To say the Phillies offense has been as hot as an August summer day in Philadelphia might be an understatement right now. Consider in their three game series just completed against the visiting Seattle Mariners, they scored 29 runs and collected 49 hits, 17 for extra bases.
It all starts at the beginning and Trea Turner has been absolutely spectacular of late as the shortstop has had two or more hits in six of his last seven games, and scored 11 runs and drove in seven during that time.
Kyle Schwarber leads the National League with 45 home runs, 109 RBI and has a home run in 15 straight series. Bryce Harper is hitting .288 over his last 35 games with 15 doubles, 12 home runs and 26 RBI. Throw in J.T. Realmuto posting a .333 average with 23 multi-hit games, 18 extra base hits and 21 RBI over his last 51 games and you see why the Phillies have been so good offensively.
Before Friday’s game with the Washington Nationals, manager Rob Thomson pointed to something else that has been working quite well for his team.
“The back end of the lineup,” Thomson said. “We’re producing which turns it over to those guys and that’s where you can really do some damage as far as scoring runs. The bottom of the lineup is doing a great job right now.”
Leading the way has been outfielder Brandon Marsh and second baseman Bryson Stott. Because of his continued hot hitting, Marsh has moved up a bit in Thomson’s lineup and understandably so. Since snapping an 0-for-31 slump on May 3, Marsh has hit .296 over an 87-game span and is hitting .338 over his last 24 games.
Stott, along with his always-present excellent glove work, has hit .381 with nine runs scored, four stolen bases, seven extra base hits and eight RBI over his last 14 games.
Outfield carousel continues …
Nick Castellanos heads back to right field Friday while Harrison Bader takes the night off, sliding Brandon Marsh to center and Max Kepler to left against Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli, whom the Phillies just saw Sunday. Castellanos was held out of the series finale on Wednesday against the Mariners.
“Casty didn’t face him the last time and I don’t want him sitting too many days,” said Thomson. “This would be his third day in a row and I don’t want to do that. He’s in there tonight and then we’ll figure it out moving forward.”
Which means Thomson will probably continue to shuffle his outfield, pending numerous things but he said, “A lot of it has to do with the pitcher.” So it will probably continue that Kepler will face the majority of right-handers and Bader lefties and some right-handers, too.
“I try to get ahead of it if I can and communicate that with the players, if I can,” said Thomson of his platooning. “Sometimes it changes. You schedule a guy for a day off tomorrow, but he hits two homers and a double, you really got to change gears at that point. With a lefty going tomorrow I’ve got a pretty good idea of what I’m doing.”
Wheeler update
Nothing official from the team Friday as far as the condition of pitcher Zack Wheeler, who was diagnosed with a blood clot near his right shoulder last week. Asked what he’s heard, Thomson said there wasn’t much.
“I think we’ll know something in the next couple of days,” Thomson said. “We’ll see him in the next couple of days. Just getting some opinions, that’s all. Just texting (Wheeler). I don’t want to really bother him. He’s resting but he feels good.”
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