The Ideal Lineup, Bench, and Rotation to Bring The Commissioner’s Trophy to Broad Street

Fall is here, and with it comes my favorite time of the year: postseason baseball. With their 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sept. 26th, the Fightins’ officially punched their ticket to the playoffs for the 2nd season in a row. Red October has returned, and this time, the Phillies are looking to finish the job.

The postseason brings new rules regarding the amount of players any team can have on their active roster at one time. Explained in detail on MLB’s website, these rules basically state that a team’s regular season 40-man roster must be reduced to 26 players for the postseason, with a maximum of 13 pitchers. Additionally, players must have been on the 40-man roster before August 31st in order to be eligible for the postseason 26-man roster – for example, Phillies new relief pitcher Orion Kerkering is not eligible, since he was brought up from the minors after the 31st.

I would like to present my ideal 26-man roster for the Phillies as they make their push back to the World Series. Additionally, I’ll provide a little tidbit about each player, plus a few players to watch for in special situations this postseason.

STARTING LINEUP

1. Kyle Schwarber, DH

I know, I know. “Terrible WAR (Wins Above Replacement, basically how many wins a certain player adds to his team as opposed to a replacement player), sub-.200 batting average, most strikeouts in the league!” These are the criticisms of countless analysts and fans of other teams who, as usual, have no clue what they’re talking about. Let’s not forget that Schwarber is second in the National League in walks with 126. So, if we take a look at his OBP (On-Base Percentage, similar to batting average, except it takes walks into account), we’ll see that Schwarber comes in with a .343, which only ranks below Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh on the team. This, combined with his 47 home runs and 104 RBIs, means that he must remain in the lineup as a critical bat while letting his much speedier teammates flash the leather in the field.

2. Trea Turner, SS

Captain America, the smoothest slider in the game, the man who we, as notoriously kind and gracious Phillies fans, had to remind that he is Trea Vance Turner. When the best fans in sports gave Turner a standing ovation on August 4th, and through the end of August, Trea Turner quite literally flipped his season upside down: batting .369 with 9 dingers and 26 RBIs in that span. Although he has cooled down throughout September, and his fielding errors are not to be ignored (career and National League high of 23) this revitalization of his season cemented his spot as the number 2 bat in our lineup.

3. Bryce Harper, 1B

Famous first baseman, Bryce Harper. This should be a surprise to no one, as the perennial MVP candidate and future hall-of-famer has been the definition of consistent for the Fightins’. Harper has slashed 21 home runs and 72 RBIs, despite missing a small chunk of the season as well as getting off to a slow start once he returned. His transfer to first base has been seamless so far, and if it becomes permanent, it will only elongate his effectiveness in the field and for the team.

4. Alec Bohm, 3B

The man who absolutely loves this place, Alec Bohm, has earned his spot batting cleanup for the postseason. While his defense has not been jumping off the stat sheet, it has improved remarkably (he committed 15 and 13 3B errors in 2021 and 2022, respectively, compared to only 4 this year). That, combined with his offense has cemented his spot as number 4 in the lineup: .274 batting average, 97 RBIs, and a career high 31 doubles. As long as he doesn’t hit the ball on the ground (considering his slower speed and the whopping 23 times he’s grounded into a double play), Bohm should provide yet another spark plug to this overwhelming Phillies offense.

5. Bryson Stott, 2B

Possibly the most underrated player in the entire league this year, Stotty 2 Hotty has been priceless for the Phils as they return to Red October. He’s batted a very respectable .280, with 32 doubles, 31 stolen bases, and he is undeniably the best 2-strike hitter in the MLB. Stott has also been amazing in the field, as he ranks first among National League second basemen in putouts and 2nd in fielding percentage, having only committed 5 errors all year.

6. J.T. Realmuto, C

Jacob Tyler Realmuto, the BCIB. While his offense hasn’t been anything particularly outstanding, it’s not his bat that we pay him for. He is a mainstay of our roster because he is a perennial top-3 defensive catcher year after year. Plain and simple, he always earns his spot as the man behind the dish in our lineup.

