The Phillies are making another round of lineup adjustments as they try to stay alive in Game 2 against the Braves, and the biggest change comes in the middle of the order.
After dropping Game 1, 5-3, Philadelphia is turning to Cristopher Sanchez on the mound and hoping the new batting arrangement gives him enough support. Interim manager Don Mattingly has reshuffled the lineup against Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle, with the goal of making the Phillies a little less right-handed up top.
Bryan De La Cruz, who started in left field in Game 1, is out of the lineup. Derek Hill is out as well after starting in center field and later moving to right. Brandon Marsh is now in left field and batting sixth, while Justin Crawford takes over in center and hits eighth.
The top of the order stays intact. Trea Turner remains in the leadoff spot, with Kyle Schwarber behind him and Bryce Harper following in the three-hole.
The real twist is what Philadelphia is doing after Harper. Bryson Stott, back at second base with Luis Arraez injured, has been moved into the cleanup spot. Alec Bohm, who was involved early in Game 2 with an RBI double in the top of the first, is now hitting fifth while playing first base.
That is the most aggressive part of the reshuffle, and it comes with some obvious risk. Stacking three left-handed bats in a row can make life easier for the Braves later in the game, but it also reflects the Phillies’ willingness to lean into the matchup and trust those bats to produce early.
Edmundo Sosa is at third base and batting seventh, which gives Braves manager Walt Weiss the option to go to a right-handed reliever and try to work through the lower half of the order with a platoon edge against Marsh, Bohm and Sosa.
J.T. Realmuto is behind the plate again, hitting ninth after delivering a clutch RBI triple that put Philadelphia ahead in the top of the seventh yesterday afternoon.
For the Phillies, the formula is simple enough: score early, score often, and give Sanchez as much help as possible. With the bullpen picture still uncertain, the pressure is on the starter to go deep and the lineup to cash in whenever it gets a chance.
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