QUEENS, N.Y. — The Phillies have spent most of this season trying to build a reliable bridge to Jhoan Duran. With a week remaining in the season, that bridge is still missing pieces. Brad Keller’s season unraveled in June before a torn UCL ended it in July. Jonathan Bowlan eventually settl ed into a setup role, but his results slipped over the last month before right groin tightness took him out of the bullpen. Orion Kerkering never filled the opening as expected. His command regressed, his signature sweeper became less reliable and his struggles reached a point where the Phillies optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday. Interim manager Don Mattingly described how difficult it had become to find spots for Kerkering. “You can’t use him in a down game,” Mattingly said. “You can, but you think in a down game you’d like to be able to say, ‘We can hold it close and maybe something good happens.’ If you’re up in that same situation, it’s uncomfortable as well. “I felt like he kind of had lost confidence and just needed that to be able to try to right the ship.” Kerkering will report to the Phillies’ “stay-hot” camp in the Lehigh Valley, which begins Thursday. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the right-hander needed a chance to step away from the immediate pressure of a postseason race. “It looks like he needs a break to get away from here himself,” Dombrowski said in the dugout ahead of the Phillies’ 7-2 win over the Mets at Citi Field. “Sometimes you need to step away. Just like a hitter, sometimes you need to step away.” The Phillies could still bring Kerkering back if an injury creates an opening on a potential postseason roster. For now, however, they need to determine how to cover the innings directly in front of them. “We need to straighten it out,” Dombrowski said. “But there’s a lot of different ways we can straighten it out.” The most interesting solutions might come from outside the bullpen itself. THE BIG NEWS Jesús Luzardo played catch Sunday for the first time since Friday, Sept. 11, when he last threw in Atlanta before being scratched from his scheduled start because of left shoulder inflammation. He came out of it feeling good. “Obviously, positive signs with him,” Mattingly said. “He’s felt better and better. The last couple days, his range of motion was back. There was no more stiffness. Then the doctor basically had to say, ‘Hey, start playing catch.’ “So that’s where we’re at. It’s been positive with him.” Dombrowski offered an equally encouraging assessment. “Very optimistic,” he said. “That’s all I can really say at this point, but very optimistic.” There are still checkpoints ahead. Luzardo has only taken the first step of his throwing progression. The Phillies do not yet know when he will advance to a mound, how quickly he can build back up or how much time will remain once he does. They also have not decided what his role would be if he returns. Starter and reliever both remain possible. “We haven’t even sat down and discussed it,” Dombrowski said. “We basically have been focused on making the playoffs.” That uncertainty could eventually give the Phillies another answer for their most persistent pitching problem. Luzardo would carry more value as a starter over a longer postseason series. But if the Phillies reach a three-game Wild Card Series, they would only need three starters. That means at least one starter would have to shift roles. “Some of our starters are going to end up in the bullpen,” Dombrowski said. “I don’t know how it’s going to work at this point, but some of them will. “Especially when you get to the first round, we’re going to be in a best-of-three. You only can start three guys at that point. So you’ve got two other guys that can go into the bullpen depending on what happens.” PAINTER IN PLAY Andrew Painter could be another one of those pitchers. Mattingly said Sunday that the Phillies would like to get Painter some work out of the bullpen before the regular season ends if the schedule gives them an opportunity. The rookie has started throughout his professional career, but his fastball could give the Phillies a different look in shorter bursts. Painter struck out seven Mets on Saturday and reached 99.4 mph. He also allowed four runs on two homers, continuing an uneven rookie season in which his best stuff has often appeared alongside costly mistakes. Dombrowski still came away impressed. “I can’t say if it’ll play up. It was playing up pretty good yesterday,” he said. “That was about as good of stuff — it’s unfortunate he gave up four runs — but that was some pretty good stuff yesterday. “I think his stuff would be very solid out there if we decide to go in that direction.” The Phillies have reason to explore