Rob Thomson sees “superstar” potential in Brandon Marsh. Superstars are not platoon players, so the Phillies plan on finally giving Marsh a real chance to be an everyday player.
The Phillies manager liked what he saw from the outfielder against left-handed pitching at the end of last season. From August until the end of the year, Marsh went 7-for-31 against southpaws. Marsh had only eight hits in 59 plate appearances against lefties through the first four months of the season.
The early season struggles justified the lack of opportunities, but according to Thomson, the reps are likely going to be available to Marsh. His first start against a lefty could come on Opening Day, with McKenzie Gore being a candidate to start the first game of the season for the Washington Nationals.
“He’s seeing a lot of left-handed pitching here in spring training, and he’s doing a pretty good job,” Thomson said on the WIP Morning Show on Thursday. “I’d like to give him a pretty good run at playing every day if we can. But he’s such a great athlete.”
Marsh is slated to be the Phillies’ starting center fielder, with Max Kepler in left and Nick Castellanos in right. Johan Rojas, if his shoulder is healthy, will likely make the team as the fourth outfielder and late-game defensive sub. He has not played a game in the outfield this spring after suffering a minor injury sliding into a bag during the Dominican Winter League playoffs.
Edmundo Sosa could also factor into the outfield plans if his spring foray into playing left and center field is successful. The Phillies could also look into acquiring another right-handed bat in the outfield near the end of camp when the waiver wire gets going and veterans on minor league deals trigger their opt outs.
But as of now, it appears the Phillies are not focusing on running a platoon in any of the three outfield spots.
Marsh’s ability to play every day has been a debate ever since he was acquired via trade at the 2022 deadline. He had a .717 OPS against lefties in 110 plate appearances in 2023. That’s good enough if you’re running around a .900 OPS against righties, which he did. But even in 2023, the Phillies were selective regarding which lefties Marsh played against. He was platooned with Cristian Pache during the 2023 postseason.
Part of the reasoning why the conversation has shifted to Marsh getting a chance to play everyday is because the Phillies are tired of the debate. If Marsh were to receive a significant run of playing time against lefties, the team can say they have a large enough sample size to evaluate Marsh as an everyday player.
What did Thomson like about Marsh’s at-bats at the end of last season against lefties?
“He took the Kyle Schwarber approach last year,” Thomson said. “Think about left-center field, stay low to left and if you’re going to pull the ball, get high in right field and hit some home runs.” In 2024, Schwarber batted .300 with an .898 OPS against lefties.
Marsh is not expected to be like Schwarber or Bryce Harper against lefties, but a good year against both righties and lefties could permanently end the debate around his viability as an everyday player.
“I hope [Marsh] realizes how great of an athlete he is and how great of a player and potential superstar he could be,” Thomson said. “If he thinks that way, he’s got a better chance of getting there.”
