The Philadelphia Phillies lost to the Atlanta Braves 5-2 in their series opener on Friday night.
Now, ahead of Saturday’s game, the Phillies officially announced their starting lineup, and for the second straight night, the team’s sole All-Star starter, Brandon Marsh, is nowhere to be found.
Why Is Marsh Not Starting?
There’s a clear reason why Marsh is out for the second straight night, whether people agree with it or not.
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly has made the decision to platoon Marsh against left-handed pitchers. With the Braves starting left-hander Chris Sale on Friday and another lefty, Martin Perez, on Saturday, he’s sticking to his guns and keeping Marsh on the bench.
This doesn’t mean Marsh won’t appear in the game, though. He made one pinch-hit appearance Friday and likely will again if a right-handed pitcher enters the game at some point.
Who’s Starting in His Place?
The usual replacement for Marsh when he’s out of the lineup against a lefty is Edmundo Sosa, and that’s who it will be once again.
Here’s the full Phillies lineup:
Via Underdog MLB: “Phillies 9/5 K. Schwarber DH T. Turner SS B. Harper RF L. Arraez 2B A. Bohm 1B E. Sosa LF J. Realmuto C B. Stott 3B D. Hill CF Z. Wheeler SP.”
Phillies 9/5
K. Schwarber DH
T. Turner SS
B. Harper RF
L. Arraez 2B
A. Bohm 1B
E. Sosa LF
J. Realmuto C
B. Stott 3B
D. Hill CFZ. Wheeler SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) September 5, 2026
Marsh is batting .224 against lefties this season across 116 at-bats, with three home runs and 11 RBIs.
Collectively, Marsh is batting .268 on the year and has recorded 17 home runs and 57 RBIs while slugging .421 with a .734 OPS.
So, there’s a little bit of truth to Mattingly’s platoon decision, as Marsh has struggled more against lefties, even though he’s still hitting well above the Mendoza Line.
Why Is Phillies Star Brandon Marsh Not Starting Again Against Braves?