Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos will finally share DH role for the Phillies; Trea Turner stays hot

DUNEDIN, Fla. — When the Phillies signed Nick Castellanos to a five-year, $100 million contract in 2022 they expected him to share the designated hitter role with Kyle Schwarber, whom they’d just signed to a four-year, $79 million deal. By one metric, the “runs prevented” category on baseballsavant.com, Castellanos was the third-worst outfielder in Major League Baseball in 2021. Schwarber was second-worst.

They were not signed to shag. They were signed to rake.

Then Bryce Harper tore a ligament in his right elbow, which kept him out of the outfield and limited him to designated hitter duty. That meant Castellanos served as DH just 12 times. Schwarber was DH just 15 times.

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That’s going to change, at least for the first few weeks of the season. Harper had elbow surgery and will miss at least two months, which opened the DH slot.

Rookie utility player Dalton Guthrie started in right field Monday in a 5-2 victory over the Blue Jays in the penultimate spring training game. Castellanos was the DH.

“I think they’ll get a lot of DH time,” said manager Rob Thomson, who then added, somewhat wistfully, “Can’t DH them both at the same time.”

Taijuan Walker wrapped up his first spring training as a Phillie with a in-and-out start. He retired the first five Blue Jays, walked the next two, exited the game, watched a teammate record the third out of the second inning, then re-entered to start the third inning. He left for good with two out and two on.

Walker pitched 2⅓ innings and struck out five, including sluggers Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., both on his new brand of slider. Walker has incorporated a new grip on his slider that gives it a new shape and speed, which, he hopes, will be more effective against right-handed hitters like Bichette and Guerrero.

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“Today, it felt the best,” Walker said.

Walker finished his first spring with the Phillies with a 7.71 ERA in three games and nine innings. He will debut for the Phillies as the No. 4 starter at the Yankees on Monday.

The Phillies signed shortstop Trea Turner for 11 years and $300 million in December, and he looks like he’s a bargain. He singled and homered Monday. Between spring training and the World Baseball Classic, Turner is hitting .455 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs.