Scott Kingery is filling the Phillies’ leadoff-hitting void, but middle-of-the-order spot might be in his future

NEW YORK -- In the month since Andrew McCutchen went down with a season-ending knee injury, the Phillies have looked for a new leadoff hitter. Cesar Hernandez couldn't hack it. Neither could Jean Segura. Bryce Harper got a cameo at the top of the order, but it was hardly a long-term solution.

And so, into the breach stepped Scott Kingery.

The Phillies installed Kingery at the top of the order on June 24, and on Friday night, he became only the third player ever to hit a leadoff home run against New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom when he jumped on a 98-mph first-pitch fastball and crushed it to the second deck in left field.

“He’s seeing more pitches now than he ever has before, which is why I’m more comfortable with him in the leadoff spot,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “But he’s still a guy that walks like 5½, six percent of the time. I still think that if you want me to project out where Scott Kingery is best in the lineup, the way he’s swinging the bat right now, is [the] three [spot].”

Indeed, although Kingery has the speed of a prototypical leadoff man and is working deeper counts, the Phillies prefer a top-of-the-order hitter who draws a lot of walks. Through Friday, Kingery had a 5.8 percent walk rate that was tied for 203rd among 243 hitters with at least 200 plate appearances this season.

Overall, Kingery was only 11-for-48 (.229) with two doubles, two homers, four walks, and a .315 on-base percentage through 11 games in the leadoff spot. But he’s also the best top-of-the-order option that the Phillies have at this point.

Long-term, Kapler would rather that Kingery come to the plate with runners on base than be the table-setter. Told that Kapler believes he profiles well as a No. 3 hitter, Kingery said he doesn't think of himself in any one particular spot.

“I’m not a typical 3-hole hitter, I guess, in a sense, but I think any spot in the lineup there’s really not much difference except maybe sometimes you have more runners on base,” Kingery said. “But you’re really only hitting in that spot one time a game. Top of the lineup, you’ll always be hitting behind those guys.”

As the understudy to All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, Andrew Knapp doesn’t often get into the Phillies lineup. And he hasn’t delivered much off the bench lately, either. Since the end of May, Knapp is 2-for-21 with 11 strikeouts, the latest coming with the go-ahead run on third base in the seventh inning Friday night.

"He's not getting a lot of opportunities, in fairness, right?" Kapler said. "That's part of the job, though. The best role players are the guys who have ups and downs in the opportunities that they have and are able to perform under sub-optimal conditions."

Kapler said he’s “not looking for [Knapp] to do any sort of big damage” at the plate, but he added that the Phillies believe in Knapp’s on-base skills based on his track record in the minor leagues and as a rookie in 2017.

David Robertson threw a 28-pitch bullpen session during which he spun three curveballs, the latest step in his recovery from a right forearm strain that has sidelined him since mid-April. “Great success,” said Robertson, who is hoping to throw live batting practice Friday when the Phillies return from the All-Star break. ... Aaron Nola (7-2, 3.89 ERA), who has allowed one earned run in 23 innings over his last three starts, will start the final game before the break Sunday against Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler (6-5, 4.42).