Why it’s imperative that the Phillies avoid a rainout Sunday

WASHINGTON — As the Phillies keep one eye on the Nationals and the other on the weather forecast — OK, so all eyes are glued to the forecast — Sunday looms as the most important day of the weekend.

The Phillies must play Sunday in rain-soaked Washington to keep Zack Wheeler in line to start Game 1 of a potential wild-card series Friday on regular rest. Nothing, short of actually clinching an elusive wild card, matters more to the Phillies than having their ace on the mound to open the playoffs.

“It’s huge,” interim manager Rob Thomson said recently. “When he’s right, he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball. He gives the entire club confidence when he takes the mound. Let me put it this way: Every time Zack takes the mound, I expect us to win.”

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So, when Wheeler returned from the injured list last week, the Phillies arranged the rotation to have him face the Nationals in Game 159, five days before the best-of-three wild-card series will open. But their arrival in Washington coincided with the remnants of Hurricane Ian. A doubleheader that initially was slated for Saturday got moved up to Friday, but the second game got rained out and rescheduled for Saturday night.

The rain continued into Saturday, causing the first pitch of the 1:05 p.m. doubleheader opener to be delayed by 41 minutes. The forecast for Saturday night was murky but the game started on schedule. Sunday looked even worse, according to the reports that Thomson received.

If the Phillies and Nationals are unable to complete the series, they may have to reconvene Thursday, the off-day between the end of the regular season and beginning of the playoffs, if it turns out to be determinative for the Phillies’ chances of claiming the last National League playoff spot. That would be inconvenient.

But if the teams can’t play Sunday, Thomson said Wheeler’s next start would get pushed to Monday night in Houston, which would prevent him from starting a wild-card game until at least Game 2, unless he went on short rest. It’s doubtful the Phillies would push him to do that, especially after he recently missed five starts with elbow inflammation.

“We’d probably just back him up if we get rained out [Sunday],” Thomson said. “Because we’ve still got to win games.”

A Sunday rainout also would put a premium on the Phillies’ clinching a playoff berth no later than Monday. Because if they have to start Aaron Nola against the Astros on Tuesday night, he wouldn’t be available to start Game 1 of a playoff series, either. And if it dragged into Wednesday, that would eliminate lefty Ranger Suárez, too.

Entering Saturday night, the Phillies were tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for the final NL wild card. Their magic number was five, meaning any combination of five Phillies victories or Brewers losses would clinch a spot.

Wheeler rejoined the rotation Sept. 21 and tossed four scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. He gave up one run in six innings Sept. 27 against the Chicago Cubs. The Phillies were hoping to push his pitch count closer to the 80-90 range in his last regular-season start to prepare him for a Game 1 start.

All they need now is for the rain to cease by Sunday.

Last weekend, a Phillies coach walked through the clubhouse, spotted rookie shortstop Bryson Stott, and said, “How many games have you played since last year?”

It was a valid question. After completing last season in triple A, Stott played 26 games in the Arizona Fall League. He attended the Phillies’ minor league minicamp in February in Clearwater, Fla., before reporting to major league camp when the owners’ lockout ended in March. He competed for a spot on the opening-day roster and has played 132 games, 123 in the majors.

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So, with Stott in the midst of a 2-for-31, 13-strikeout skid earlier this week, Thomson gave him a rest Thursday in Chicago. Stott returned to the lineup Friday and notched two hits, scored a run, and made three solid plays up the middle in a 5-1 victory over the Nationals.

“I think it may have helped him a little bit,” Thomson said. “It’s a grind down the stretch here, and this is his first time playing this time of the year and playing as many games as he has. With all the stuff that’s going on, with us in the wild-card, it’s something he’s never gone through before.”

Never mind that the Astros have clinched home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs. They intend to start Lance McCullers Jr. (4-1, 2.38 ERA), Justin Verlander (17-4, 1.80), and Framber Valdez (16-6, 2.89) against the Phillies. ... Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez was the choice again as the 29th player for the doubleheader. ... Wheeler (11-7, 2.92) is scheduled to face Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin (6-18, 6.08) on Sunday.