Brandon Pfaadt will start Game 3 of the NLCS for the Arizona Diamondbacks when it returns to Phoenix on Thursday with the Philadelphia Phillies holding a 2-0 edge.

Pfaadt had a 5.72 ERA this season, getting sent back down to Triple-A at one point, but he's coming off a strong start against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.

"I like so much about his last outing," Torey Lovullo said. "Commanding the baseball. He is a little bit like Merrill [Kelly]. He can work the baseball around the zone with different shape, speeds, and spin rate. I feel like being able to do that against a very rugged Philly lineup where you can't be predictable in one spot with one pitch because they will hurt you."