 2018, two generational talents hit the free agent market at 26 years old. Both were expected to sign huge contracts, and that's exactly what happened. Those players, of course, were Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, and the two teams that signed them – the Phillies and the Padres – are now the last National League teams left standing. 

For the sake of this storyline, it doesn't matter which team wins the NLCS. Both the Harper and Machado deals have already proven to be smart decisions. What matters is simply the fact that these two teams made it to this point.

Every team in baseball could have been in on Machado or Harper if they were willing to fork over the cash. Ultimately, it was the Phillies and Padres who wanted those superstar players badly enough, and now it's the Phillies and Padres being rewarded.  

Great Pitching Matchups 

Zack Wheeler will take the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLCS.

Zack Wheeler will take the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLCS.

The Padres and Phillies finished first and second, respectively, in the National League in innings pitched by their starting pitchers. And the similarities between these two rotations don't stop there. 

Both teams have three strong starters atop their rotations, and both made it this far thanks in large part to the efforts those starters have made. Here's what each team's top three starters have done thus far in the postseason:

Padres

  • Yu Darvish: 12 IP, 4 ER, 11 K
  • Blake Snell: 8.2 IP, 3 ER, 11 K
  • Joe Musgrove: 13 IP, 2 ER, 13 k

Phillies

  • Zack Wheeler: 12.1 IP, 3 ER, 9 K
  • Aaron Nola: 12.2 IP, 0 ER, 12 K
  • Ranger Suárez: 3.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 K

As Wheeler takes on Darvish, Nola takes on Snell, and Suárez takes on Musgrove, we could be in for an interesting pitching duel each night. 

And after all that, Game 4 might make for the most compelling matchup of all, as [potential Game 4 starter] Noah Syndergaard [most likely] takes on Mike Clevinger in a battle of long-haired starters who used to be aces and who now look more like solid number four starters. Syndergaard has pitched well thus far in the postseason (4 IP, 1 ER, 1 K) while Clevinger struggled in his one appearance of the NLDS (2.2 IP, 4 ER, 3 K).

The Phillies Return to Haunt Josh Hader

On June 7, Alec Bohm and Matt Vierling went back-to-back off of then-Brewers closer Josh Hader in the top of the ninth inning to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead. They were the first homers (indeed, the first runs) Hader had allowed all season. 

Over the next three months, Hader gave up 29 runs in 23 innings pitched, leading many to wonder if the once-dominant reliever had lost his touch. Over his final nine appearances of the season, however, he seemed to get his mojo back, throwing 8.1 scoreless innings and striking out 13. He has yet to allow a run this postseason, giving up just one hit and one walk in four outings.

It will be fun to watch and see if Philadelphia can "break" Hader once again, or if he will return to dominating them the way he always had before. This storyline could turn out to be nothing at all – Hader might not even face either of Bohm or Vierling – but just imagine the stories if the Phillies do hit another long ball off the Padres closer.

More From SI's Inside The Phillies:

  1. Phillies Star Bryce Harper Doesn't Hold Back on Thoughts About Joe Girardi
  2. How Mike Trout Will Join the Phillies
  3. Could Bryce Harper's Favorite MLB Player Join the Philadelphia Phillies Next Season?
  4. Why You Should Root for the Philadelphia Phillies to Lose a Few Games
  5. Phillies Release 2023 Regular Season Schedule
  6. Have the Philadelphia Phillies Found Their Centerfielder of the Future?
  7. Could The Phillies Soon Be Playing in Wawa Park?
  8. How did Philadelphia end up with Citizens Bank Park?
  9. How the Phillie Phanatic Came to be America's Favorite Sports Mascot
  10. Picking the Phillies' All-Time Single Season Lineup

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