Cesar Hernandez raised his right hand on the barrel and lowered his bat to bunt, just as he has done so often this season. The ball sputtered in front of Pirates catcher Eric Fryer, who hurried a throw to first base that sailed into the Citizens Bank Park stands. Hernandez boasted his majors-leading 12th bunt hit of the season.
Slideshow In the fourth inning Wednesday of a 6-2 Phillies win, Hernandez later scored on Maikel Franco's double. The 26-year-old second baseman is an enigmatic presence in Pete Mackanin's lineup, but the Phillies manager speaks more and more like a man who envisions Hernandez atop his batting order in 2017.