7. Nick Castellanos, RF

Check on your loved ones this Red October, because Nick Castellanos has returned to the postseason. The 2023 All-Star has finally seemed to play like his paycheck, batting .273 with 29 home runs and a team-high 106 RBIs. Additionally, although he’s definitely not known for his stellar defense, Castellanos is actually the only remaining eligible (meaning he’s played a certain amount of games) National League fielder who hasn’t committed a single error. Although his offense has admittedly been all over the place this year, Casty finally seems to have settled in batting 7th.

8. Brandon Marsh, LF

One half of the Wet Bandits, Brandon Marsh has seriously come into his own as an everyday outfielder for the Phils. When we traded for Marshy last season, our expectations were for him to be a spectacular defensive piece at the expense of being an offensive liability. However, hitting coach Kevin Long worked his magic, and Brandon Marsh became a very solid offensive weapon as well, batting .277 with 25 doubles and 60 RBIs this season. Therefore, Marsh has thoroughly earned his spot in the lineup and on the field for the Phillies postseason push.

9. Johan Rojas, CF

What a diamond in the rough Rojas has turned out to be. He is a spectacular fielder (he has 2 double plays as an OUTFIELDER!) and has cemented his spot as our center fielder of the future. His bat is also extremely solid, as he boasts a whopping .302 batting average. It will be interesting to watch the kid adapt to his first postseason, but I have no doubts he’ll take it in stride.

BENCH

Edmundo Sosa, INF

The 27 year old middle infielder is going to be a critical depth piece in the playoffs, as he can play practically any infield position besides first base. His bat isn’t the greatest, but it’s serviceable, and we’ll be getting a bulk of his value in the field regardless.

Cristian Pache, OF

Basically having the same depth value as Edumundo Sosa, former Oakland Athletic Cristian Pache will be indispensable to the Fightins in the outfield. Much like Sosa, his bat is nothing to call home about, but he can play practically anywhere in the outfield.

Jake Cave, OF/1B

The Caveman will be yet another crucial bench piece, filling in for Harper at first base, as well as making an outfield appearance if needed.

Garrett Stubbs, C/UTIL

Although J.T. is an absolute workhorse of a catcher, he does need breaks from time to time. Who better to fill in than Stubby? The backup BCIB will give us plenty of security behind the dish when J.T. needs to rest, plus give the Phils a great bunt if needed.

STARTING ROTATION

1. Zack Wheeler, SP

In a year where Phillies pitching was all over the place in both the starting rotation and the bullpen, Zack Wheeler remained one of the few great constants. Boasting a respectable 3.61 ERA with 212 strikeouts on the year, Zack was wheelin’ and dealin’ throughout the year. He’s our no-brainer ace for the playoffs and, considering his consistent high level of play, for the foreseeable future.

2. Aaron Nola, SP

Definitely a year to forget for the ace. Although it should be noted that Nola was by no means terrible, he definitely did not live up to the classic Aaron Nola standard that he has set in the past. Despite a sub-par 4.46 ERA, Nola shoved 202 Ks and has most definitely looked better in his last 2-3 starts. However, if the Phils want to make a deep playoff push, then we need vintage Nola and need him back now.

3. Ranger Suárez, SP

Ranger Danger returns to the playoffs, and this year I’d much rather have him in the rotation than out of the bullpen. Suárez posted another very solid year, despite somewhat mixed stats. Overall, he can give us 6-7 quality innings that the bullpen and bats can most definitely rally behind.

4. Cristopher Sánchez, SP

Another pleasant Rojas-esque surprise for the Fightins, Sánchez posted a very good year for the Phillies as the answer to our 5th man in the rotation. Considering his solid consistency, and lack thereof from other starters, I would feel much more confident in Cristopher giving us 5-6 good innings in a Game 4 situation.

BULLPEN

Taijuan Walker, LR

Walker would be working as a long relief piece for the bullpen, giving us 2-3 innings if needed. Although starting the season very well, Taijuan Walker has been very inconsistent as of late, and I personally can’t say that I trust him enough to start a game. However, I feel like he would do much better giving the Phils a couple scoreless innings after Suárez or Sanchez.

