Phillies Need More From Right-Handed Hitters in Key Area

The Philadelphia Phillies have done a great job of getting their season back on track under interim manager Don Mattingly.

When he took over the team from Rob Thomson, the team was 9-19, tied for the worst record in baseball. In the first 14 games under Mattingly, the team went 11-4, bringing their record to 20-23 entering play on May 14 against the Boston Red Sox.

It has certainly been encouraging to see the team get back on track. With Mattingly at the helm, improvements have been shown in several areas, such as starting pitchers working deeper into games to help save the bullpen.

However, there is one problem area that existed under Thomson that has not gone away with Mattingly: the struggles of their right-handed hitters against left-handed pitching.

Phillies need right-handed hitters to step up against left-handed pitching

Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) hits a single against the Miami Marlins. — May 4, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) hits a single against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at loanDepot Park. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Entering play on May 14, the Phillies were tied for last in the MLB, with the Texas Rangers, with their right-handed hitters producing a .590 OPS against southpaws. Philadelphia has managed a meager .203 batting average across 276 plate appearances with only seven home runs and 21 RBI.

That is certainly not the kind of production the front office was expecting, given some of the right-handed hitters in the lineup. Expectations were much higher for Adolis Garcia, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto, the main starters who hit from the right side of the plate.

Hitting left-handed pitching in general has been a struggle for the Phillies, and the underwhelming performances of that quartet are a major reason why. The numbers would be even worse if not for Garcia buoying the group’s success with a .262/.340/.476 slash line against left-handed pitching.

Thus far in 2026, the average OPS for a Major League player is .708, per Baseball Reference. There are only four players on the team who are above that mark against left-handed pitching: Bryson Stott, Kyle Schwarber, Garcia and Bryce Harper.

Phillies need to consider change if improvements aren't made

Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) walks to the mound for a pitching change. — May 7, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) walks to the mound for a pitching change during the fourth inning against the Athletics at Citizens Bank Park. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

It is something that certainly has to change as the season goes along if Philadelphia wants any shot at continuing to climb back into the playoff picture in the National League.

How much longer can Mattingly continue to pencil Turner and Bohm into the lineup before changes have to be made? The biggest issue is that there are no clear answers to turn to on the roster.

Edmundo Sosa, a versatile backup infielder, has a .649 OPS against left-handed pitching. Felix Reyes and Otto Kemp are even less impactful with a .474 and .369, respectively.

Help may have to be brought in from outside of the organization if the veteran players cannot find their groove in the near future.

Add us as a preferred source on Google