Don Mattingly, who also platooned as a young hitter, believes rookie Justin Crawford can improve against lefties

MILWAUKEE — Justin Crawford has started once against a non-opener lefty since Don Mattingly began managing the Phillies, so let’s not call it anything other than what it is.

“We’re pretty much platooning him,” Mattingly said.

That wasn’t the plan when the season opened, except that Crawford, a left-handed hitter, is 4-for-28 (.143) with three walks and no extra-base hits against lefties. And so, the Phillies changed their plan for the 22-year-old rookie center fielder.

But in relegating Crawford from an everyday role, a familiar chicken-or-egg question has resurfaced. What comes first for a young left-handed hitter: Producing against left-handed pitchers or facing them?

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The Phillies went through this with Brandon Marsh after trading for him at the deadline in 2022. Kyle Schwarber dealt with it early in his career with the Cubs. Mattingly even sat against lefties as a rookie with the Yankees in 1983 before becoming Donnie Baseball.

For them, and other left-handed hitters who eventually solve lefties, it’s a rite of passage. For many others, it becomes a more permanent condition, especially if they don’t eventually get more at-bats against lefties.

And Mattingly, as much as anyone, is aware of the two edges of that particular sword.

“I kind of rely on my own history because when I first came up, I platooned, and it wasn’t a terrible thing for me,” he said. “I probably would’ve struggled with the lefties. [Crawford]’s a guy that I think is going to hit lefties. But the amount of lefties we see, we don’t see a ton. So, it’s days where he can step back and keep working on his swing.”

Besides, it’s not like Crawford is exactly teeing off on righties. He went 15-for-44 (.341) with four doubles, one triple, and an .885 OPS in his first 14 games. The league adjusted to him, and Crawford hasn’t adjusted back, going 29-for-150 (.193) with a .528 OPS in his last 50 games.

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Crawford was a polarizing prospect due to his extreme tendency to hit ground balls. Sure enough, among 253 hitters with at least 150 plate appearances, he has the second-highest ground-ball rate (59.6%).

“There’s been ups and there’s been downs, but we knew that was going to happen with him,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “He has somewhat of an unusual swing. We knew that all along. Kind of sprays the ball all over the place. He’s working through it.

“He started off a little bit quickly, but lately it’s been a little bit more of a struggle. But he keeps working, and we think he’ll work his way through it.”

Maybe. For now, though, it will have to happen against primarily right-handed starting pitchers.

“When you’re on that side of the platoon, you’re getting between 450 and 500 at-bats, so you’re playing regular,” Mattingly said. "I don’t think it’s something that sets him back. It will set him back a little bit from my standpoint of dealing with lefties.

“But this is more about him having success, giving him the best chance, and then let him grow into the lefties.”

Edmundo Sosa remains a work-in-progress left fielder. But making only his seventh start of the season there Saturday night, he made a diving catch — and replaced a sizable divot — in the fifth inning.

“I’d say like, in general, he’s an infielder who we’re kind of getting more and more time out there in left, and he hasn’t hurt us, right?” Mattingly said. “He’s caught everything he should have caught. He’s made some nice plays. He throws the ball where he’s supposed to throw it. So, he’s been solid for us.”

Sosa started again in left field against another lefty, the Brewers’ Kyle Harrison, in Sunday’s series finale here. In the outfield alignment against lefties, the Phillies prefer moving Marsh to right field and using newly acquired Derek Hill in center.

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(Marsh plays left field, with Crawford in center against righties. Gabriel Rincones Jr., recalled from triple A on Friday, will take over in right field for injured Adolis García.)

The Phillies are expected to explore trading for a righty-hitting outfielder before the Aug. 3 deadline, especially after losing García to a torn lat muscle near his right shoulder. The Phillies are lining up additional medical opinions before García elects season-ending surgery.

“It’s an important one for him and his career,” Mattingly said. “So, everybody wants to get it right and not have to rush into anything right now.”

Mattingly said the Phillies may consider using a day off Friday to separate Andrew Painter and Aaron Nola in the rotation to avoid taxing the bullpen on back-to-back days. … The Phillies return home Monday night to face the Marlins. Zack Wheeler (5-1, 2.22 ERA) is scheduled to start at 6:40 p.m. against right-hander Ryan Gusto (0-1, 6.00).