The Philadelphia Phillies made changes to their batting order before their series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park on April 10, but the adjustments did not stop their recent offensive troubles as they lost 5-4.
The Phillies have struggled to generate runs, ranking near the bottom of Major League Baseball in scoring. Manager Rob Thomson switched Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh in the lineup, aiming for a spark. The move put four left-handed hitters among the first five batters, targeting a Diamondbacks bullpen without left-handers.
Marsh responded with a three-run home run in the first inning, giving Philadelphia an early lead. However, after that initial burst, the team managed only four hits for the rest of the game and struck out 16 times. The Phillies have scored in just one of their last 29 innings played. “I mean, it’s early, man,” Marsh said after the game. “We still have a lot of time to go be great in the future.” He also said: “I think it was just one of those days… You’ve just got to tip your cap. They beat us by one today. So, we’ve got to be a lot better tomorrow.”
Despite this loss and similar slow starts in past seasons—including years when they still reached postseason play—the offense remains an area of concern for Thomson’s squad. Bohm went hitless with three strikeouts and missed an opportunity on defense during a key fifth-inning bunt by Alek Thomas that contributed to Arizona’s comeback. “We need to get an out right there, you know?” Thomson said about that play.
Bohm is batting .170 through his first dozen games this season but improved significantly last year after being moved down in the order around this time; he finished with a .307 average over his final 106 games. Thomson said about Bohm’s current performance: “He’s just missing… I don’t know whether it’s timing or what.” The team’s overall batting average is .219 (24th in MLB), while its OPS ranks 21st at .662.
Marsh does not believe pressure is affecting hitters: “Because we’ve got a lot of ball to play,” he said.
The Philadelphia Phillies are charter members of Major League Baseball’s National League according to their official website. They serve fans locally and nationally through games and community outreach according to their official website. Since 2004, they have played home games at Citizens Bank Park according to their official website, under leadership from executives including chief executive officer and general manager according to their official website. The club has achieved World Series victories twice—in 1980 and again in 2008—according to its official website.
