The Philadelphia Phillies managed to get a big 11-7 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night to even the series at a game apiece.
This now sets up an intriguing rubber match on Thursday afternoon, and ahead of the game, Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly has made some notable changes to his starting lineup.
Phillies Announce J.T. Realmuto Decision
After starting at catcher in each of the first two games of the series, Mattingly is electing to give Realmuto the day off.
He is not in the starting lineup and will be replaced behind the plate by Rafael Marchán, who will get the duties with right-handed ace Zack Wheeler on the mound.
Marchan has appeared in just 32 games this season and is batting .102 at the plate in 88 at-bats.
Here’s the full Phillies lineup:
Via Underdog MLB: “Phillies 9/10 K. Schwarber DH T. Turner SS B. Harper RF L. Arraez 2B A. Bohm 1B B. Stott 3B B. Marsh LF J. Crawford CF R. Marchán C Z. Wheeler SP.”
Phillies 9/10
K. Schwarber DH
T. Turner SS
B. Harper RF
L. Arraez 2B
A. Bohm 1B
B. Stott 3B
B. Marsh LF
J. Crawford CF
R. Marchán CZ. Wheeler SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) September 10, 2026
Realmuto’s 2026 Campaign
In his 13th MLB season, Realmuto remains one of the more formidable hitting catchers in the majors, despite having a career-low season in many categories at the plate.
He’s currently batting just .215 across 109 games. In 367 at-bats, he’s recorded 47 runs, 79 hits, 10 home runs, and 46 RBIs, while slugging .343 with a .633 OPS.
Looking at the Phillies
Philadelphia is 82-64 overall and holds the top Wild Card spot in the National League. However, they also sit just three games out of first place in the NL East. They trail the Atlanta Braves, who they begin a three-game series against starting Friday on the road.
Philadelphia Phillies Announce J.T. Realmuto Decision During Astros Series