For most of the season, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin has been at his wits’ end watching his offense struggle for any type of sustained consistency. The Phillies entered Thursday’s game against the visiting Boston Red Sox 13th in the National League in runs with 253.
The Phillies are in a youthful rebuilding phase, but the team has been so starved for offense that Mackanin is leaning heavily on 34-year old Daniel Nava.
The switch-hitter, who was signed in the offseason as a minor-league free agent, is the Phillies’ second leading hitter among position players. Entering the game, the leading hitter was another old-timer, 33-year-old Howie Kendrick (.