iHeartRadio doesn’t decide the NL wild-card race, but the Phillies did what mattered Monday: they beat the Miami Marlins 6-5 and kept using a more flexible bench. Derek Hill was part of that approach, entering as a bat and then delivering at the plate.
Hill's RBI swing
Derek Hill drove in a run with an RBI single and later drew a bases-loaded walk in the 6-5 win. He said, “Just being able to put all the pieces together, and go out there and execute is pretty awesome to be able to contribute to.”
That kind of contribution has become more useful as the Phillies sit in one of the final two spots in the National League wild-card race. Monday’s result pushed the club to 68-58 and rewarded a bench plan that has leaned harder on pinch-hitters, pinch-runners and defensive replacements.
Don Mattingly's moving parts
Over the past month, Don Mattingly has been more hands-on with those late-game moves, even as he said he does not feel much has changed with pinch-running and defensive replacements. “Sometimes you can’t run, you can’t fill the position,” he said. “I think the flexibility gives you the chance to do more. It’s actually kind of fun to be able to move guys around if you need to in a game.”
He put that idea into practice on Sunday in Minneapolis, using Bryan De La Cruz as a pinch-hitter and Hill as a pinch-runner for Luis Arraez before moving both De La Cruz and Hill to the outfield. That gave the Phillies a different late-game shape and let them keep the lineup moving without burning through the bench too early.
Bryce Harper and the bench
The change became possible last month, when the Phillies began carrying just two catchers because of injured list stints. That left them with a more traditional full bench for the first time all season, and it has made it easier to shuffle players like Bryson Stott, Edmundo Sosa, Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper across spots as needed.
Harper played first base on Sunday while the infield also included Stott, Sosa and Bohm, a setup that helped protect him as he re-adjusts to the outfield with knee soreness still a priority. For the Phillies, the practical question is how far Mattingly will keep pushing this pattern as close games tighten in the NL wild-card race.
