Diamondbacks and Phillies Players Who Could Decide the NLCS

One player and pitcher from each team that could decide who wins a National League pennant.

The Diamondbacks and Phillies are set to begin the National League Championship on Monday. In the postseason teams will not only need their stars to perform, but also get contributions from unlikely sources in order to advance. Looking beyond the star players, these four players could end up deciding who advances to the World Series.

Diamondbacks: SS Geraldo Perdomo and LHP Andrew Saalfrank

Perdomo's ability to get on base, especially leading off innings could become an important factor. Having him on base as the lineup turns over to Carroll and Marte, two batters that hit 25 home runs in the regular season, could allow the D-backs to build innings and create scoring opportunities against the Phillies. Perdomo has ignited rallies, scoring on three of the six times (two hits, four walks) he's reached base this postseason.

With the Phillies boasting an army of left-handed sluggers, it's important to highlight the pitcher who will be tasked with shutting them down the most in this series. In just six weeks Saalfrank has become the key matchup lefty in the D-backs bullpen. In addition to Schwarber, he'll be asked to get Bryce Harper out in key situations throughout this series. He's been tested throughout the postseason but has passed with flying colors, with only one of the seven runners he inherited coming around to score. 

Phillies: DH Kyle Schwarber and LHP Ranger Suárez

From Philadelphia's lineup, the key player to shut down will be Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber is the embodiment of the three true outcomes, with 54% of his plate appearances ending in a strikeout (215), walk (126), or home run (46) in the regular season. He was also a key bat in their postsesaon run last year, with six home runs in the 2022 NLCS and World Series. It will be important for the D-backs to get Schwarber out in the series in order to minimize the damage that Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, and Nick Castellanos can do.

Suárez is the likely Game 3 and Game 7, if necessary, starter for the Phillies. Game 3 itself could be a huge deciding game for the series, especially if the two teams split the first two. Suárez is a very good strike thrower, getting a lot of ground balls and swing-and-miss. On days he gets hot he can shut down a lineup two times through, which presents a tougher challenge if the Phillies can get to their bullpen in a lead. It will be imperative that the middle of the D-backs lineup, which is very right-hand heavy, to get to Suárez early in Game 3.

If the D-backs can shut down Schwarber for the series and get to Suárez in Game 3, it could go a long way towards improving their chances of advancing on to the World Series.