Brandon Marsh, Harrison Bader, and Max Kepler help surge Phillies’ comeback win over Rangers
The outfield trio was in the lineup together for the first time and combined to help the Phillies finally get to Rangers starter Jacob deGrom in the seventh inning.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The trio of Brandon Marsh, Harrison Bader, and Max Kepler shared the outfield for the first time ever on Saturday.
As Phillies manager Rob Thomson continues to tinker with his outfield configuration, Saturday’s matchup against Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom was a planned off day for Nick Castellanos. Thomson started Bader for a chance against the righty starter, and slid Kepler over to right field.
He also slotted the three outfielders consecutively in the lineup. And the trio ultimately combined for the Phillies’ only rally against deGrom, en route to a 3-2 win over the Rangers.
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“It just shows that whatever positioning, whatever lineup we have out there, we can contribute from all angles,” Kepler said. “Whether we’re shifted around defensively, offensively, I think we’re very flexible and formidable in a way where you just try and be as selfless as you can so you can just contribute to the collective and the team.”
The Phillies scattered four hits across the first six innings, but struggled to string anything together against deGrom‘s 99 mph fastball. In the seventh, Marsh laced a single through the right side of the infield to get things started. Bader drew deGrom’s only walk of the game, and then Kepler came up to the plate.
Entering Saturday, Kepler was hitting .154 in August. But his expected batting average across the month was .248. Overall, luck has not been on his side. It showed in the third inning, when he lofted a well-hit fly ball to center field that Wyatt Langford was able to track down on the run.
It had an expected batting average of .700, according to StatCast, and would even have been a home run in Wrigley Field.
“You do everything right, but you don’t get that result,” Kepler said. “And I’ve played this game for 15 years now professionally, but those are always salty and they sting, and the best thing you can do is just try to put them behind you.”
In the seventh inning, when Kepler drove a ball to the right field corner, that third-inning fly out became a distant memory. Both his outfield companions came in to score as he sailed into second base. Bryson Stott soon returned the favor, singling off lefty reliever Danny Coulombe to drive in Kepler for some insurance.
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“I’m happy for him,” Thomson said. “There’s been a lot of talk about him, a lot of noise. And like I’ve said for a while, he’s had good at-bats for a bit, and he showed it tonight.”
Throughout his prolonged struggles, Kepler said he has leaned on his teammates and his support system.
“Usually, I try not to fall back on my mechanics,” Kepler said. “It’s more just a mental thing. I kind of start to doubt myself, not necessarily the mechanics, just myself as a whole, as a player, as an athlete. It’s all mental for me.”
His double provided some relief, and it gave the Phillies the lead. Starter Jesús Luzardo had allowed an early run after getting into some trouble in the first inning, giving up three straight singles. But he battled through some traffic on the basepaths to hold off the Rangers until Tanner Banks took over for the seventh.
Luzardo showed improvement when pitching out of the stretch, and stranded five total Texas runners. He was also helped out by his defense, as J.T. Realmuto caught two runners stealing and Edmundo Sosa made some athletic plays at third base.
“I think today it was a good test of that,” Luzardo said. “Obviously, a lot of traffic on the bases, and I thought we handled it pretty well. Obviously, had some help with J.T. and the defense, which is great. But everything feels really good out of the stretch.”
Matt Strahm allowed a solo home run to Corey Seager in the eighth, but retired the next three batters. Jhoan Duran made his first appearance on the road as a Phillie and closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. He flashed his knuckle curve to strike out Joc Pederson swinging.
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The top third of the Phillies’ order — Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper — finished a collective 0-for-9 against deGrom. It was the bottom half that did just enough to help the Phillies secure the series win.
In the outfield, the mixing and matching will continue. The trio of Marsh, Bader, and Kepler will not become a regular unit. Thomson said Castellanos will continue to play every day, barring a few days off here and there.
“It’s just the question is,” he said, “whether it’s left field or center field, what we’re going to do there?”