Philadelphia Phillies manager Don Mattingly has adjusted the lineup ahead of Thursday’s series opener against the Minnesota Twins, shifting Alec Bohm higher in the batting order after a pair of starts near the bottom.
Bohm, who had hit eighth in the previous two games, will occupy the sixth spot and take first base. He will bat ahead of Brandon Marsh, J.T. Realmuto and J.P. Crawford in a group that still features Kyle Schwarber as the designated hitter, Trea Turner at shortstop, Bryce Harper in right field, Luis Arraez at second base and Bryson Stott at third. Aaron Nola is scheduled to start on the mound.
The contest carries extra novelty.
It is the Field of Dreams Game, staged at a neutral site in Iowa rather than in Minnesota, an annual nod to the classic baseball film. The Phillies arrive after a series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals and are looking for a quick reset as they continue their push for a postseason berth.
Bohm’s 2026 numbers explain some of the recent caution with his placement. Through 117 games and 429 at-bats he is hitting .231 with a .361 slugging percentage and a .653 OPS, marks that rank among the lowest of his career. He still has contributed 99 hits, 13 home runs and 63 runs batted in, production that keeps him valuable even when the average dips.
Moving him up suggests Mattingly believes the extra opportunities in the middle of the order can help him find a rhythm or at least generate more runs for a club that needs every advantage.
The Phillies sit at 64-58, 9.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East. With only 40 regular-season games left, the division title appears out of reach.
Their focus has shifted to the wild-card race, where they currently share the final berth with the Arizona Diamondbacks after San Diego leapfrogged them following the Cardinals series. Every lineup tweak therefore carries weight as the calendar tightens.
Reaction among some Phillies supporters has been mixed at best. Several fans expressed dissatisfaction in online comments, questioning the decision to elevate Bohm while his average remains well below his career norms. Critics argue that a player struggling to make consistent contact might be better left lower in the order until the bat shows clearer signs of recovery.
Others counter that Bohm’s power and experience still make him a reasonable choice in the sixth slot, especially with the team fighting for October baseball. The debate underscores how closely followers watch every positional and order change during a tight stretch run.
Whether the move produces immediate results will become clear under the Iowa lights.
For now, Mattingly has signaled confidence that Bohm can still contribute in a more prominent role as the Phillies try to steady themselves and stay in the wild-card conversation.
