The Philadelphia Phillies will also get a key bat back in the lineup against the Atlanta Braves. Bryson Stott, who was a late scratch for the opener, is back in the lineup. He’ll bat eighth and play third base.
Stott was a late scratch from the lineup due to a personal matter, according to interim manager Don Mattingly. It turned out that his wife, Dru, was ready to give birth to the couple’s third child, a girl.
The Phillies infielder announced the birth of his daughter on Instagram. Luke Arcaini of Crossing Broad posted a screengrab of Mrs. Stott’s post on X.
Bryson Stott Returns to Phillies Lineup
Bryson Stott did not play in the series opener to welcome his third child, and second daughter, into the world. The Braves ultimately prevailed in the Chris Sale vs. Cristopher Sanchez pitching duel, 5-2.
Stott is on track for one of his best seasons in Philadelphia. Entering this contest, the Phillies infielder is slashing .255/.331/.403 with 10 home runs. By wRC+, he is a league-average hitter at 100.
Despite being a left-handed hitter, he’s handled southpaws fairly well this season. Stott holds a .276/.353/.419 slash and a 111 wRC+ against lefties. As a result, he’s on track to record the most plate appearances in his career since 2023.
With Stott back in the lineup, outfielder Bryan De La Cruz will sit for the second game against the Braves.
Philadelphia Phillies Right Now
Philadelphia enters this game at 79-62. They are five games behind the Braves for the National League East lead. Their margin of error in the division race is essentially down to zero after losing the series opener.
The loss in the series opener also means they fell behind the Chicago Cubs in the race for the NL’s No. 4 seed. Chicago owns the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning six of seven regular-season contests, albeit those games were played in April.
A win is paramount for the Phillies to stay alive in both races. Getting either the division title or the No. 4 seed would allow them to host the Wild Card Series at Citizens Bank Park on September 29-October 1.
The Phillies will need Zack Wheeler to do what he’s done best in seven seasons with Philadelphia. Put the team on his back and shut down the Braves, so the offense can score enough runs to win the game.
Atlanta will start left-hander Martin Perez to try to clinch the tiebreaker over their NL East rivals. First pitch at Citizens Bank Park is set for 6:05 p.m.
Phillies Infielder Returns to Lineup vs. Braves After Major Personal News