Phillies welcome the Atlanta Braves: 5 things to watch for

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BALTIMORE, MD – MAY 16: Nick Williams #5, Aaron Altherr #23, and Odubel Herrera #37 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 16, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. Phillies won 4-1. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

Right field

Aaron Altherr versus Nick Williams have been a topic of conversation all season for Philadelphia with the young outfielders battling for playing time on a nightly basis. Altherr is batting below the Mendoza line, and Williams is only slightly ahead of him.

Williams has been clutch off the bench, but with a highly publicized free agent class and a bevy of outfield prospects, the Phillies need to know if Williams is a star off the bench or every day.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 19: Nick Williams #5 and J.P. Crawford #2 of the Philadelphia Phillies high five teammates in the dugout in the bottom of the second inning after each scoring a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

The lefty Williams has primarily faced righties this year with little success, batting .203 in 84 plate appearances. He’s three for eight against lefties, with one of those three hits being a pinch-hit home run.

Altherr had a tremendous amount of time to prove he’s the star the front office thinks he can be, but now it appears Williams is finally getting an opportunity to play every day, even against the Braves righty Mike Foltynewicz. Veteran righty Brandon McCarthy is scheduled to pitch game two, and rookie lefty Luiz Gohara gets game three.

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