Phillies' Outlook Shifts with New Outfield Lineup

This story was excerpted from Paul Casella's Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, you can visit the MLB.com homepage for more articles. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The Phillies have returned home with an outfield picture that has undergone a significant transformation since their departure.

Right fielder Adolis Garcia's season is likely over, prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. has been called up, and Derek Hill has been acquired from the White Sox.

To address this change, interim manager Don Mattingly has devised a plan to deploy the new-look outfield, which will largely depend on the opposing starting pitcher's handedness.

On most days, the Phillies' outfield is expected to be configured as follows:

For right-handed pitchers: Brandon Marsh in center field, Justin Crawford in left field, and Gabriel Rincones Jr. in right field.

For left-handed pitchers: Edmundo Sosa in center field, Derek Hill in left field, and Marsh in right field.

This arrangement suggests the Phillies have replaced their platoon system for Brandon Marsh with a full-time spot in the lineup.

Marsh will alternate between left and right field, while the other two positions will be occupied by a pair of platoons (Crawford/Rincones vs. righties and Hill/Sosa vs. lefties).

There are several considerations in this setup. We'll break them down:

Will platooning impact Crawford's development?

This is a valid concern, especially given the Phillies' recent history of using platoons with younger players. Otto Kemp was recently optioned to Triple-A due to potential stunting his growth with sporadic at-bats.

However, the Crawford situation is different since he's primarily on the left-handed hitters' side of the platoon. As such, he should receive around 450-500 plate appearances, which will allow him to play regularly.

Mattingly's own experience as a player supports this claim. During his rookie season with the Yankees in 1983, he only started against right-handed pitchers for a couple of months.

He understands that Crawford will face fewer lefties overall, so it should give him opportunities to work on his swing and develop his skills.

So far, Crawford has hit .227/.286/.325 (.611 OPS) across his first 210 big league plate appearances, with just 32 of those coming against lefties.

He's struggled against lefties, going 4-for-28 without an extra-base hit and six strikeouts.

Don't worry; Mattingly believes this is a minor setback that Crawford can build upon as he develops his skills in general.

Why not give Rincones everyday at-bats?

Rincones is a promising prospect who has been highly regarded by the team. President Dave Dombrowski predicted he could play a role on the 2026 team early in the offseason.

After battling leg issues, Rincones made his MLB debut and faced the tough Jacob Misiorowski. However, he didn't receive regular playing time over the weekend against left-hitting pitchers.

Rincones will likely receive most of his reps against righties and may face limited opportunities against lefties, considering his struggles against them with Lehigh Valley last season.

Is Sosa turning into a legitimate outfielder?

Sosa is a crucial factor in the new infield alignment. He spent most of last season platooning with Bryson Stott at second base.

The Phillies believe Sosa can platoon with Marsh, given that Kemp and Felix Reyes failed to seize the opportunity last season.

However, Marsh's impressive production and Stott's regular playing time at second base have resulted in fewer chances for Sosa.

Mattingly sees Sosa as an infielder who's gradually getting more time in the outfield without any significant concerns.