Rob Thomson finds a new way to infuriate Phillies fans, but he has an argument

The Philadelphia Phillies entered Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals with a chance to not only complete a four-game sweep of their NL East rivals but to win their fifth game in a row. Sure, the competition was subpar over the last week, but with how poorly the Phillies had been playing prior to heading back home, going 5-1 at Citizens Bank Park would've been awesome.

Instead, the Phillies seemed to do whatever they could to throw that game away. Their lineup was still far more talented than that of Washington's, but Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, and Johan Rojas (one of their hottest hitters) were all on the bench.

To make matters worse, the Phillies actually had a chance to at least tie the game in the bottom of the ninth after Washington had taken a two-run lead. Edmundo Sosa led off the frame with a single, and there were a couple of chances for Thomson to use bats like Harper and Realmuto off the bench. Instead, he refused to go to those two All-Stars, and the Phillies lost the game 6-4.

As infuriating as this decision was, Thomson has an argument for making it.

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Rob Thomson had reason to make infuriating decision

You'd think with the recently promoted Cal Stevenson and the light-hitting Garrett Stubbs due up after Sosa, the Phillies would've made at least one move. Letting Stevenson and Stubbs hit was essentially asking for the Nationals to win the game, and they did just that. Again, as annoying as it is, Thomson's explanation makes sense.

"I wanted to get both him [Harper] and J.T. a full day."

He wanted to give Harper and Realmuto full days off. This makes sense, considering the fact that Harper hadn't sat out a single game since the start of the second half and Realmuto, a catcher, had played in six straight games with only one off day. They're both over 30 and have both spent time on the IL.

When asked if he was tempted to use Harper and/or Realmuto off the bench, Thomson had an answer Phillies fans should want to hear.

"Absolutely, but I'm thinking long-term as well... This is going to be a tough stretch, no doubt, and we've gotta be able to handle it. We have to have healthy bodies and rested bodies so that we give ourselves every chance to play well."

After this Nationals series, Philadelphia's schedule gets a lot tougher. They're about to embark on a six-game road trip featuring series in Atlanta and Kansas City. They then return home, only to face the Astros and Braves. Those are 13 tough games in a row with only one off-day.

Every game is important, but it's important to think long-term. Not only does Thomson want Harper and Realmuto, two players who have missed time this season due to injury to be healthy for them down the stretch and in October, but the Phillies want their stars to be fresh for this upcoming gauntlet. The Phillies hold a seven-game lead in the NL East and play the second-place Braves seven times in the next couple of weeks. If Harper and Realmuto aren't ready to go, things could get more interesting than any Phillies fan would want in the NL East.

Winning Sunday's game would've been ideal, obviously, but the goal for this team is to win the World Series. Anything less would be considered a failure. While one at-bat likely wouldn't have killed them, ensuring that his stars are healthy and fresh for the stretch run and in October by resting them in a game against the 56-69 Nationals with a brutal stretch coming up feels like the right call.