Phillies’ outfield platoon ‘gelling together’ as all three outfielders hit home runs: ‘You have to be a piece of the puzzle’

MIAMI — Brandon Marsh crossed home plate after putting a ball into the third row of the second deck at loanDepot park to drive in two runs, pointed at Harrison Bader and slapped hands with the on-deck batter. Bader followed it up with another home run, pulling a hanging slider 410 feet to left field.

The fourth-inning power display came two frames after Max Kepler hit a second-deck homer of his own. That trio of Phillies outfielders, all batting right in a row in the fifth, sixth and seventh slots in Philadelphia’s order, hit home runs in a 9-3 win over the Marlins in the opener of a three-game series.

With Marsh in left, Bader in center and Kepler in right, the Phillies have relied on that group against right-handed pitching in recent days, leaving veteran Nick Castellanos on the shorter side of the playing time. Call it a rotation. Call it a platoon. It doesn’t matter too much, as long as you call it what it is: working. The Phillies are giving their three best outfielders at the moment the most chances, and they’re finding better results.

“Everyone’s gelling together and stringing together good at bats,” Kepler said. “Playing solid defense and, most importantly, just having fun.”

From the start of the season through July 31, Phillies outfielders hit 31 home runs with a .677 OPS. Since Bader was activated on Aug. 1 after being acquired at the trade deadline, Phillies outfielders have hit 15 home runs with a .775 OPS. In the club’s last 20 games, the outfielders have hit 10 home runs with an .813 OPS. Bader’s hot hitting and presence has helped spark the whole operation.

“He’s a great dude,” Kepler said. “Having played against him, I always thought that energy was a little loud, but now that he’s on my team, I love the dude, and he’s great. He’s a real team player on and off the field, brings energy day in, day out and makes people laugh. It’s important to bring that type of energy and spread a positive and light (energy). It’s just good energy, good vibes overall.”

After Bryce Harper put the Phillies on top with an RBI single off opener Valente Bellozo in the top of the first on Friday, the outfielders got to work to provide more run support for starter Cristopher Sánchez. Kepler homered off the righty Bellozo in the second, going 410 feet to right field. Marsh and Bader hit back-to-back home runs off reliever Lake Bachar in the fourth.

With Marsh and Bader on base in the seventh inning, Kepler added an RBI single that scored Marsh and moved Bader to third. Bryson Stott drove Bader and Kepler home on a three-run homer two batters later to fully break the game open.

It would’ve been hard to imagine this outfield configuration becoming successful earlier in the year. For starters, Bader was on the Minnesota Twins to start the season. Marsh did not record a hit in the month of April. Kepler struggled for most of the season before beginning to hit better a few weeks ago. It’s taken some time to mesh, but the platoon situation has looked the part.

Earlier this season, Kepler was displeased with his playing time. He was upset after sitting three straight days in June when the Phillies faced a bunch of lefty starters. But Kepler realized he needed to buy in if he wanted to have a role on the team. Now, he’s found himself with a little more energy on days he doesn’t play, treating batting practice like a competition to “stay locked in.”

“Personally, I had to make that adjustment back in the first half, when I think I sat (three) games in a row,” Kepler said. “I had to accept and swallow the ego and understand that this is for the big picture. To win a World Series, you have to do certain things, and you have to be a piece of the puzzle.”

The pieces that started on Friday seem viable against right-handers, but that likely won’t be the case versus lefties as neither Marsh nor Kepler hit left-handed pitching well. While Bader has earned the full-time job in center field, the Phillies have given Castellanos, an everyday player for his previous three seasons with the club, and Weston Wilson starts against lefty pitchers over Marsh and Kepler, despite the defensive drop-off that move brings.

With the New York Mets, who have left-handers Sean Manaea and David Peterson atop their rotation, coming to Philadelphia on Monday, Phillies manager Rob Thomson could opt to have Castellanos play over one of Marsh, Bader or Kepler for a game in Miami to help keep him in tune.

“They’re having good at-bats, so hopefully they keep going. But I’m going to play Nick here pretty soon,” Thomson said. “Whether it’s tomorrow or not, I’m not sure, because he’s going to get the lefties for the Mets. So he’s going to get some at-bats here.”

Because there are more right-handed pitchers than left-handed across the major leagues, having a batting order equipped to handle righties is more important. The Phillies may have found their best lineup to do so. After fielding a questionable outfield against any handedness for most of 2025, the team seems to have something brewing.

“I feel like everyone,” Marsh said, “Willie and Casty as well. Willie taking (Braves ace Chris) Sale way back (last week) and Casty being Casty. That dude, he’s made a career with his bat. I feel like we have a really strong outfield, and I feel like we can just run anyone out there and have a really good opportunity to win.”