Manager Joe Girardi said Monday night that a lineup change could be necessary and the Phillies’ batting order indeed looks markedly different for Game 2 of the series against the Giants.
Sitting are Andrew McCutchen, Rhys Hoskins and Didi Gregorius.
Gregorius also missed Monday’s game because of swelling in his right elbow.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
McCutchen, the Phillies’ regular leadoff hitter, is mired in a season-long funk. He is hitting .157/.306/.255 in 62 plate appearances and is 3 for his last 27.
Matt Joyce gets the start in left field and leads off. Joyce does not have the speed of a traditional leadoff hitter but Girardi likes his on-base ability. Joyce has a .388 OBP over his last 400 plate appearances.
Jean Segura, who has a 10-game hitting streak and is batting .405 over his last 12, bats second. He and Bryce Harper are the Phillies’ two hottest hitters at the moment.
Segura’s batted sixth or seventh in all but one game this season and the Phillies have needed that offense at the bottom of the order because they’ve gotten nothing out of the centerfielders in the 8-hole.
The Phillies as a team are hitting .234/.311/.363 this season.
MLB
For reference, they hit .257/.342/.439 last season. They’re looking at a 107-point difference in OPS early on.
1. Matt Joyce, LF
2. Jean Segura, 2B
3. Bryce Harper, RF
4. J.T. Realmuto, C
5. Brad Miller, 1B
6. Alec Bohm, 3B
7. Mickey Moniak, CF
8. Nick Maton, SS
9. Zack Wheeler, P
Subscribe to the Phillies Talk podcast: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | Watch on YouTube