Brandon

Marsh

Marsh heads to the bench with lefty Andrew Abbott toeing the rubber for Cincinnati. The 28-year-old corner outfielder has delivered a remarkable first-half, hitting .305/.339/.505 with 15 homers, 46 RBI and eight steals in 342 plate appearances across 86 games. It’ll be speedster Derek Hill getting a shot in right field to open this contest.

Both were solo shots. The second was off Gregory Soto, making it his third of the year against a lefty. Marsh is now just two homers shy of his career high from 2024. He already has more homers and RBI (44) in 80 games this year than he did in 133 last year (11 homers, 43 RBI). In part because he’s playing full time, rather than being platooned, he might overtake his career highs in runs scored (59, 46 this year) and RBI (60) by the beginning of August.

Marsh finally got the Phillies on the board in this one with a 420-foot (103.6-mph EV) two-run shot off of Nationals’ starter Cade Cavalli in the sixth inning. He also worked a walk with the bases loaded in the seventh that pulled the Phillies to within a run at 5-4. With his two-hit attack, the 28-year-old outfielder is now hitting a sizzling .324/.357/.518 with 12 homers, 41 RBI and eight stolen bases in 297 plate appearances on the season.

According to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, Schwarber is making his first appearance at the cold corner since October 20, 2021. It’ll be Brandon Marsh moving up to the leadoff spot with Trea Turner (wrist) out of the lineup after being hit by a pitch during Monday’s series opener. The 33-year-old slugger’s 24 round-trippers are tied with Astros star Yordan Alvarez for the major-league lead this season.

After going down 6-0 early, Marsh tried to help the Phillies claw their way back into this one with his sixth inning home run. They still wound up losing by a few runs, but Marsh got his. The home run was his seventh of the season and double was his 11th. All in all, he’s leading the National League with a .335 batting average and has an .870 OPS in what’s quietly been a phenomenal season to this point.

Marsh smacked a two-run homer off White Sox starter Anthony Kay in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game at 2-2. It was the sixth homer of the season for Marsh, who has now registered a hit in four-straight games and is slashing .340/.380/.532 in his last 15 games.

Just one of Marsh’s singles was hard hit, but three were line drives to the outfield and the softest hit of the bunch got past Gavin Sheets at first base. Marsh is batting an incredible .332 this year. He entered 2026 with a career mark of .261 and a high of .280 from last season. He’s not actually hitting the ball any harder than usual, but it does help that he’s cut his strikeout rate. He’s currently at 22 percent, down from 26 percent last year and 33 percent from 2021-24.

Marsh wound up missing just one game after suffering a right middle finger sprain earlier this week. The 28-year-old outfielder has put together a strong two-month stretch to open the season, slashing .326/.355/.484 with five homers, 24 RBI and four steals in 52 games.

Marsh left Tuesday’s game versus San Diego with a right middle finger sprain. Unsurprisingly, he’ll get Wednesday off while recovering, and Edmundo Sosa will get the start in left field.

Marsh said he hyperextended the finger, but that “we’re good.” Edmundo Sosa will probably start if Marsh can’t go on Wednesday.