The Philadelphia Phillies continue to roll through a strong stretch of the season, having secured victories in eight of their past 10 contests.
That momentum carries them into a weekend series against the St. Louis Cardinals, another club playing well of late. The matchup carries weight in the National League wild-card race as both teams look to strengthen their postseason positioning.
Manager Don Mattingly has adjusted catcher J.T. Realmuto’s workload in recent weeks, giving the veteran more days off to manage the physical demands of the position.Realmuto sat out the lineup entirely on Wednesday when the Phillies faced the Miami Marlins.
For Friday’s series opener against the Cardinals, however, Mattingly has slotted the longtime backstop back into the starting nine.Realmuto will bat eighth and handle catching duties behind the plate.
The rest of the order shows little change from the previous game, with the top seven hitters remaining in the same sequence.
Kyle Schwarber leads off as the designated hitter, followed by shortstop Trea Turner, right fielder Bryce Harper, second baseman Luis Arraez, first baseman Alec Bohm, third baseman Bryson Stott and left fielder Brandon Marsh.Justin Crawford moves into the ninth spot in center field, while left-hander Jesús Luzardo takes the mound as the starting pitcher.
The full batting order reads: Schwarber DH, Turner SS, Harper RF, Arraez 2B, Bohm 1B, Stott 3B, Marsh LF, Realmuto C, Crawford CF.
Realmuto re-signed with Philadelphia during the offseason on a three-year contract worth $45 million, keeping the club’s longtime catcher in place for the foreseeable future.
At age 35, though, the former All-Star has experienced a noticeable decline at the plate this year.In 316 at-bats, he is hitting .215 with eight home runs and 40 runs batted in, producing an on-base plus slugging percentage of .626.
That figure sits well below his career OPS of .765, reflecting a step back from the consistent production that defined much of his tenure with the Phillies.
A handful of minor injuries have contributed to the reduced output and limited appearances, according to team observers.
Catching remains one of the most demanding roles in baseball, both physically and mentally, which has prompted the Phillies to carefully manage Realmuto’s innings in an effort to preserve his effectiveness over the long haul.
Philadelphia’s recent success has come even with the adjusted catching rotation, underscoring the depth the club has developed throughout the roster.
The series against St. Louis offers another test of that balance as the Phillies aim to maintain their winning ways while navigating the final stretch of the regular season.
Fans at Citizens Bank Park will see the familiar presence of Realmuto behind the plate once again Friday night, a decision that reflects both the need for his defensive skills and the ongoing evaluation of his offensive contributions.
As the wild-card picture continues to take shape, every lineup choice carries potential implications for a team that has positioned itself as a contender once more.
