How the Phillies, now with an emerging Triple-A option, will experiment with the lineup in coming weeks (2024)

Gabe Kapler stood behind his desk a few hours prior to another win that kept the Phillies in first place for the 34th consecutive day and he began a meeting with reporters by reading from some notes. One of his young relievers had elbow surgery. His best left-handed reliever had a sore elbow. His oft-injured speedster outfielder felt some lingering soreness, again. Two other relievers threw bullpen sessions but need more time to recover from elbow injuries.

“We have some options,” Kapler said to the group crammed into his office. “It’s not optimal. But we’ll fight through a tough time.”

The manager was talking about his bullpen, but a third into a season in which the Phillies have both underachieved and thrived, Kapler has presided over an unsettled roster. It has not been optimal. The Phillies have shuffled their rotation almost every week. The bullpen must rely upon some pitchers who were buried on the spring depth chart.

And yet, they are 11 games over .500 with a plus-35 run differential. They have the second-best record in the competitive National League.

It’s why the Phillies, who are now focused on next week’s amateur draft, have already plotted scenarios for big-league additions in June or July. There are obvious holes and needs, which sounds strange for a team that has spent most of the season in first place. The trick will be determining which is most pressing — the rotation, bullpen or offense.

That makes the next few weeks of lineup experimenting all the more interesting.

For the first time this season, Kapler will attempt to mix and match at three spots on the field. He’ll look to have Scott Kingery in the lineup more often than not — Kingery started Wednesday for the eighth time in nine games since his return from the injured list and homered. He will see time at both center field and third base. Andrew McCutchen will bounce between center field and left field. Nick Williams will see more at-bats in left field. Maikel Franco, who homered Wednesday for the first time in more than a month, could sit against lefties because he has never hit them well.

It’s not quite the arrangement the Phillies had last summer, when they were spitting out a different lineup almost every day. The goal this past offseason was to add certainty. The Phillies did that. Then, Odúbel Herrera was arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend at an Atlantic City hotel. Franco has struggled after a blistering start. Kingery has earned more playing time but the debate continues on where to deploy him.

One argument: If the Phillies think Kingery has the most range of the outfielders on their current roster, then it benefits him to see as many chances out there now to heighten his experience level. But if McCutchen can play close to an average center field and Kingery helps to improve the infield defense, then that’s the option on certain nights.

It’s an intriguing equation that factors in the starting pitcher, opponent, ballpark and weather conditions. McCutchen, while with Pittsburgh, did not want to budge from center. If the Phillies have to lean on him in center for a prolonged period this season, he believes he can handle it.

But, more than anything, he’s ambivalent.

“It doesn’t matter,” McCutchen said. “I don’t think too much into it. I’ll play where I need to play. It doesn’t matter to me.”

All of which makes what unfolded Wednesday night in a small Rhode Island town deserving of attention. There was Adam Haseley, the club’s top pick in the 2017 draft, on the road with Triple-A Lehigh Valley and one step from the majors. He made his IronPigs debut and cracked two opposite-field, RBI doubles as an opening act.

“As an organization, we thought it was time for him to make the jump to the next level,” said Josh Bonifay, the club’s farm director. “There wasn’t anything else. We thought he was ready to be promoted. He’s performed. He’s played extremely well. He’s developed in all areas.”

The Phillies asked Haseley — like many of their young hitters — to make adjustments this spring. They wanted Haseley to hit the ball in the air a little more and pull more pitches. One thing missing from Haseley’s first full professional season in 2018 was a consistent power stroke. Haseley, 23, is a diligent student when it comes to swing mechanics and adjustments. The Phillies found a willing listener, although the adjustments took time to stick.

“Obviously, if you take out the first 10 days of the year, he’s been absolutely incredible,” Bonifay said. “He’s done a phenomenal job at the plate. He’s a very successful hitter in the minor leagues. He takes at-bats well. He understands the strike zone. He prepares himself daily. He does his pregame preparation just as well as anybody that we have. He’s engaged. After those first 10 days, he’s been on fire.”

Haseley hit 2 for 24 with 7 strikeouts for Double-A Reading in the season’s first 10 days. After that, he hit .302/.383/.535 in 149 plate appearances. That prompted the promotion. His numbers were better at home in Reading and better against left-handed pitchers. Still, the Phillies saw enough.

His Triple-A arrival signaled a few things. For one, Haseley is in play for time in the majors this season. That is not to suggest a move is imminent — or that he would play in center field, where Haseley has spent the bulk of his time this season in the minors. Most evaluators view Haseley as a corner outfielder because he is an average runner. Some within the Phillies organization believe he can improve his chances in center because he has a strong work ethic.

The promotion was one way of recognizing the Phillies’ thinning outfield depth. Herrera is removed from the picture for an indeterminate period. Roman Quinn could still be weeks from returning and his status is always in question due to his health. Dylan Cozens had foot surgery and could miss the remainder of the season. There are no other healthy reserve outfielders on the 40-man roster. Haseley’s importance, if productive in Triple A, has risen.

“I just think he’s going to tell us when he’s ready,” Bonifay said. “He was ready for the next level. We felt as a group he was ready for the next level. Obviously, anything can happen for any of our players who pitch well or swing the bat well. You’re one step closer to the big leagues and you know you’re a phone call away.”

But Haseley also represents one of their better potential trade pieces in the upper levels of the farm system. The Phillies will be active in pursuing upgrades through the trade market. It’s hard to envision any prospect in the system being labeled “untouchable” in the right deal; the Phillies don’t possess a consensus top 50 prospect. They have depth to deal from, especially in the lower minors, but other contenders could field better packages.

So Haseley’s time in Triple A serves as a showcase — for both the Phillies and potential buyers. The same could be said of Williams’ more regular at-bats in the majors. This past offseason, The Phillies viewed Williams’ spot in the lineup as a place where they could improve. They demoted Williams because they could not rely on him in a bench role. Now, he is back and his future is murkier. The outfield depth chart looked crowded through 2021, but the uncertainty surrounding Herrera could prompt the Phillies to reassess Williams’ place.

Or he could go elsewhere in a summer trade.

For now, the injuries and uncertainty are just road bumps to a successful team. The Phillies are afforded some more games to evaluate before tweaking the roster. That is precious time.

> Phillies farm reports

(Top photo: Jeff Curry / USA Today)

Matt Gelb is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Philadelphia Phillies. He has covered the team since 2010 while at The Philadelphia Inquirer, including a yearlong pause from baseball as a reporter on the city desk. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and Central Bucks High School West.