The Philadelphia Phillies will try to finish their series with the Washington Nationals with a two-game split. The team released its starting lineup for the game, with All-Star outfielder Brandon Marsh batting eighth and playing left field.
This marks the first time since April 21 that Marsh batted lower than seventh in the order this season. So far back that Rob Thomson was the Phillies manager, and interim manager Don Mattingly was the bench coach.
Brandon Marsh Moves to 8th Amid Second-Half Slump
It’s been a rough second-half slump for Brandon Marsh. Since the All-Star break, he’s slashing .184/.244/.247 at the plate. That’s a sample of 173 plate appearances in which the 2026 All-Star has struggled.
Marsh’s 28 wRC+ since the break is the lowest among qualified hitters. He’s been moved down in the lineup, from the heart of the order to the bottom. With the Phillies closing in on a postseason berth, they’ll need Marsh to find his stick soon.
In the meantime, the Phillies have opted for a platoon of Brandon Marsh and Edmundo Sosa in the outfield.
The one silver lining to this game is that they won’t face Nationals ace Cade Cavalli. Instead, Washington will opt for a bullpen game and push Cavalli back a day.
Left-hander Jared Simpson starts as an opener, which may have influenced Marsh’s spot in the lineup as well. That’s why J.T. Realmuto is batting ahead of him.
Phillies Right Now
The Phillies are tied with the Chicago Cubs for the top National League Wild Card spot. However, just one loss separates the Phillies (68), Cubs (68), and Padres (69) in the standings. So that means there’s a lot to be determined for the postseason seeding between the three teams.
While the division races are mostly wrapped up, the Phillies still want to get the top Wild Card spot and host their Wild Card series. They have a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Padres, but not the Cubs.
The Phillies also have to be careful not to start stacking losses. That opens a door for a team like the Arizona Diamondbacks to steal a spot. Arizona took a rough extra-inning loss to the Miami Marlins and are four games behind the Phillies in the loss column.
Philadelphia sends right-hander Zack Wheeler (12-5, 3.12 ERA) to the mound against the Nationals. First pitch at Nationals Park is set for 6:45 p.m. ET.
Philadelphia Phillies Announce Brandon Marsh Change Amid Second-Half Struggles