Michael Lorenzen, LR

Mid-season acquisition Lorenzen should definitely return to his roots in the bullpen for the postseason. After his sensational no-hitter, Lorenzen has unfortunately struggled to find any decent footing as a starter. I believe (and I’m not the only one, as we have seen Lorenzen back in the bullpen to close out the season) that he will be far more valuable to the Phils giving us long relief like Walker.

Jeff Hoffman, RP

What a great relief pickup by the Phillies this past offseason. Jeff Hoffman has been the most reliable bullpen arm this season far and away, with a solid 2.41 ERA and 69 Ks. He will work best as a fantastic set up man behind 7+ innings of Wheeler or Nola.

Matt Strahm, RP

Everyday Matty certainly lived up to the nickname given to him by John Kruk. Despite a number of criticisms about him, a somewhat lackluster start to the season, and an okay 3.29 ERA, we have to remember just how often Strahm was actually used. It stands to reason that the more a pitcher is used, especially a bullpen pitcher, we’re going to see a lot of good and bad. I personally think that we have seen much more good out of Strahm, and I would like to see him used similarly to Hoffman.

Gregory Soto, RP

Another offseason addition, Soto would relieve in the same role as Hoffman and Strahm, although he is probably the worst of the three. However, he is by no means bad himself, it just so happens that Strahm and Hoffman are better, which I would say is a very good problem to have.

Dylan Covey, RP

I’ll admit that I have never particularly liked Covey; I have found myself yelling at the TV many times when I see that he’s been put in the game. Despite all that, an atrocious May 28th start versus the Braves (7 runs on 6 hits in..2/3rds of an inning) and a more recent relief appearance where he couldn’t buy a strike, I will admit that he has finally seemed to turn things around. While I would like for him to stay away from higher pressure situations, I will say that he has slowly but surely begun to change my opinion of him, and I hope that he continues to do so in the postseason.

Seranthony Dominguez, RP

Along with Nola, Seranthony Dominguez has been one of the most disappointing pitchers on the Phillies this year. It’s eerily similar to Nola’s situation as well: arguably one of the best pitchers on the team turning in a career-worst year. I really don’t know what’s happened with Dominguez this year, but I do hope he gets it together for the most important part of the season.

José Alvarado, CP

I absolutely love José Alvarado. The fireballing closer has just as fiery of an attitude that has made him a fan favorite. While he has done more relief work this season than closing, Alvarado has been just as impressive regardless, boasting a career best 1.74 ERA through 42 appearances. He will be a valuable piece of the bullpen as the Fightins look to return to the Fall Classic.

Craig Kimbrel, CP

In his 14th season, veteran Craig Kimbrel has found himself once again in the playoffs, this time donning the red pinstripes. Although his best years are most certainly behind him, the 9 time All-Star once again provided flashes of the consistent closing ability that has made him a household name over the years. If the Phillies want to go all the way, we will definitely need a few classic Kimbrel performances.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Weston Wilson, UTIL

I wouldn’t be shocked if Wilson overtook either another bench player or a pitcher for the 26-man roster (at the time of writing this, he was actually put on the roster for the Wild Card as a 5th bench player, in place of Michael Lorenzen). He had a historic season playing for the Phillies’ AAA Minor League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, becoming the first player in the club’s history to finish a season with 30 homers and 30 stolen bases. Additionally, he can play just about anywhere on the field, so if you see him on the field this postseason, expect him to light it up.

Orion Kerkering, RP

I really, really like this kid. He reminds me of a faster Brad Hand: relies heavily on his slider, but isn’t afraid to blow a 98 MPH fastball behind you. At the time of writing, he actually has found his way onto the roster against the Marlins, replacing the injured Dylan Covey (although I said earlier that Kerkering was not eligible, there is a loophole regarding replacing injured players). He lit up the Bank in his first Major League appearance, with 2 strikeouts, and I’m very excited to see what he can bring to his first Red October.

All statistics were provided by https://www.baseball-reference.com/

Aidan Kennish is a second-year transfer student majoring in Secondary Education. He enjoys baseball and football, rock music, and video games.