Q. When you're coming in as a starter or opener, whatever it ends up being, rather than coming out of the bullpen, how does it alter your approach, your mindset going into a game?
AARON ASHBY: Yeah, I think just, again, like all of the outings leading up throughout the years, I guess. It's kind of just been get outs. Whether that's in the first inning or the fourth, fifth, seventh, whenever it is.
I think they've made it clear that your job is just to get outs, and then when they ask you to stop getting outs, that's when you stop.
Going into tomorrow, it'll be kind of the same situation. Just prep the same. I feel like I have a good routine to get me ready, so that's what we'll do.
Q. For Trevor and Nick, how happy are you guys that there's an opener game in here? You had a number of those throughout the year. Are they fun days for the bullpen where you get behind one of your guys?
NICK MEARS: I mean, yeah, in a perfect world the bullpen gets a little bit of a blow, goes a little bit deeper into the game. But I mean, it's the same objective. If whoever is in the game starts getting into trouble, the bullpen is going to be coming in and shutting it down.
It's the same mindset. It's just maybe a little later.
TREVOR MEGILL: Yeah, we've got a lot of depth down there, and for us to come in and just get our couple guys and pass them on to the next guy, it's going to be a fun game for us.
Q. Aaron, it was just 16 pitches for you yesterday. At what point did they have the conversation with you about opening tomorrow? And just physically, you've talked about that process of how your body responds.
AARON ASHBY: Yeah, they had mentioned it to me like two days ago, that there was maybe a possibility of it happening. I kind of knew going in.
Obviously keeping yesterday somewhat short is helpful. Body feels good today. It's kind of on that same throw, day off, throw, so it's kind of on the same schedule as most of the year has been.
Q. Trevor, Nick, this is your opportunity to kind of pump up Ash a little bit. He's a unique weapon out of the bullpen. He does a lot of different things. From your vantage point, what kind of talent is he and what does he bring to the team?
TREVOR MEGILL: This dude has done, what, four innings for us this year at least, a couple three-inning ones, especially some big boy three-inning saves. He's done a lot when he's posted up. We couldn't be more happy with what this guy has done this year. Big taste.
NICK MEARS: It's nasty. Sinker at 99 from up top, up to 100? That's got to be uncomfortable for hitters. Glad he's on our team.
Q. For Ash, we talked to Murph at some point last month and asked him about the workload. With how much you have been pitching since you came back, and he said frankly that you're the one asking him to put you in all the time. How have you responded both physically and then what's been the mental mindset to pitch so much and so often?
AARON ASHBY: Yeah, I think part of it is we had a good workload last year. I think the bulk of it was in Triple-A but it was starter innings.
I think getting my body conditioned last year for this year, I think, is probably part of the reason why it doesn't feel like I've broken down much, I guess you could say.
I think, yeah, that workload from last year and just -- I feel like typically throughout the season, I feel better as the season goes. Your body kind of adapts, the tissue adapts, and it kind of makes everything feel better.
I guess as far as the mental side of things, it's more for -- like I'm trying to save the bullpen in some scenarios, and I think I take a lot of pride in that and going out there and getting as many outs as I can, knowing that the guys down there have been used a lot also.
I've always been -- they're always asking me, hey, are you good? So there's that communication there. I think that the workload has been fine.
Q. Kurt asked our first good question ever about Murph no-handshaking guys in the foul line intros. The way you guys line up there, have you been stonewalled by Murph in those settings? The first time were you wondering why -- what in the world was happening?
TREVOR MEGILL: We're in the bullpen so they throw us on the line and call the starters down and we never see Murph. He just goes straight to home plate.
AARON ASHBY: Murph has been doing that since I've been here. I'm just like, that's who Murph is to me. It's funny. I think we all get a kick out of it. He's not making it about him.
Q. Nick, for you, you came in with obviously a good lead yesterday, but was there anything about pitching in the postseason last year that just helped you feel more comfortable, more familiar just in the environment, taking the mound? Then Trevor, for you, obviously not a save situation, but was there any part of you that was like, I want to get in just to get an inning, or physically just to get out there? Or were you like, save the bullets for when you need them?
TREVOR MEGILL: I mean, we discussed earlier in that day that it was kind of looking early for me, either me or Ash, depending on where we were in the lineup. Offense obviously took care of business early and the game plan kind of shifted a little bit.
I think the way they ran it yesterday was very good. I'll take the blow. Why not?
NICK MEARS: With the postseason last year, it was definitely a good experience to get my feet wet for this year, to make a deep run in the playoffs. It was definitely a confidence booster to prove to myself that I could do it at that point in the year, and yeah, just build on it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports