How do you do it, man? You threw a ton of pitches here to last three out of four days.

I mean, we got a great staff here helping us make sure we're ready.

They've been with us all year long.

But also every guy in this clubhouse is ready to show up and fight and win and do whatever is asked of them.

So, you know, a bunch of weird situations come up, weird things are asked of us, but that's the playoffs.

That's what we're here to do, help the team

When you come into a game and it's on the line, it's a two-run game, how do you manage those emotions?

That's one step at a time, one pitch at a time.

Explain the thrill of that, knowing what's on the line here tonight.

You know, I think as much as possible, I'm just trying to keep my focus small.

I mean, I think in these last days coming down the stretch here, you can't get ahead of yourself.

You can't really spend too much time dwelling on what could be if you don't take care of what's in front of you.

So coming into the game, I mean, I'm doing everything I can to take it one hitter at a time, one pitcher at a time, and then take care of business.

And now we can think about what comes next.

Are you able to kind of just take it in at

all, or is it just a blur? Absolutely.

Explain the thrill of that, knowing what's on the line here tonight.

You know, I think as much as possible, I'm just trying to keep my focus small.

I mean, I think in these last days coming down the stretch here, you can't get ahead of yourself.

You can't really spend too much time dwelling on what could be if you don't take care of what's in front of you.

So coming into the game, I mean, I'm doing everything I can to take it one hitter at a time, one pitcher at a time, and then take care of business.

And now we can think about what comes next.

Are you able to kind of just take it in at all,

or is it just a blur? Absolutely.

Uh, do you ever think back to the progress that you've made and, and where you are now compared to then?

For sure.

I mean, uh, you know, it's be- it's been a marathon, and I mean, it's a long season.

And so I think the only way you get from, uh, back where I was to now is by taking it one day at a time, and the only way that, you know, I get from where I am to where I wanna go is doing the same.

So it's ...

Yeah, it doesn't change the mindset.

It's still take it one day at a time, make sure I'm taking care of my work, and being as prepared as I can to go out and perform.

What is it about this team that, that helps you?

Do you ever think back to the progress you've made and where you are now compared to then?

For sure.

I mean, you know, it's been a marathon.

And, I mean, it's a long season.

And so I think the only way you get from back where I was to now is by taking it one day at a time.

And the only way that I get from where I am to where I want to go is doing the same.

So it doesn't change the mindset to still take it one day at a time, make sure I'm taking care of my work and being as prepared as I can to go out and perform.

What is it about this team that helps

Um, how much enjoyment do you get out of, of tinkering and, and trying to find the right spot that, that gets you to a real good place?

Yeah, I think that's one of the, one of the exciting things about the game is that it's never the same.

It's never the same.

Each day y- y- uh, you know, each day is different, right? Each game is different.

The way that it's gonna shake out is different, and so there's that novelty each day of knowing that this is a new challenge in front of us, and we get to approach it with the work that we've done behind us, but ultimately we get to go out and just compete and let the results settle where they will.

Um, how tricky a pitch is that to, to keep going in a positive direction? And if it is a little bit off, how hard is it to get it back to where you like?

I think it all comes down mechanically, like, uh, the way...

If something's wrong with how it's coming out of hand, it, it goes upstream to how I'm moving to get to my release point.

Um, how much enjoyment do you get out of, of tinkering and, and trying to find the right spot that, that gets you to a real good place?

Yeah, I think that's one of the, one of the exciting things about the game, is that it's never the same.

It's never the same each day, y- Uh, you know, each day is different, right? Each game is different.

The way that it's gonna shake out is different, and so there's that novelty each day of knowing that this is a new challenge in front of us, and we get to approach it with the work that we've done behind us.

But ultimately, we get to go out and just compete and let the results settle where they will.

Um, how tricky a pitch is that to, to keep going in a positive direction? And if it is a little bit off, how hard is it to get it back to where you like it?

I think it all comes down mechanically.

Like, uh, the way ...

Did you appreciate the slow trudge, or because your path went a little quicker than, than some other guys, do you think it was something that maybe I could have gone faster?

No.

I, I'm, I'm...

I think the timing was perfect in its own way.

Because, uh, when I came in this organization, like, I was, I was 88 to 92.

I didn't have very good off-speed pitches.

I had maybe topped out at 94.

How do you just jump from a seventh, eighth inning guy to, "Oh, my gosh, I have to get the last three outs of a game"?