What a difference a week makes for Domínguez

PHILADELPHIA -- Seranthony Domínguez tried Wednesday to explain his transformation over the past week.

The mechanics. The confidence. The fearlessness.

“It’s a lot of different things,” Domínguez said. “It’s about pitching. It’s a lot of things that not many people know.”

Domínguez, 27, is pitching like himself again, meaning he’s pitching like one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. It could not have come at a better time for the Phillies, who play the Braves on Friday in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park. (The best-of-five series is tied at one game apiece.)

Domínguez was struggling for weeks when he struck out Cardinals superstars Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado in the eighth inning Saturday in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series to preserve the lead in a 2-0 victory. He threw 18 pitches in two perfect innings Tuesday to help the Phillies win Game 1 of the NLDS, 7-6. His resurgence is even more important with David Robertson unable to pitch after injuring his calf celebrating Bryce Harper’s homer in Game 2 in St. Louis.

“I’m back,” Domínguez said. “I feel like I am.”

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Domínguez was 6-4 with a 1.64 ERA and nine saves in 46 appearances through Aug. 17 before he went on the 15-day injured list with tendinitis in his right biceps. He had a 1.5 WAR to that point, which tied for the eighth-best mark in baseball among relievers, according to FanGraphs.

But Domínguez went 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA in eight appearances upon his return. He struck out seven and walked eight in seven innings.

Domínguez lost his mechanics, but he also found himself holding on too tight to the past. He had Tommy John surgery in 2020. He worried he might be one pitch away from reinjuring himself.

“That’s something that’s going to be in your mind after you get hurt, no matter if you feel 100 percent,” he said. “You will always have this in your mind, like, ‘What if it happens again and what can I do to prevent that?’ At the end of the day, you've got to do your job and trust and believe in yourself.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson, pitching coach Caleb Cotham, assistant pitching coach Brian Kaplan, bullpen coach Dave Lundquist and a host of teammates kept working with Domínguez.

“Everybody was supporting me, trying to tell me something to make me feel better or trying to find a way with me,” he said. “A lot of the guys talked to me, ‘You've got to do this,’ or ‘You look different in these situations.’”

Phillies left-hander Ranger Suárez is a trusted friend. He spoke with Domínguez a lot.

“Believe in yourself,” Suárez said. “Do your job and throw the ball. If you feel healthy, just throw the ball.”

Domínguez tweaked his mechanics. His upper body had started to lean forward too far. He is not where he wants to be, but he said it is better. He also listened to his teammates and coaches. He let go.

“I’m pitching really confident right now,” he said.

Striking out Goldschmidt and Arenado in a big spot in an elimination game helped.

“That’s our guy, those are their guys,” Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm said. “Seranthony is nasty. Everybody knows it. And to get through those two guys right there, I mean, that’s the game right there. Those are two of the best hitters in baseball. It’s a tough task in that situation to go through those two, and that's why he's our guy.”

Domínguez needed only 10 pitches to get through the seventh inning on Tuesday. Ronald Acuña Jr. flied out. Dansby Swanson and Austin Riley struck out. He threw eight pitches to get through the eighth. Olson grounded out, William Contreras struck out on three pitches and Travis d’Arnaud lined out to center.

“I think it takes time to get back to where you need to be after something, you're not feeling good or if you're going through a stretch or something like that,” Harper said. “And now it's clicking for him. That's huge for us. It's huge for our whole bullpen.”

Domínguez looks so much better that Thomson was asked Wednesday about using him to close the ninth inning. Thomson has not named a closer since he replaced Joe Girardi on June 3. He prefers to close based on matchups, although Zach Eflin has pitched the ninth inning the past couple weeks. Eflin has allowed a run in two of his three postseason appearances, including a three-run home run to Matt Olson in Game 1. Thomson said nothing has changed.

But just maybe Domínguez will move into the role.

“At the end of the day, you’ve just got to do your job when they call your name,” Domínguez said. “Whenever they do, they have a reason why. We don't have to ask for it. We've just got to do your job when they call you up. They [call] me in the ninth, first, second, third inning, no matter what. I just tell my mind, tell myself, ‘You've got to do your job, no matter the situation.’”