Phillies opting for Cristian Pache over Brandon Marsh against left-handers

CINCINNATI — At various times over the last few months, multiple Phillies officials have said they intend for center fielder Brandon Marsh to play every day, against right-handed pitchers and lefties.

But their actions are indicating something else.

The Phillies have faced a left-handed starting pitcher in five of 13 games, including the Reds’ Nick Lodolo in Thursday night’s series opener. Marsh, a left-handed hitter, has started only one of those games despite going 4-for-11 with three doubles and a homer so far against lefties.

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Cristian Pache was back in the lineup against Lodolo, a decision that manager Rob Thomson explained was made in part because the Phillies aren’t scheduled to face another left-handed pitcher over the other six games of the road trip.

Thomson also cited Pache’s double against Lodolo last Saturday at Citizens Bank Park and said the light-hitting 24-year-old is having better at-bats since being acquired from Oakland in a March 29 trade and working closely with hitting coach Kevin Long.

“Pache is making a lot of improvement,” Thomson said. “He did have good at-bats against this guy the other day.”

Entering the game, Pache was 3-for-12 (.250) with three strikeouts for the Phillies. Regarded as an elite defensive center fielder, the former top prospect hit .156/.205/.234 in 332 plate appearances over the last three seasons with Atlanta and Oakland.

But the Phillies also traded touted catcher Logan O’Hoppe to the Angels at the deadline last year to get Marsh.

Marsh struggled (.188/.226/.260) in 105 plate appearances against lefties last season. But Long made a priority of working with him in the offseason to spur improvement. Marsh homered this week against Marlins lefty reliever Devin Smeltzer. In his lone start against a lefty, he doubled against the Yankees’ Nestor Cortes on April 3.

Kyle Schwarber pulled a compression sleeve up over his right knee before batting practice, which seemed notable considering he played left field for only the second time in seven games.

Schwarber downplayed the protective brace — “I wouldn’t say it’s even a thing,” he said — while also acknowledging that the Phillies are “trying to be proactive” about managing soreness. Schwarber has been the primary designated hitter so far, occupying the role in eight of 13 games.

“Once Bryce [Harper] gets back,” Schwarber said, “there’s not going to be a whole lot of DH at-bats.”

Schwarber was hobbled at times last season by a right calf strain.

As right-hander Taijuan Walker makes his third start of the season Friday night, he will be looking to complete the fifth inning for the first time.

“It seems like there’s part of the game where he loses the strike zone, and that’s not typical of him,” Thomson said. “He’s a strike-thrower. He goes deep in the game. I expect that to happen.”

Walker had one laborious inning in each of his first two starts. He threw 33 pitches in the first inning April 3 at Yankee Stadium and 33 in the fourth inning last Sunday at home against the Reds. He issued five walks in the latter outing, his higher total since April 20, 2021.

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Thomson speculated that Walker’s inefficiency relative to the last two years, in particular — he completed six innings in 29 of 59 starts for the Mets in 2021-22 — is related to making fewer starts than usual in spring training because he represented Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

“My goal is to always try to go at least six innings every time out,” Walker said. “If I can get six innings, we just use three [pitchers] and we can probably strategize a little bit better.”

Friday is shaping up as a big day for Ranger Suárez, who is set to throw 45-50 pitches off a bullpen mound with a simulated break between innings. Barring a setback, he could progress to facing hitters in a batting practice setting. Suárez is recovering from a strained left elbow. ... First baseman Darick Hall, who had surgery Wednesday to reattach a torn ligament in his right thumb, will remain in Philadelphia through the weekend before traveling to Clearwater, Fla., to intensify his rehab. He’s expected to miss two months. ... Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez (triceps) is slated to continue his minor league assignment Sunday with a start for triple-A Lehigh Valley. ... Walker (0-1, 6.00 ERA) will be opposed Friday night by Reds right-hander Connor Overton (0-0, 10.13), who gave up four runs in four innings against the Phillies last Sunday.