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Phillies Manager Rob Thomson Shares Interesting Plan for Outfielders Against Rangers

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 9, 2025 5:30 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies got their series against the Texas Rangers off on the right foot on Friday night, picking up a dominant 9-1 victory in Game 1.

Cristopher Sanchez continued his dominance on the mound, pitching six innings of one-run ball, allowing only six hits with one walk while striking out six.

The offense received an excellent contribution from designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who got the party going with a solo home run in the top of the first inning.

Center fielder Brandon Marsh and shortstop Trea Turner also hit home runs, with the team’s most productive hitters once again carrying the load for the team at the plate.

The Phillies will be looking to keep the momentum going on Saturday evening when Jesus Luzardo takes the mound against All-Star Jacob deGrom.

Philadelphia will have its hands full attempting to defeat the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner; they know him very well from all the time he spent pitching for their NL East rivals, the New York Mets.

deGrom is going to face a slightly different lineup than Merrill Kelly did in Game 1 because Phillies manager Rob Thomson has a plan in place to keep his outfielders healthy and fresh while playing on turf at Globe Life Field that he called “pretty hard.”

Phillies getting outfielders rest against Rangers

As shared by Lochlahn March of the Philadelphia Inquirer on X, Thomson has revealed that one outfielder is going to get a day off in each game against the Rangers.

Rob Thomson said he plans to give each of his outfielders one day off vs. the Rangers because the turf at Globe Life Field is “pretty hard.” Today, Nick Castellanos gets the day off.
— Lochlahn March (@lochlahn) August 9, 2025

On Friday, it was Nick Castellanos in right field, Marsh in center field and Max Kepler in left field with MLB trade deadline acquisition Harrison Bader on the bench.

For Saturday’s lineup, it will be Castellanos coming off the bench with Marsh shifting over to left field and Kepler moving to right. Bader will handle center field.

In Game 3 on Sunday afternoon, against left-handed pitcher Patrick Corbin, the left-handed hitting Kepler could get the day off with Castellanos being reinserted into the mix.

If Thomson wants to get Marsh a day off from playing the field, he could also be the team’s designated hitter with Schwarber taking over in left field.

Or, the team could go with Weston Wilson, Otto Kemp or Johan Rojas to get Marsh and Kepler the day off that Thomson said each of his outfielders will get during their visit to Texas.

Whatever the Philadelphia manager decides to do, you can be sure that Sunday’s alignment will differ slightly from what was used Friday and tonight.