The Phillies are trying something new behind Bryce Harper’s bat, and the shuffle starts with him staying in the lineup but moving to designated hitter against the Astros.
After Philadelphia dropped the opener of its three-game series in a 6-5 loss, interim manager Don Mattingly turned to a different look for Game 2 with Cristopher Sanchez set to start against Hunter Brown. The move gives Harper a scheduled day away from the field as the Phillies continue managing his knee pain so the discomfort remains bearable. Harper remains in his familiar No. 3 spot, but this is one of the planned DH days built into the team’s approach.
That change opens the door for a defense-heavy rearrangement, and Kyle Schwarber is the big surprise. The usual DH is leading off and playing first base for only the sixth time in 2026, which pushes Alec Bohm to the bench to begin the night. Schwarber has been rolling lately, with hits in four straight games and home runs in the first three of those outings.
Trea Turner stays in the two-hole and at shortstop, and he’s quietly finding a groove of his own with hits in five straight games and nine of his last 11.
Harper is followed by Luis Arraez, who is batting cleanup again while handling second base duties. Bryson Stott is fifth and at third, with Brandon Marsh batting sixth and patrolling left field against a right-hander.
Justin Crawford gets another opportunity to move up the order, batting seventh while playing center field. He’s been trending up during his rookie season, and this gives him a more prominent spot than usual.
J.T. Realmuto hits eighth and catches, and Bryan De La Cruz rounds out the lineup in a somewhat unexpected spot.
He’s earned more chances with his play, and seeing him get a crack against a right-handed starter is a notable twist, especially with Harper taking on most of the right-field work.
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