The Phillies’ new season is starting for Trea Turner. (The Icon Sportswire/Cliff Welch)
On Thursday, March 28, the Philadelphia Phillies will open the 2024 season at Citizens Bank Park against the division foe Atlanta Braves. Here’s our first look at the possible starting lineup for manager Rob Thomson’s first game of the year.
Primarily, Trea Turner, SS
It’s generally known that Turner had a strange first season in Philadelphia, when a standing ovation at home seemed to make all the difference between his OPS before the All-Star Break and his post-midsummer classic.902 mark. As he did in 2023, Thomson might offer him the opportunity to lead off to start the season, but it’s more likely that he’ll wind up batting largely in the second spot.
Second: DH Kyle Schwarber
Since Schwarber is certain to be the starting leadoff hitter once more in 2024, there will be plenty of opportunity for argument regarding leadoff hitters. Thomson may want to defer that discussion for a while, though, given Schwarber has been the subject of incessant questions for the past two years. Although Schwarber can be difficult to watch when he’s not playing well, the Phillies have signed him and he has hit 93 home runs in two seasons.
Third: RF Nick Castellanos
Not too long after playing for the Phillies in the All-Star Game, Castellanos was probably not too happy about being dropped to the bottom of the lineup for the last stretch of the regular season. Thomson will therefore probably open the season with Castellanos batting higher, but as the postseason demonstrated, the two-time All-Star may quickly become quite chilly, so he might be pushed down once more.
#4: Bryce Harper, first base
Turner leading off creates a problem for you because, unless Harper is the one hitting second, you would have consecutive left-handed hitters hitting second and third in your lineup. Turner’s ability to hit over Schwarber may therefore come at the cost of Harper’s infrequent first-inning batted walks. And maybe that’s the strongest case Schwarber has to make first.
5. Alec Bohm, third base
Bohm struggled for most of the playoffs while the rest of his teammates were on fire. However, he did homer in Game 7 of the NLCS. After a stellar regular season in which Bohm hit an incredible.344 with runners in scoring position and recorded 97 RBIs, it was an unexpected event. In 2023, Bohm hit 20 home runs, a career high. Even now, it seems like a season with 27–32 home runs would be the finest version of him.
Sixth: 2B Bryson Stott
Since that Stott is left-handed and has a world-class ability to foul balls off, there is undoubtedly a case to be made for him to start first. However, in 198 at-bats during his breakout 2023 season, he hit just.263 off the top slot in the lineup. The majority of the output from the former first-round choice came from hitting sixth, as he amassed a.331 batting average in 236 at-bats.
No. 7: Realmuto, J.T., C.
Given Realmuto’s history, this might seem low, but if Castellanos is going to hit higher in the lineup, a significant right-handed hitter has to hit lower. Realmuto, who hit.252 with an OPS of.762, is coming off of his worst offensive season in his Phillies career. Even though he’s still among the top catchers in the game, the three-time Silver Slugger Award winner may need to reduce his offensive burden as he gets older.
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