CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Phillies skipped using a designated hitter for the first time this spring and batted their pitcher eighth on Saturday, offering a preview of the regular season.
Manager Gabe Kapler said “it’s possible” that the Phillies will use a similar lineup once they leave Florida. He batted Vince Velasquez eighth in the 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay, followed by J.P. Crawford. Kapler likes batting Crawford ninth, believing his ability to reach base at a high rate would yield more RBI chances for Carlos Santana and Rhys Hoskins when the lineup turns over.
“If you think about where we can do a lot of damage, it’s right at the top of our lineup,” Kapler said.