Brandon Marsh sits for second consecutive day amid slump
Brandon Marsh is in the middle of an odd slump.
He’s 1-for-24 over his last 10 games. He has as many walks (nine) as he does strikeouts. The 25-year-old was bound to cool off after his scorching hot April, but perhaps the accumulation of walks during a rough stretch is a good sign that Marsh’s early-season success is sustainable.
His 4.19 pitches per plate appearances is much higher than both this year’s league average (3.90) and his mark last season (3.93).
He has walked 24 times already this season. He had 28 all last season. He’s 13th among qualified hitters in walk percentage in 2023, just ahead of Aaron Judge, at 15.6%.
Is he looking to increase his walk rate?
“No, they’re just throwing balls,” Marsh said with a laugh.
He hasn’t been in the Phillies lineup since Saturday. Rob Thomson has so far framed it as a reset for the struggling hitter who is showing signs of fatigue.
It is possible that Marsh is dealing with a little more than fatigue.
When praising Marsh, hitting coach Kevin Long recently mentioned that Marsh is dealing with a nagging ailment that’s zapping his power. Marsh has only one extra-base hit in May after hitting 15 in the month of April.
“I mean, he’s just improved so much,” Long said. “He’s a really really good hitter. He’s a disciplined hitter who swings at strikes. He’s got some pop. He’s fighting some stuff physically, but he’s playing through it. It’s hindering his power a little bit right now, but he’s still going up there and putting together really good at-bats, which I’m proud of him for doing that. We’re lucky to have him. He’s a really really good major league hitter.”
Marsh is fine, according to Thomson. Marsh downplayed the idea that he’s playing through something when asked about it. The Phillies center field also said he’s not bothered by the left ankle he injured at the beginning of the season in a series against the Yankees.
“I think it’s just keeping the best guys out there,” Marsh said Monday. “[Dalton Guthrie] is going to hold it down in center, [Kyle Schwarber] is going to hold it down in left and [Nick Castellanos] is going to hold it down in right and the Phillies are hopefully going to come out on top.”
The Phillies are facing two lefty starters in a row in Chicago’s Justin Steele and Arizona’s Tommy Henry. Lineup decisions regarding Marsh in the beginning of the year were mired in controversy because he was proving that he can hit left-handed pitching, but wasn’t always getting the chance to start. In 31 plate appearances from the beginning of the year to May 9, Marsh posted a 1.066 OPS against left-handed pitching. It took a few weeks, but Marsh eventually started getting consistent reps against left-handed starters.
It’s why it is a bit odd that Marsh is sitting two days in a row. He’ll be a huge part of the Phillies lineup moving forward, so maybe it’s best that Marsh and the Phillies take these next two days to get right, regardless if something is nagging him or not.
Phillies Notes
- Edmundo Sosa is not in the lineup Monday against the lefty Henry. Thomson said before the game that Sosa’s hamstring tightened up while running out a ground ball during Sunday’s game. Thomson says he’s fine, but it’s something to monitor considering Sosa missed time at the end of last season with a hamstring injury.
- José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) has progressed from playing catch to throwing on flat ground. He could throw a bullpen Wednesday if all goes well and another one afterwards. After that, he could face hitters. He’ll most likely go out on a rehab stint before being activated. Thomson is not sure if Alvarado will be ready to return to the bullpen during the Phillies’ upcoming 10-game NL East roadtrip against the Braves, Mets and Nationals.
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