Phillies' notes from long trip: Rotation choices, outfield mix, more

This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The Phillies will play the final two games of a three-city, 10-game road trip this weekend in Arizona.

A few things to consider before they head home:

The rotation

Taijuan Walker will rejoin the rotation on Tuesday against the Marlins. Ranger Suárez is expected to be back sometime during the team’s next road trip through Atlanta and Kansas City from Aug. 20-25.

The Phillies could shuffle their starters as Walker and Suárez return. Currently, they have Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola pitching back-to-back days. It would make sense to separate them with a left-hander like Suárez or Cristopher Sánchez, but also because Wheeler and Nola consistently pitch deep into games. Splitting up Wheeler and Nola, even by a day, increases the opportunity for the bullpen to get better breathers over the course of the week.

The sixth man

Tyler Phillips will be the odd man out when Walker and Suárez return. He is 4-1 with a 4.83 ERA in six appearances. Other than last weekend’s start in Seattle, when he allowed eight runs in 1 2/3 innings, he has competed and kept the Phillies in games. The Phils should feel better about their starting pitching depth following Phillips’ five starts.

In fact, Phillips is the most likely candidate to be the sixth starter, if the Phils want to go to a six-man rotation at some point. It is something they have discussed.

"If we did go to a sixth, he’d probably be in it, because he’s pitched well for us,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “The one thing about a six is it taxes your bullpen because you’re one man short, so we’d have to really think deeply on that one."

The outfield

Thomson had played Austin Hays every day in left field and Brandon Marsh regularly in center the past few weeks.

One, because the Phillies think Hays can hit both left-handed and right-handed pitching.

Two, because Marsh has had better at-bats against lefties.

But those plans have changed with Hays on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring. Marsh figures to see the most time in left, although Weston Wilson could start occasionally against a lefty like Arizona’s Jordan Montgomery on Thursday. Johan Rojas will see the bulk of the playing time in center field.

Marsh in left and Rojas in center will give the Phillies their best defensive outfield.

Cal Stevenson will take Hays’ spot on the 26-man roster. Hays doesn’t think he will miss much time, but until he returns Stevenson will get an occasional start in center -- although he can play everywhere in the outfield -- and possibly pinch-hit and pinch-run.

Second base

It’s too early for Thomson to hint at potential postseason plans, but something worth watching in the final two months of the regular season is how he handles second base.

Thomson said he views Bryson Stott as an everyday player, but Stott has struggled this season, particularly against left-handers (.623 OPS). Meanwhile, Edmundo Sosa has played well, and he has hit lefties hard (.881 OPS). Sosa has been playing more frequently against left-handed pitching. He pinch-hit for Stott in the eighth inning against D-backs left-hander A.J. Puk on Friday.

But it is not difficult to imagine Sosa in the lineup against a lefty starter in the postseason, if things keep going as they are. Sosa is an above-average defender, too, so it isn’t like the Phillies will take a hit defensively.

“I don’t know,” Thomson said about his future plans at second base. “We’ll see at that time.”