it. Their relievers have combined for a major-league-worst 5.26 ERA from the fifth through seventh innings. Duran has posted a 1.76 ERA with 32 saves, but Philadelphia has repeatedly struggled to get a lead into his hands. Mattingly has considered using one of his trusted relievers earlier to stop games from turning. The problem is what that would leave behind him. “It makes me think about it,” Mattingly said. “But then I also think about who’s pitching the eighth or seventh to get to that part, too. “You’ve got to get there.” Painter could provide multiple innings. Luzardo might eventually offer the same. Nestor Cortes is building toward a possible role, while Bowlan continues working back from his groin injury. The Phillies are searching for any combination that can keep a close game from getting away. THE ROTATION CREATES OPTIONS Aaron Nola’s resurgence could make that search easier. The longest-tenured Phillie owns a 1.66 ERA over his last seven starts and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight straight. If the Phillies can line up their rotation, Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez would likely handle the first two games of a Wild Card Series. Nola’s recent form gives them a trusted option for a possible Game 3. That could give the Phillies more freedom with Painter and, depending on his health, Luzardo. One or both could become a bridge to the late innings rather than waiting for a start that may never come in a short series. Dombrowski is not ready to make those decisions yet. He wants the Phillies to clinch first, then determine how the remaining schedule allows them to align their starters. But the strength of the rotation gives the club options its current bullpen does not. “One of our strengths is our starting rotation, especially the top of it,” Dombrowski said. “I sure would hope that we can go into any postseason with them intact to pitch. “But we still have to make the playoffs. That’s the most important thing.” SÁNCHEZ PROVIDES ENCOURAGEMENT Sánchez then offered the type of outing Sunday that makes the entire picture easier to imagine. The left-hander entered having allowed at least four runs in three of his previous five starts. Against the Mets, he looked much closer to the pitcher who has anchored the Phillies’ rotation throughout the season. Sánchez attacked the strike zone, worked efficiently and kept New York off balance with a much sharper changeup. The lone damage through six innings came on a solo homer by Bo Bichette. Sánchez finished 6 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs. His season ERA sits at 2.93, and he’s now beyond 200 innings and strikeouts each. He was not happy with the interim skipper when he was taken out of the ballgame, though. It was a needed response with Sánchez likely in line to make his final regular-season start against the Rays next weekend. That schedule could allow him to pitch Game 2 of a Wild Card Series on regular rest, with Wheeler receiving an additional day before a potential Game 1. The Phillies gave Sánchez an early lead against Mets right-hander Jonah Tong. Kyle Schwarber walked in the first before the Phillies filled the bases. Luis Arraez lifted a sacrifice fly and Alec Bohm followed with a run-scoring single. Schwarber walked again in the third. Trea Turner doubled him home before Arraez added another RBI hit, extending the lead to 4-0. The Phillies held on from there for a 4-2 win. Their magic number is now three, putting them in position to clinch as early as Tuesday against Milwaukee. CORTES CONTINUES BUILDING Cortes is another name moving closer to the conversation. The veteran left-hander threw three scoreless innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, striking out three without issuing a walk. “He’s building,” Mattingly said Saturday. “He’s heading in the direction that it’s possible we might be able to use him.” Cortes is eligible for the postseason and could provide length or a different look from the left side. The Phillies already have Tanner Banks built up for multiple innings, while Tim Mayza has also provided length when needed. Bowlan’s progress could help, too. Dombrowski said the right-hander threw from approximately 90 feet Sunday and felt good afterward. None of those options provides a simple fix on its own. Together, they could give the Phillies enough pieces to create a bullpen that looks much different once October begins. “Duran is still as good as anybody in the league,” Dombrowski said. “McFarlane’s been very good. Alvarado’s been throwing better. Mayza’s actually done a pretty good job on a consistent basis. “We have to be better in the bullpen. That’s obvious. But we think we have the ability to do that.” ...read more read less