Does he save these inflexible plans just for Paddack? Because in the two games before last night, the starters were allowed to finish the seventh, with one being allowed to go to the eighth. Only one reliever was used each game. The last non-Paddack pitcher to not be allowed the sixth was Pablo coming off an IL stint and sitting at 101 pitches through 5 innnings. Doesn't really follow the narrative of sticking to the plan to a fault.
I watched the game last night. My eyes saw a pitcher who was allowing more and more hard contact in the fourth and fifth, and was in a lot of ways lucky to get away with allowing only one run. Paired with a bullpen as about as rested as it could be without a recent off day, the decision was made to pull the starter 23 pitches short of his last outing's output because it was the most prudent thing to do in the situation, regardless of any plan.