Which Phillies pitchers will be available out of bullpen for must-win Game 2 in Atlanta?

ATLANTA — Phillies closer Jhoan Duran did not give a firm answer regarding his status for Game 2 after he “paid the price” on a mislocated fastball and surrendered a three-run, go-ahead home run to Austin Riley on Tuesday afternoon at Truist Park. The club pushed him for two innings and 27 pitches in Game 1, an aggressive move that was logical but still did not work out. Duran said he’d “maybe” be available for a must-win matchup in the National League Wild Card Series on Wednesday, depending on how he felt playing catch beforehand.

Asked the morning of Game 2 about Duran’s availability, interim manager Don Mattingly did not have much more of an update.

“It’s like every other day,” Mattingly said. “We’ll see how he throws the ball. He’s been honest with us all year long. If he feels good or not or he’s good to go, then we go with that.”

The Phillies, following a devastating 5-3 loss, are on the ropes in this best-of-three playoff series. They could use as many of their top arms available behind left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who has a tall task in Game 2 as the stopper for Philadelphia. The club does not have many relievers it trusts, making any postseason game more complicated to manage.

Rookie Alex McFarlane, who earned a ton of confidence down the stretch but allowed a huge RBI triple in Game 1, could be in a similar boat to Duran, although Mattingly sounded a bit more sure about his chances of being available. The 25-year-old McFarlane spent most of this season at Double-A Reading before establishing himself as the Phillies’ best setup man in late August and September. The team could use a rebound from his rough playoff debut.

“You can’t buy him experience,” Mattingly said, “and that can only happen if he’s out there. He’s bounced back pretty good this year. He’s really good about taking care of himself and not overthrowing in between. But he’s just like Jo; if he goes and throws the ball today and he can’t lift his arm for some reason and he can’t go, then he won’t go. We’ll hear after catch, but I’d kind of expect him to be able to go.”

Right-hander Andrew Painter, a fellow rookie and a starter, sat in the bullpen during Game 1 and could have been an option for the ninth inning had the Phillies kept the lead. He’ll “for sure” head out to the bullpen again for Game 2, Mattingly said.

However, Mattingly does not expect veteran ace Zack Wheeler, who threw six impressive innings in Sunday’s regular-season finale to help the Phillies clinch their Wild Card spot, to join the bullpen on Wednesday. Mattingly said he “would think” Wheeler would be in play to contribute in some role during a potential Game 3.

Right-hander Aaron Nola will be available in case of “a total emergency” in Game 2, but the Phillies are lining him up to start Thursday’s Game 3, if they can force it.

“We expect him to take the ball tomorrow,” Mattingly said.