Call to the pen
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Phillies: Bullpen battles rage on toward October

By Tal Venada

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 4: Jorge Alfaro #38 and Victor Arano #64 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Citizens Bank Park on July 4, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Orioles 4-1. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 4: Jorge Alfaro #38 and Victor Arano #64 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Citizens Bank Park on July 4, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Orioles 4-1. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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With proper rest and workload, Dominguez will be consistently effective again. Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images. /

Critical outs:

Regarding the bridge to Dominguez, Luis Garcia is having an excellent second half by not allowing a run in his nine performances. And even though he gets in trouble with a hit or a walk, he puts up a zero on the scoreboard. The fireballer has Kapler’s trust.

To retire the final three batters, Victor Arano will split that duty with Neshek if Dominguez is unavailable. Additionally, Arano hasn’t allowed a run since the mid-July break. In fact, he was one of four hurlers Klentak auditioned last year for a 40-man spot: the only one to stick.

If Neshek can increase his workload, Kapler can keep Dominguez fresh through October. The aging veteran has a 1.23 ERA with only one shaky outing since mid-July’s downtime. Yes, Neshek is money!

Dominguez has struggled due to his workload and/or the league catching up to him. However, he has had six good appearances out of nine in the second half. On the other hand, it’s better this happened now, as opposed to the postseason. Additionally, his performance on Aug. 11 has quieted some fears.

"FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “Losing is a learning experience. It teaches you humility. It teaches you to work harder. It’s also a powerful motivator.” – Yogi Berra"

To sum up, the faithful will be on the edge of their seats for most innings going forward. Yes, the also-rans will want to knock off a first-place team, and playoff hopefuls will bring their best. But how soft is the schedule for the red pinstripes over the remaining 48 games? Fifty-fifty on paper!

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