The Philadelphia Phillies’ comeback effort fell short Friday night in their series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Trailing 5-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, Philadelphia rallied for two runs but ultimately lost 5-4.
Ahead of Game 2 of the series Saturday night, Phillies manager Don Mattingly made an interesting lineup change involving slugger Kyle Schwarber.
Phillies Announce Schwarber Decision
This season, Schwarber has spent nearly the entire year serving as the designated hitter, aside from a handful of games in the field.
For Saturday’s game, however, Mattingly is starting Schwarber at first base, marking just the third time this season he’s played the position.
Bryce Harper will get the day off from defense and serve as the DH, while Alec Bohm, who would typically play first base when Harper occupies the position, will get the day off entirely.
Phillies 8/8
K. Schwarber 1B
T. Turner SS
B. Harper DH
L. Arraez 2B
B. Stott 3B
B. Marsh LF
J. Crawford CF
B. De La Cruz RF
G. Stubbs CA. Nola SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 8, 2026
Schwarber’s 2026 Season
Schwarber is currently batting .243 this season with 66 runs, 100 hits, a league-leading 33 home runs and 64 RBIs. He’s slugging .521 and has a .882 OPS.
Schwarber has collected three hits over his last two games but has struggled at the plate over his last nine, going 3-for-24.
Phillies Right Now
Philadelphia enters Saturday night with a 62-55 record and exactly 45 games remaining. The Phillies are 8.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves for the top spot in the NL East.
However, Philadelphia currently holds the third and final Wild Card spot. If the season ended today, the Phillies would head on the road for a best-of-three Wild Card Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Philadelphia Phillies Announce Kyle Schwarber Decision During Blue Jays Series