Brandon Marsh among the Phillies getting extra work on bunting to prepare for the postseason

MILWAUKEE — As their magic number for the division title continues to shrink, the Phillies are already looking toward what’s ahead in October and the potential postseason opponents that may lie in wait.

Whatever team they face will likely have top pitching, which can lead to low-scoring games where every run matters. So, although the Phillies ranked sixth in the majors in team slugging percentage (.425) and ninth in home runs (183) entering Wednesday’s game, they can’t only rely on their heavy hitters. The team also must be able to manufacture runs.

The Phillies have identified certain players to get extra work on bunting, a list that includes Brandon Marsh. The left-handed hitter has been getting in bunting work in pregame batting practice off the pitching machine.

“It’s going to be a lot of matchup baseball, just like every postseason is with every team,” Marsh said. “So if that third baseman’s a little back toward shortstop and it’s a right-hander on the mound or something, they’re kind of telling you to bunt, so I’m trying to have that in my back pocket.”

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Since the pitching machine will only produce one type of pitch at a time, Marsh has also practiced bunting off pitches from the third base coach Dusty Wathan standing about 40 feet out from the plate.

“He was mixing, and dicing us up pretty good,” Marsh said.

While doing this extra work, he’s been focused on using his legs more and catching the ball with a vertical angle on his bat. It’s helped his confidence, but the real key has been trying it out in games. Marsh bunted for a base hit on Tuesday night, and — continuing to demonstrate the small-ball skills — swiped second base.

Against the Mets on Saturday, Marsh laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced two runners. Phillies manager Rob Thomson would later point to that play as a key in the Phillies’ comeback in that inning.

“Just with the reps that we’ve had the last couple of weeks, with early work that we’ve had out here, and just really trusting it, trusting myself, and trying it in the game, because we can do it out here,” Marsh said. “It’s a whole different animal when the fans are here, the lights are on, and the moon comes up.”

Marsh said he learned a lot of bunting technique from fellow outfielder Adam Eaton while he played for the Angels, but strayed away from it when he was traded to the Phillies in 2022. Eaton bunted for a base hit 50 times over his 10-year career. He’s continued to pick other players’ brains, as well.

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“Just trying to learn from the guys like [Garrett Stubbs], who’s known to be great at it,” Marsh said. “Dudes I’ve played with in the past, give them a text, because they’re a lot better at bunting than I am.”

It’s another tool in his arsenal, as Marsh has quietly had a solid last few weeks at the plate. Over his last 12 games, Marsh is hitting .342 with an OPS of .969.

Taijuan Walker (3-6, 6.29 ERA) is scheduled to make his first start since Aug. 28 in the series opener in New York on Thursday against Mets righty Luis Severino (10-6, 3.77 ERA). Walker is planning on sticking to the routine he had developed as a reliever for the start. “He felt really good about doing that, and he felt like his velocity was up, the [splitter] got better. So maybe that’s part of it. Maybe all the throwing before an outing is hindering him a little bit,” Thomson said.