Postseason FAQ: What's next for Phillies?

The Phillies clinched their second consecutive NL East title on Sept. 15 with a 6-5 victory over the Dodgers in 10 innings at Dodger Stadium.

It is their fourth consecutive year going to the postseason.

The Phillies believe it’s just the beginning. They secured a first-round bye, which advances them directly to the NL Division Series. Beyond that, of course, they want to win the World Series.

Who will they play? What will their postseason roster look like? How about their rotation? How will Trea Turner look after returning in the final game of the season?

We’ll continue to monitor all of that and more right here leading up to the postseason:

Who could the Phillies play in the NLDS?
The Phillies are the No. 2 seed, which means they will play the winner of the No. 3 Dodgers vs. No. 6 Reds matchup from the NL Wild Card Series. The Phillies went 4-2 against the Dodgers and 3-3 against the Reds in the regular season.

The NLDS will begin on Saturday, with Game 1 scheduled for either 6:08 p.m. ET or 6:38 p.m. ET, depending on the outcome of the Yankees-Red Sox matchup in the AL Wild Card Series. If the Yankees advance, Game 1 for the Phillies will be at 6:38 p.m. If the Red Sox advance, the Phillies will play at 6:08 p.m.

What could the postseason roster look like?
In this look at the roster, we’re predicting the Phillies carry only 12 pitchers in the best-of-five NLDS, which includes an off-day between Games 1 and 2.

Catchers (2): J.T. Realmuto, Rafael Marchan
First baseman (1): Bryce Harper
Second baseman (1): Bryson Stott
Shortstop (1): Trea Turner
Third baseman (1): Alec Bohm
Infielders (1): Edmundo Sosa
Outfielders (4): Brandon Marsh, Harrison Bader, Max Kepler, Nick Castellanos
DH (1): Kyle Schwarber
Utility (2): Weston Wilson, Otto Kemp
Starters (3): LHP Cristopher Sánchez, LHP Ranger Suárez, LHP Jesús Luzardo
Bullpen (9): RHP Jhoan Duran, LHP Matt Strahm, RHP Orion Kerkering, RHP David Robertson, LHP Tanner Banks, RHP Taijuan Walker, RHP Walker Buehler, RHP Aaron Nola, RHP Lou Trivino

What will the Phillies’ pitching rotation look like?
This could be the most compelling storyline. With the bye, they won’t need a fourth starting pitcher until the NLCS. Phillies manager Rob Thomson already has said that left-hander Cristopher Sánchez will start Game 1 of the NLDS. Left-hander Ranger Suárez is a smart bet to start Game 2.

As for Game 3, it’s likely to be left-hander Jesús Luzardo, although right-hander Aaron Nola looked good in his final start of the season. If Nola doesn’t start, he will be in the bullpen. He also would likely be the No. 4 starter for the NLCS, if the Phillies get that far.

What’s the status of Phillies’ injured players?
• Trea Turner returned to the lineup for Sunday's regular-season finale after missing three weeks because of a strained right hamstring. Obviously, that’s excellent news. It should surprise nobody that Turner hit leadoff on Sunday. That's where he will hit in the postseason.

• Right-hander Jordan Romano landed on the 15-day IL on Aug. 26 after experiencing numbness in his right middle finger. He then reported neck stiffness and more numbness on his finger on Sept. 13. He is not expected to pitch for the Phillies in the postseason.

• Zack Wheeler is out after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. He underwent successful thoracic outlet decompression surgery on Sept. 23 in St. Louis.

• José Alvarado was shut down for the season on Sept. 12 due to a left forearm strain, though he was ineligible for the postseason roster due to his PED suspension.

• Johan Rojas is dealing with a left quad issue that kept him from being considered for the NLDS roster. His status for potential future series is uncertain.

What will the outfield picture look like in October?
Bader has played his way into the everyday role in center field. As for the corner spots, it will likely depend on the opposing starter. It will likely be Marsh in left field and Kepler in right field against right-handed pitchers, while Wilson and Castellanos figure to start against lefties.

Will there be a platoon at second base, too?
Stott and Sosa made an effective platoon in the second half, although Turner’s injury scuttled that rotation in September. But it could return in the postseason, with Stott putting up better numbers against righties and Sosa posting better numbers against lefties.