March 08, 2024
Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA Today Sports
Trea Turner has been red hot to start the spring in Florida.
It's been just about two weeks of games in spring training for the Phillies, who are struggling offensively as a team, hitting .235 through their first 13 games (the sixth worst in the majors).
The pitching is ahead of the hitting right now, with the club combining to allow the seventh fewest hits and a top 12 ERA and WHIP so far — which is one of the reasons we've got more batters than pitchers on our list below. But none of these numbers mean anything in March.
What does mean something, is how the individual players are performing as they ramp up, eyeing the start of the regular season in three weeks. As we'll do each week during spring training, here's a peek at a handful of players who have been hot, and who have been cold down in Clearwater:
Jake Cave, OF
If the position battle for the final bench spot this spring is between Cave and Cristian Pache, it's been a fun back and forth battle. After a red hot start for Pache cooled down (more on that later), Cave has found his groove. He has four hits in 11 at bats this March (.571). Assuming Brandon Marsh is able to make it back to full health for Opening Day, it's likely the team will only be able to carry one of Cave/Pache to Philadelphia.
Edmundo Sosa, INF
Another likely bench piece is Sosa, who has struggled this spring until Thursday — a game that saw him reach base three times on a walk, single and double. Could this spark the utilityman?
Bryson Stott, 2B
It feels like Stott is slowly starting to feel it at the plate. He has a hit in three of his last four games, and has had a double and a triple over his last 11 plate appearances.
Trea Turner, SS
Turner has gotten a hit in each of his most recent five games, with three doubles and a very early .400 average in Clearwater. His strong finish to 2023 could be carrying over.
Alec Bohm, 3B
Back on Sunday, Bohm went 3-for-3 which, in the early going with so few live at bats, is enough to put him on our stock up list for now.
Connor Brogdon, Yunior Marte, Andrew Bellatti, RP
This trio of relievers are battling for one of the final bullpen spots on the big league team, and each tossed a scoreless inning over the last week.
Kyle Schwarber, DH
The Phillies' unconventional lead-off man has one hit this spring, which came back in February. He has eight strikeouts in 14 at bats. He's clearly not seen the ball well — but it's very early and he'll find his timing.
Nick Castellanos, RF
One solo homer and one single is all Castellanos has done with the bat this spring, for an early .154 batting average.
Cristian Pache, OF
The bench outfield hopeful has not shown much since the calendar turned to March, collecting one single and five strikeouts over his last eight at bats. This after going 3-for-7 with two homers in February. It's hard to find consistency early in the spring and without getting regular at bats.
Whit Merrifield, OF
After a scorching hot Phillies debut that saw him hit safely four games in a row — with 11 total bases in those games — he's gone 0-for his last six at bats.
Griff McGarry, SP
McGarry is one of the most talented young pitchers in spring training, but his second appearance was a disaster. He allowed three runs on three hits, a hit batter and a walk to Toronto earlier this week, failing to get through one inning of work. He seems destined to work on his craft in the minors again this season.
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