Hey Rob Thomson, Stop Taking Brandon Marsh Out vs Lefties
Brandon Marsh is off to an amazing start. I mean, all of the Phillies’ young guys are. Marsh, Bryson Stott, and Alec Bohm have been amazing at the plate early in the season. After Monday’s blowout against Sandy Alcantara, Marsh is 2nd in the league in Slugging percentage and has 8 extra-base hits. That includes two triples and 2 home runs. And Marsh played a major role in the comeback win vs the Reds on Saturday.
But even with all of that production, Marsh is once again being left on the bench vs a lefty. It is the 4th time this season he has been left out of their starting lineup. In that comeback win where his single continued the rally, he was pinch-hitting. They have sat him in one game of every series so far. Vs Martin Perez in the Rangers series. Gerrit Cole in the Yankees Series. Nick Lodolo in the Reds series. And now Jesus Luzardo with the Marlins. 3 of the 4 were lefties, with Cole being the lone righty.
Marsh was dealing with a slight injury in the Yankees series. But given how he hit two doubles and an HR last night, it seems like he is healthy. And that HR and one of those doubles came off of a lefty in Devin Smeltzer.
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They didn’t play him vs lefties in the playoffs. And that was understandable. Those games were do or die and they didn’t have the leeway to let people figure out anything at the plate. But right now, they do have the ability to give players time. Especially when their bat is as hot as Marsh’s is. Now is the time to figure out if he can play vs lefties. because they are going to need him to face lefties in the playoffs.
And when he has faced lefties, he has hit them pretty well early on. In 9 at bats vs lefties he is slashing .444/.444/.1.111/1.556. A small sample size, but enough to earn him the right to face even tough lefties like Luzardo.
Marsh is playing too well to take his bat out of the lineup 1 out of every 3 games. He has literally been one of the best hitters in the league over the first 10 games. As long as he is healthy, there is no reason to take him out of the lineup just because they are facing a lefty. Rob Thomson is getting too cute with these lineups early in the season. Have a little faith in Brandon Marsh. Because we won’t know if he can hit vs tough lefties unless they give him the chance too.
