CHICAGO — Asked why he decided to elevate Scott Kingery to the No. 3 spot in the batting order for the past three games, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler explained that the rookie infielder has swung the bat better lately than his overall .212 average and .578 OPS would indicate.
“But also,” Kapler said candidly, “we need somebody to hit third.”
If there’s any conclusion to be drawn from the Phillies’ just-completed 3-7 road swing to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, it’s that they could use another hitter in the middle of the lineup. It didn’t help, of course, that slugger Rhys Hoskins missed all but one game of the trip after fracturing his jaw.