Was Phillies’ rained-out lineup a preview for Opening Day?

Was Phillies’ rained-out lineup a preview for Opening Day? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CLEARWATER, Fla. — It rained all day long in Clearwater on Monday, washing out what could have been an unusually exciting early spring training game between the Phillies and Pirates.

Cristopher Sanchez, who bulked up even more this offseason, was set to start opposite reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes.

And the lineup the Phillies put out in the morning, two hours before the game was postponed, could be a preview of the first eight hitters in their Opening Day batting order:

1. Trea Turner, SS

2. Kyle Schwarber, DH (L)

3. Bryce Harper, 1B (L)

4. Alec Bohm, 3B

5. Nick Castellanos, RF

6. Bryson Stott, 2B (L)

7. J.T. Realmuto, C

8. Max Kepler, LF (L)

9. Oscar Mercado, CF

Thomson has talked this offseason about trying Turner out in the leadoff spot, the question is how the 2-3-4 will shake out.

The above is merely a flip-flop of the Phillies’ 1- and 2-hitters but it would position Schwarber to homer more with a runner on base. Two-thirds of his 143 longballs as a Phillie have been solo shots.

This order would not, though, change anything about the protection behind Harper. It wouldn’t change anything for Harper, really. He’s hit third for most of his run as a Phillie and most of his career. It’s where he feels most comfortable.

Harper says he’d also hit second, where he has the second-most experience of his career, but he values seeing as many pitches as possible while on-deck and in the hole waiting to bat in the first inning. And his performance out of the two-hole is glaringly worse — a batting average 30-plus points lower and an OPS 159 points lower than when batting third.

Thomson has also opted to alternate lefties and righties throughout the lineup when possible. The above batting order has consecutive lefties two and three, then back-to-back righties four and five. This might just be the arrangement, though, against a difficult right-handed starter like Skenes, of which there aren’t many. Most days, the opposing pitcher you’re facing is closer to a No. 3 or No. 4.

It also highlights the importance of having another right-handed hitter capable of playing center field, which is why the Edmundo Sosa outfield situation is more than just a wrinkle for the Phillies this spring.

Sosa and the backup catcher will occupy two of the Phillies’ four bench spots. Johan Rojas will likely hold another. That leaves one spot for Kody Clemens, Buddy Kennedy, Cal Stevenson, Mercado and Christian Arroyo. Clemens, Kennedy and Stevenson are on the 40-man roster while Mercado and Arroyo are non-roster invitees to camp.

Clemens and Kennedy are also out of minor-league options, which will make it difficult for the Phillies to keep them at Triple A if they don’t carry them on their Opening Day roster.