That Balls Outta Here
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Phillies lineup Tuesday could resemble the 2018 Opening Day lineup

By John Town

PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 24: Tommy Joseph #19 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with Rhys Hoskins #17 and Nick Williams #5 after hitting a three run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on August 24, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 24: Tommy Joseph #19 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with Rhys Hoskins #17 and Nick Williams #5 after hitting a three run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on August 24, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Pete Mackanin’s lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Marlins could look very similar to the Phillies 2018 Opening Day lineup.

The future is nigh, Phillies fans. With the group of prospects now in the major-leagues, it is clear the future core of the team is starting to be assembled. Tuesday night fans can get a glimpse of all these prospects at once and what may to be come next season.

Manager Pete Mackanin is finally starting to heed the wishes of fans and presented a lineup loaded with prospects for Tuesday’s matchup against the Marlins:

  1. CF Odubel Herrera
  2. SS Freddy Galvis
  3. LF Aaron Altherr
  4. 1B Rhys Hoskins
  5. RF Nick Williams
  6. 3B Maikel Franco
  7. C Jorge Alfaro
  8. 2B J.P. Crawford
  9. RHP Nick Pivetta

All you have to do is sub out Pivetta for Aaron Nola and this could be the lineup Mackanin will use on Opening Day next season in Atlanta.

Compare this lineup to Opening Day from this season and the differences are glaring:

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  1. 2B Cesar Hernandez
  2. LF Howie Kendrick
  3. CF Odubel Herrera
  4. 3B Maikel Franco
  5. RF Michael Saunders
  6. 1B Tommy Joseph
  7. C Cameron Rupp
  8. SS Freddy Galvis
  9. RHP Jeremy Hellickson

Hoskins, Williams, Alfaro, and Crawford were all top-ten prospects coming into this season and are now in the majors.

Williams has already graduated while the other three will still be rookies next season and should stay in the top-ten, if not the top-five, in the system.

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This lineup does omit this year’s starting second baseman, Hernandez, who some view as a future piece of this team. However, with Crawford in the majors and Scott Kingery expected to be early on next season, Hernandez could be the centerpiece of an offseason trade to help clear up the logjam in the majors.

The only difference with this middle infield may be Crawford playing shortstop and Galvis playing second, but both are viewed as top-tier defensive shortstops so it’s hard to go wrong there.

The outfield seems locked in with Altherr, Williams, and Herrera.

Herrera got a major contract extension last year and he’s here to stay. Meanwhile, Altherr and Williams both showed this year they should be the Opening Day starters next season.

Next: Phillies promote Victor Arano, Henderson Alvarez

The best part of any rebuilding team is starting to see the pieces come together, and that is exactly what is happening Tuesday night at Citizen’s Bank Park.

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