The Philadelphia Phillies made a clear lineup call before opening their series against the Miami Marlins, and Trea Turner was left out of Friday’s starting nine. The decision came after Turner helped fuel a 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants, finishing that game with two hits and a home run.
The Phillies are set to begin the series at LoanDepot Park in Florida, but Turner’s name did not appear in the posted order for the matchup. Zack Wheeler will start on the mound, while Kyle Schwarber leads off and Bryce Harper hits second in a lineup that also includes Adolis Garcia, Brandon Marsh and Edmundo Sosa.
Phillies’ lineup shifts for the Marlins opener
Philadelphia listed Schwarber at designated hitter, Harper at first base and Garcia in right field. Marsh was placed in left field, Sosa at shortstop and Bryson Stott at second base, with Alec Bohm at third, Justin Crawford in center and Rafael Marchan behind the plate.
The lineup left Turner out despite his recent production. He entered the game batting .252 with 32 hits, four home runs, 11 RBI, 20 runs and three stolen bases in 31 games.
That move stood out because Turner has remained one of the team’s most recognizable hitters since joining Philadelphia. He was drafted 13th overall in 2014, spent the first six and a half seasons of his career with the Washington Nationals and later had a brief stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers before landing with the Phillies.
Turner’s track record remains a key part of the Phillies’ roster
Turner brings a long résumé to Philadelphia, including a World Series title with Washington in 2019. He is also a three-time All-Star and owns a career .296 batting average with 1,563 hits.
The Phillies have relied on that type of veteran production, even as the team has worked through a difficult stretch. They entered the series in fourth place in the National League East with a 12-19 record and were 4-9 in road games.
Philadelphia recently made a change in the dugout, moving on from Rob Thomson. Don Mattingly is serving as interim manager, and the club now faces a stretch that includes four games against Miami before returning home to host the Athletics.
A team searching for consistency
The Phillies reached the World Series in 2022 and have made the playoffs in four straight seasons, but the current run has tested that standard. Pedro Martinez noted on April 28 that both Alex Cora and Rob Thomson were “victims of their success,” a comment that reflected the pressure that comes with expectations in a market like Philadelphia.
For Friday’s game, though, the immediate focus was lineup construction and Turner’s absence from it. The Phillies later added that Turner was back in the lineup on Saturday, signaling that the move against Miami was temporary rather than a larger change to his role.
