NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 10, 2023

A.J. Minter

Sean Murphy

Citizens Bank Park

Atlanta Braves

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. A.J., you guys, both of you guys, now you've had ten hours to think about it. How significant was that game last night and the play that ended it for you guys to -- it seemed like you really shifted all the momentum and all the outlook and everything in a span of about 30 minutes with the two homers on that play?

A.J. MINTER: Yeah, no. Everyone knows, if we go down 0-2 here at home and have to go to Philly, the odds are stacked against us. And for us to go out there, split the series, and like you said, have the momentum going back to Philly is huge for us.

I mean, it's going to be -- we're going to have to play really good baseball moving forward. We're going to have to clean some stuff up, but we couldn't ask to be in a better situation, and we're feeling confident.

Q. For Michael to only be 22 years old and his first full season since he was called up late in May I think of last year, how impressed are you with his maturity and his athleticism and his cool under the pressure of a situation like that?

A.J. MINTER: I don't want anyone in center field when I'm pitching the ball. That's for sure. He's a Gold Glover. He solidified that last night. And for him to come up there in that situation, I mean, let alone making the catch, but just getting the ball back in the infield super quick and hat's off to Austin Riley for backing up the bases and being right there in a good position.

Q. A.J., you worked with A.J. Smith-Shawver over the winter and Snitker still hasn't announced the Game 3 starter yet. If it is A.J., how do you think he will handle the pressure of playing in his first postseason game in Philly?

A.J. MINTER: If I was in that situation, I don't know how I'd be feeling, but I do know A.J. really well. And I can tell you he's probably one of the most athletic persons I've been around. And he really impressed me, because that was really the first time I got to see him throw was during the off season.

And he impressed me from the start. So I'm fully confident. I'm sure he'll be in there sooner or later in the game, and I fully expect him to go out there. He's been killing it the past month, and velocity is up. Command is up. So he's going to be a horse on the mound.

Q. What do either of you maybe remember about your first postseason start, and what would be something that you learned from that moment and maybe advice you would give to someone making their first postseason debut?

SEAN MURPHY: Yeah, my first postseason start was in 2019 in Oakland. I remember it was the loudest stadium I ever heard. That was a wildcard game.

All I can remember is being real nervous before it started, but then once the game starts, it just gets into a flow and you settle in pretty quick. I would just remind them of that and be like, yeah, you're going to naturally have emotions about this, but once you're on the mound, it's all the same.

A.J. MINTER: Yeah, you're going to be nervous. There's no way getting around it. There's going to be butterflies. That's what makes you perform better. You feed off the energy in the crowd, and there's nothing wrong with going out there, having some butterflies. Just embrace it, enjoy it and try to soak it all in.

Q. Sean, Aaron Nola is a different kind of pitcher than say Zack Wheeler, some of the relievers with a high velocity fastball. They've been able to score in the last two games.

Do you think this is potentially a better matchup going against Nola versus say Wheeler in a previous game?

SEAN MURPHY: It's just different. He's a different guy, but he's also a very good pitcher, an accomplished pitcher. He's different. So the game plan is a little different in what we're trying to do.

So it's not better or worse. It's just a different guy, and we have to prepare for that and game plan for it.

Q. Nola pitched against you guys three times in regular season this year. How much does that familiarity come into game planning for this postseason game?

SEAN MURPHY: It helps. They've seen our guys, too. When you're playing within the division, you have that familiarity. And you know you have to take that into account and move forward with it.

So it is no advantage or disadvantage because they've seen all our guys, too.

Q. A.J., you guys have used the Opener to great effect in the '21 World Series a few times. If you were to use that now or at some point during this postseason, do you think that experience having done it will help some guys like user?

A.J. MINTER: Yeah. I mean, at the end of the day, it's going out there -- and in the postseason, you're more likely going to throw more in an inning. You might go out and get four or five outs. That's the postseason.

