Phillies Notes: Painter-Nola Rhythm, Kerkering's Sixth-Inning Show, and Mattingly's Sánchez Comparison

Milwaukee – It's not easy being green – or in the Phillies' case, a struggling rotation. Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly addressed reporters in the visiting dugout at American Family Field before Sunday's finale against the Brewers.

Aaron Nola's 4 2/3-inning start on Saturday was the second time in a row he's failed to make it out of the fifth inning, and the sixth time in his last 10 outings. It's straining enough on the bullpen, but the way the Phillies' rotation is currently set up, it's compounded.

Andrew Painter threw five innings on Friday night; his previous two starts were 4 2/3 and 3 1/3. Nola is averaging just over five innings an outing this year. Painter is averaging just over 4 2/3.

Given the length the Phillies are getting out of Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, and (on the right day) Jesús Luzardo, could they shuffle the rotation around so Painter and Nola aren't going on consecutive days?

'Yes – but it's not quite that simple,' Mattingly said.

'I would think that's something we would consider. Right now it's tough to do. You don't want to hurt anybody else,' Mattingly said.

The Phillies don't have many obvious openings in the schedule where such a switch would come naturally. There's an off day on Friday (awkwardly in the middle of a series against the Mets), and then the Phillies play the next 13 days.

'It would be nice to have those two split right now,' Mattingly said.

The Phillies' bullpen, led by closer Jhoan Duran, is a force to be reckoned with, but getting there is the challenge. One player who's been excelling in the sixth inning is Orion Kerkering. He worked a perfect sixth with no hard-hit balls.

Could Kerkering find himself pitching later in games to help?

'I mean, I could see it. He's been really good,' Mattingly said.

The Phillies interim manager can draw a comparison between Cristopher Sánchez and Clayton Kershaw – a three-time Cy Young Award winner, 11-time All-Star, Triple Crown winner, and MVP.

'[Clayton] Kershaw was just like this,' Mattingly said, 'where it was like, every time out it was almost like a six-inning guarantee, seven or eight is a good possibility.'