Well, I guess the Braves now have platoons featuring Steven Vogt/Kevan Smith and Abraham Almonte/Orlando Arcia. It’s certainly a way to go, especially considering they don’t have too many other options:
Since Vogt is a newcomer to the team, this is a novel lineup for the Braves — but they did win with this same set of eight against the Padres a few days ago.
The Phillies, meanwhile, change a few things up from yesterday:
Here's how we're lining up tonight at @PhilliesCBP.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 23, 2021
: @NBCSPhilly
: @SportsRadioWIP
: https://t.co/HhDxScbmEV // https://t.co/vgbMhIMsON#RingTheBell | @IBX pic.twitter.com/9Jt7ASyaT5
This is a new lineup for the Phillies, but they might be aiming for the same magic that stunned Will Smith and the Braves on June 9, when Luke Williams hit that walkoff two run homer. These starting eight are the same as in that game; the only lineup difference is that Ronald Torreyes and Williams were flipped in that one.
This lineup is familiar with Zack Wheeler, but really only Freeman and Riley have hit him at all.
Meanwhile, Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto have brutalized Max Fried so far in their careers. Hopefully that doesn’t happen today, because Wheeler is tough enough without the 2-3 punch for the Phillies causing problems in the box score.
And now, the Statcast graphic.