Everyone is going to the bullpen a lot sooner now. We are definitely going to be ready down there whether we do use an opener or not. We are fully confident with the guys down there. They're going to be ready, and we just gotta go out there and make some pitches and not worry about -- it comes down to stuff.

It all comes down to location now and not making mistakes and just sticking to our strengths and not falling into the hitter's strengths and weaknesses, just sticking to what we do best.

Q. What does today look like for you guys? Will you go to the ballpark? Will you just take some time off today, watch some film? What does it look like for you guys?

A.J. MINTER: Just go straight to the hotel and get some rest and be ready to go tomorrow.

Q. You played in the playoff game late last year, or one of them. The Phillies do pretty well at home in the postseason. What is the atmosphere like? How would you describe playoff baseball in Philadelphia?

A.J. MINTER: I told everyone this past off season that Philly was the loudest stadium I've ever been in, especially last year in the postseason. We know Philly fans. We know them pretty well. And they're passionate for their team, and so are we. But it's definitely going to be chaotic. It's going to be loud, and we just have to be ready for it.

Q. What's the funniest thing or most memorable thing you've heard in the bullpen from the fans above you there?

A.J. MINTER: They'll come at you with anything, your family. But, no, I actually enjoy it. I love getting heckled right there in the bullpen right on top of you. So it kind of builds your adrenaline up. It gets you excited and gets you going a little bit. So I enjoy it.

Q. When people talk about how loud it is, do you like playing in those environments? Do you thrive off of it even if they maybe are cheering against you in those moments?

A.J. MINTER: Yeah. I think there's nothing better, obviously, than pitching at home and having a super loud crowd. But there's nothing better than shutting up a crowd as well on the road. So that's what I enjoy doing is silencing a crowd, and hopefully I'll get a chance to do it.

Q. Sean, Austin kind of it seemed like he was being a little modest last night. He said that he was just in the right place at the right time because he was shouting, one, one, one, and that his momentum and shouting carried him towards that ball.

Do you think he showed a little more alertness maybe than he's leading on by being there to back it up and then also to make that throw without a second to spare?

SEAN MURPHY: Yeah. He's probably just being modest. I'm sure he saw the throw coming in and was getting behind it. He found himself in the right spot. And he's a good player, and those are just his instincts kicking in.

There's nothing that tells you how to do that or be there, but it's just a good baseball player making a good play.

Q. Did he kind of show last night how elite he is as a third baseman now on both sides of the ball?

SEAN MURPHY: Yeah. I've been watching him all year. And it's pretty obvious from day one in Spring Training that he's one of the best out there. And that play last night was pretty special.

Q. Is there such a thing as momentum from last night carrying over into tomorrow or is that kind of all gone and dissipated by the time the game starts?

A.J. MINTER: Of course, I think the momentum came back onto our side. But with that being said, I mean, we have to continue to play really good baseball. And I don't think we've -- we came in obviously slow the past two games, and we can't afford to keep doing that and relying on coming back in the later innings.

So there's definitely some stuff we need to clean up, on both sides, pitching and hitting, because this team is not going to give in, and they're at home in Philly. You know they're going to be excited.

But definitely that was a huge game for us just to settle back in, and we're just excited to get down there to Philly.

Q. A.J., I'll ask just to ask, but I mean you guys haven't been told who's starting tomorrow, have you?

A.J. MINTER: We don't know.

Q. I want to bounce one thing off of that. Sean, you worked a lot with Bryce Elder who had a lot of success, was a big part of what this team did this year. His second half obviously not what he wanted it to be, but as you've worked with him and now this opportunity in front of him, what are your thoughts if Bryce gets the ball in Game 3 for the Braves?

SEAN MURPHY: Total confidence. I know what kind of competitor he is and person he is. I know he wants the ball, too.

So if Bryce gets his name called, glad to go out there and call the game for him. And I know he's chomping at the bit to get out there. So I think he's as capable, if not more capable of anyone else on the staff.