You don’t realize how much you miss seeing an alignment every day until you have to go nine months without one.
Here’s the Phillies’ opening day lineup against the Marlins for the 7pm game on NBC Sports Philadelphia:
1. Andrew McCutchen, LF
2. Rhys Hoskins, 1B
3. Bryce Harper, RF
4. JT Realmuto, C
5. Didi Gregorius, SS
6. Jean Segura, 3B
7. Jay Bruce, DH
8. Scott Kingery, 2B
9. Roman Quinn, CF
Aaron Nola begins his third consecutive opening day.
Right-handed and left-handed hitters alternate 2 to 8 points in the lineup with Roman Quinn at the bottom. This lineup build will be a challenge for other managers to find an opposing platoon lead, especially with the new three-hitter reliever rule.
Realmuto is at the cleanup point, where he started just 10 games last season.
The third is where Harper has spent most of his career, 57% of his plate appearances being specific. He has been very successful hitting third and fourth instead of hitting .250 / .331 / .444 on both holes.
McCutchen is back, more than 400 days after ripping his ACL in San Diego.
There is a lot of balance in this lineup. Bruce will be the regular DH against right-handed starting pitchers. The Phillies face one tonight at Miami’s Sandy Alcantara, which had a solid 2019 season despite leading the National League with 14 losses. He had a 3.88 ERA in 197⅓ innings and threw two shutouts. In four career starts against the Phillies, Alcantara is 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA.
The Phillies lineup skyrocketed on opening day last year. McCutchen led the end of the first inning with a home run, Maikel Franco hit a three-run shot in the sixth inning and Hoskins hit a grand slam in the seventh after an intentional walk to Harper. Only four Phillies are in the same position they were on the last opening day: Harper, Hoskins, Realmuto and McCutchen. Gregorius makes his Phillies debut, as does manager Joe Girardi.
Subscribe and rate the Phillies Talk podcast:
Apple Podcasts / Google Play / Spotify / Stitcher / Art19 / YouTube
