The Phillies made a couple of huge moves last week, adding two dangerous bats to an already strong lineup with the acquisitions of Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos. There is no doubt that the Phils’ offense is now one of the most formidable in baseball, but how do the pieces fit together? Ultimately it will be up to Joe Girardi to align his new roster, but until he does, here’s how I would set up the order for the 2022 season.
1.) Kyle Schwarber, DH
Prior to the Nick Castellanos signing, I would have placed Kyle Schwarber in the cleanup spot because of his elite power, but Castellanos’ higher average makes him a better candidate to protect from teams working around Bryce Harper. Because of that, the natural spot for Schwarber to slide into is the leadoff position, a spot in the order that he filled occasionally during his time with the Chicago Cubs.
2.) JT Realmuto, C
Hat tip to our own Andrew Salciunas on this one, but Realmuto’s gap power and plus speed makes him a great option in the 2 hole. He is no longer one of the top power bats in this order, so the Phillies can now move him into a position where his ability to hit doubles sets the table better for Bryce Harper.
3.) Bryce Harper, RF
Did you really think it would be anyone else?
4.) Nick Castellanos, LF
Castellanos has great power, but it’s also possible he could lead the team in average this year. So, why not bat him leadoff? Great question. Even though it’s typical to bat a higher average guy at the top of the order, I think he does a better job protecting Bryce Harper from getting walked as often. He’ll get less at bats than he would in the top 3, but he makes MV3 even more dangerous.
5.) Rhys Hoskins, 1B
Hoskins is getting a great reprieve with these new additions, allowing him to bat in a spot where he could see a couple more fastballs. Less pressure could allow him to avoid a slump like the one he was in last summer as well. The only reason he’s being moved down is because the new Phillies are just that good.
Jean Segura, 2B
Jean Segura could be the best 6 hole hitter in baseball this year if he does in fact end up in this spot. He’s way better than this position in the lineup suggests, but with a stacked top half of the lineup, there’s really no other place to bat him. If he can swallow his ego, it’s a great opportunity to see some easier pitch selection and also bat behind some guys that should be on base a ton.
7.) Didi Gregorius, SS
Didi had a rough year last year, and I think he is due for a bounce back season in some capacity. That’s not why he’s batting 7th, though. Lefty-righty matchups are less emphasized in today’s game, but with 3 righties back-to-back-to-back with Castellanos, Hoskins, and Segura, it makes sense to fit Didi here with his sweet lefty swing rather than Alec Bohm.
8.) Alec Bohm, 3B
Bohm slots into the 8 hole, which is a great luxury for a young player that struggled last year in all facets of the game. Think back to what Maikel Franco did in the 8 spot in his time with the Phillies. He turned into a premier hitter for a short stretch because of the better pitch selection he got. Well, it could certainly help Bohm’s confidence this year in a similar manner.
9.) Odubel Herrera, CF
Odubel has a nice combination of speed and power, which fits well in the “second leadoff spot” here at the bottom of the order. For all of Odubel’s faults off of the field, as a 9 hole hitter you could do much worse. He’s not a great CF option, but he is better than the average bottom of the order bat, especially when you consider this would normally be a pitcher.
