3 Immediate Changes the Phillies Must Make for Game 3 vs Braves

A loss like the Philadelphia Phillies suffered to the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of the NLDS can make fans feel like it's time to go into panic mode. But that's a premature reaction.

If the results had been reversed, and the Phillies went down 0-1 before taking Game 2 to head into Citizens Bank Ballpark with the series split, there would be no such worry.

But that doesn't mean the Phils can be complacent. There are some key changes that need to be made immediately for Game 3 if they want to avoid letting the momentum spiral in favor of the Braves.

1. Fix the Bullpen Usage

Nobody who was following the Phillies this season was surprised that only leading by 1 run when the Zack Wheeler came out of the game wasn't enough.

Issues with the bullpen have been a big story all season for the Phillies, and it's not just on the players. Rob Thomson just can't seem to get it right.

Jose Alvarado, as has often been the case, did his job beautifully. He got us out of the seventh after Wheeler gave up his home run, then he got the first out of the eighth. 

Switching to Jeff Hoffman proved disastrous immediately, and he turned in a third of an inning so disastrous you rarely see it from someone getting a chance to pitch in a crucial postseason game.

It never feels like a lead is safe with the way the Phillies use their bullpen, and this is something that needs to be addressed yesterday.