Mattingly's early call to closer Duran backfires in Phillies' Wild Card loss

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson — referred to in some reports by bench coach Don Mattingly's involvement in in-game strategy — opted to bring All-Star closer Jhoan Duran into the game earlier than his typical usage pattern during the opener of the team's best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Atlanta Braves, a decision that did not pay off, according to ESPN.

Duran, considered the Phillies' most reliable reliever, entered in a high-leverage spot but allowed a three-run home run that proved costly in what became a Game 1 loss for Philadelphia.

A calculated gamble

Turning to a closer before the ninth inning is a strategy managers increasingly employ in the postseason, when the difference between winning and elimination can come down to a single at-bat. The thinking behind using a team's best arm as early as possible in a critical situation is that the highest-leverage moment of the game may not always arrive in the final inning.

In this instance, the strategy backfired when Duran surrendered the decisive homer, turning what the coaching staff had hoped would be a series-defining stop into a turning point for the opposing Braves instead.

The loss puts the Phillies in an early hole in the best-of-three series, raising the stakes for the remaining games as Philadelphia looks to avoid an early postseason exit.

ESPN's report did not provide the exact inning of Duran's outing or further details on the Phillies' plans for bullpen usage in the remaining games of the series.