Nailed It: Rob Thomson and the Nola–Suárez Plan

If you’re gonna crush Rob Thomson when he screws up, then you’ve gotta tip your cap when he nails it. The Aaron Nola–Ranger Suárez strategy in Game 3 was one of those rare times where Topper drew it up, stuck to it, and it actually worked.

Aaron Nola came out blazing. Two innings, three strikeouts, no runs. He looked as sharp as he had at any point in the 2025 MLB season.

Then… Rob Thomson’s Nola–Suárez Plan kicked in.

At this point, whenever Thomson says he has a “plan,” Phillies fans collectively break out in hives. Twitter melted down in real time — first ripping him for even starting Nola, then ripping him for yanking him after two scoreless, then really ripping him when Suárez’s very first pitch got launched into the seats.

Ranger Suarez coughs up Tommy Edman HR on first pitch

After that hiccup, Ranger locked in and shoved. Five innings, five hits, one run — and that one run was the solo shot on pitch number one.

That’s it. From there he cruised, striking out four and throwing 72 pitches with 51 strikes, bridging the game all the way into the 8th inning.

That’s exactly the definition of “plan executed” and really gives Ranger Suarez roughly 50 more pitches in the tank to come back out there tonight or Saturday if needed.

It’s funny looking back, because the reaction to Nola even starting this game was nuclear. The guy had been banged up all season and unreliable when healthy. He even worked out of a dicey first inning after Brandon Marsh’s ill-fated dive gift-wrapped Mookie Betts a triple.

Nola still escaped, and he did it with a filthy knuckle curve to strike out Will Smith.

That set the tone. Then came the irony.

“Nola is cooking, leave him in!” was the collective cry. Same people who didn’t want him touching the ball in the first place. It was hard to argue but you can’t tell me you didn’t have that voice in the back of your head whispering that the third or fourth inning bomb was coming.

Thomson knew it, too. He trusted his script, handed it to Ranger, and lived with the result. The result was a smooth 8-2 Phillies win that flipped the vibe of this NLDS. Through four games, the Phillies’ starting pitching has been nails.

NOT DEAD YET: Phillies blast Dodgers 8-2 to stay alive in the NLDS

Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Nola, and Suárez have combined to allow just five earned runs over 18.2 innings. The Dodgers’ offense has mostly cashed in against the bullpen, with Matt Strahm’s Game 1 fastball still looming large as the lone difference-maker.

Now it’s Sánchez vs. Glasnow in Game 4.

Glasnow, who didn’t make it out of the second inning in Game 1. Glasnow, who got tagged for five runs at Citizens Bank Park back in April.

Glasnow, with a career 5.51 postseason ERA. Advantage Phillies.

Momentum is a funny thing in October. The Dodgers had it. Then the Phillies busted through with a crooked 8th inning and walked out with a win that felt like a turning point.

Don’t let this team get hot. They’re not out of the woods, but Game 3 felt like the moment the tide started to roll red.

Credit to Rob Thomson. He flat out outmanaged Dave Roberts when it mattered most.

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— Drew Smith (@drewmsmith) October 9, 2025

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