Phillies’ rotation resolution ‘as difficult of a decision as I’ve had to make,’ Rob Thomson says

That Phillies manager Rob Thomson has spent so much time during the last few weeks discussing how the team will use back-end rotation starters Spencer Turnbull and Cristopher Sánchez moving forward is a sign of a few positive things going for Thomson’s club right now: The Phillies are winning a lot of games, there isn’t a whole lot of drama, and the starting pitching has been really, really good.

So, what’s another day delaying the decision? What else is there to talk about, anyway?

Thomson on Friday, before the Phillies opened a four-game series with the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park, said he would announce the plan for Turnbull and Sánchez on Saturday. Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, Taijuan Walker, and Sánchez were lined up to start the four-game series with the Giants, and clarity beyond that will come ahead of Saturday night’s game.

Thomson said on Wednesday that the team would finalize plans Friday. Why the extra day to talk about it?

“I still have to talk it through with a couple people and need to talk to the players,” he said.

Thomson in Anaheim discussed the idea of piggybacking Turnbull and Sánchez in the future, but it remains possible one of them moves to the bullpen.

» READ MORE: Homegrown Phillies Alec Bohm and Ranger Suárez don’t want to go anywhere. Here’s the extension case for each.

Again, it’s a welcomed problem, if you can call it that, for a manager to have right now. The Phillies (21-11) entered Friday’s game winners in six of their last seven and 13 of their last 16.

But figuring out how to handle Turnbull and Sánchez is an important issue for Thomson. Turnbull has a 1.67 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 36 strikeouts across 32⅓ innings. Sánchez holds a 3.68 ERA in 29⅓ innings, though he’s been touched up in his last two starts for a combined five earned runs in eight innings. The duo at the back of the rotation has helped Phillies starters lead the National League with a 2.50 starting rotation ERA entering Friday.

The Phillies need to keep both guys stretched out. They need to keep them feeling comfortable in their roles. They need to keep Zach Wheeler, who isn’t a fan of extra rest, happy.

“It makes for a very, very difficult decision,” Thomson said. “As difficult of a decision as I’ve had to make, really.”

If the Phillies don’t go with a piggyback situation, Turnbull or Sánchez likely will move to the bullpen, where they’d become a reliever capable of pitching multiple innings in a variety of different situations.

Asked about their abilities to function in higher-leverage roles if it came to that, Thomson said he was confident both guys could pull it off.

“It’s poise, and it’s a slow heartbeat,” Thomson said. “I think Spencer’s got that. I think [Sánchez] has that. I think a lot of our guys have that. I think that’s one thing. Stuff is another, and the ability to clean up an inning. The adrenaline rush that you get from runners on base, cleaning it up, and being able to sit down, get yourself under control, and go back out there and perform again. That’s a skill to me. A few guys can do it. Some guys can’t.”

Maybe along the way he’ll learn if either can. Thomson and the Phillies will learn some things along the way after the new-look rotation is deployed. How long of a sample size will Thomson need to know what’s working and what isn’t?

“I can’t tell you the answer to that,” he said. “I just have to wait and see, play it out, and figure out what I’m looking at.”

» READ MORE: Is the Phillies’ dominant starting pitching sustainable all season? Their catcher thinks so.

Yunior Marte’s two recent hiccups have a bit of an explanation now.

The Phillies on Friday placed their right-handed reliever on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

Thomson said he wasn’t sure how long Marte would be out, but did indicate that the injury wasn’t considered serious. Thomson said Marte felt a little something after pitching Sunday in San Diego, but the pain went away. It “flared up,” Thomson said, Tuesday night in Anaheim, when Marte allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Marte has a 2.70 ERA in 12 games this season.

The Phillies called up right-hander José Ruiz from triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his spot on the 26-man roster. Ruiz has a 1.64 ERA in 10 relief appearances at Lehigh Valley. Thomson said he likes Ruiz’s ability to throw strikes and liked his slider when watching him in Spring Training.

“I think he’s got the heart to do it in Philadelphia. I really like him,” Thomson said.

Suárez was named National League pitcher of the month, Major League Baseball announced Friday. Suárez has started the season strong for the Phillies, going 5-0 with a 1.32 ERA and 40 strikeouts, against five walks, in six starts. And he’s been historically efficient, too, thanks in part to the pitch clock. Suárez became the first pitcher since Roy Halladay in 2003 to win four straight starts in 2 hours, 15 minutes or less. … Right-handed pitcher Ricardo Pinto cleared waivers and was outrighted to triple-A Lehigh Valley after being designated for assignment last week.