For the second consecutive game against the Miami Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi made plenty of changes across the board with his lineup. For one, he issued a notable lineup alteration for Bryce Harper.
For the first time in 176 games, Harper was slotted in at second in the batting order. He has been the Phillies’ go-to starter at the No. 3 hole over his run with the team so far. He batted third 126 total times last season, and he featured in this spot in the Phillies’ opening nine games of the 2022 campaign.
Nonetheless, Harper, as he noted following the Phillies’ 11-3 loss to the Marlins on Sunday, is all-in with this lineup change as he is simply putting the team first.
“I mean, whatever helps us,” Harper said. “Whatever he wants us to do. If he thinks that’s going to make us better, then I’m all for it. Wherever he puts my name, I’ll show up and play. That’s how I feel about it.”
While Harper shined in the series finale with three hits and two RBI, the Phillies mustered up three runs in the contest. They wound up scoring at least four runs in just one of the four games in the series against the Marlins.
It remains to be seen whether Harper will end up seeing a bulk of starts at the No. 2 hole in the lineup over the remainder of the season. If he does end up seeing such appearances, Girardi wants the reigning National League MVP Award winner to not tinker with his approach at the plate.
“I don't want him to do anything different,” Girardi said ahead of the Phillies’ contest against the Marlins on Sunday. “I want him to be who he is. There's a lot of top hitters in lineups around the league that hit second. It gets him 18 more at-bats, I think, per season, which is obviously good for us and good for him.
“(The No. 3 spot) used to be a glamour spot. I think it's kind of changed.”
For now, the Phillies’ road trip will carry on with a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies beginning on Monday.
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