Phillies: Projected 2020 Starting Lineup, Nos. 4-6 Spots
Predicting the 2020 Phillies starting lineup, spots 4-6
A new season, new manager, new players, and a new lineup. Continuing from the 1-3 spots in the lineup, let’s take a look at the projected 4-6 spots in the 2020 starting lineup for the Philadelphia Phillies.
4: Rhys Hoskins
2019 Stats: .226/.364/.819, 29 HR, 85 RBI, 570 ABs
Predicted to bat fourth is first baseman, Rhys Hoskins. Batting behind Andrew McCutchen, J.T. Realmuto, and Bryce Harper, it seems good for Hoskins as he can drive in runs when needed.
It was quite the season for the first baseman last year.
In 2019, Hoskins ranked second on the Phillies in runs batted in (85), behind Bryce Harper (114). In addition, the 27-year-old ranked fifth on the team in hits (129) and second in home runs (29). It’s no doubt that batting the California-native fourth is a good fit.
Turning the page to a shortened 2020 season, Hoskins should be able to continue to do what he was doing last season.
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According to Baseball-Reference, Hoskins is projected to post a .237 batting average in 198 at-bats for the Phillies in the 2020 season. In those 198 at-bats, he is projected to produce 35 runs batted in and 12 home runs. Hoskins is predicted to strike out 57 times.
Despite the season only having 60 games this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting the entire world, Hoskins should be able to produce the numbers that he is projected to — he has been working out during the shutdown to come to summer camp prepared.
Showing up to 2020 summer camp being held at Citizens Bank Park this year, Hoskins debuted a bold new look.
It’d be interesting to see what type of season Big Fella has this year.
5: Didi Gregorius
2019 Stats: .238/.276/.441, 16 HR, 61 RBI, 324 ABs
Veteran Didi Gregorius is predicted to bat fifth and play shortstop for the Phillies this upcoming season. Playing with the New York Yankees for the entirety of the 2019 season, Gregorius signed a 1-year deal worth a reported $14 million with Philadelphia in the offseason.
Seeing 324 plate appearances with the Yankees last season, Gregorius hit 61 home runs and posted a .238 batting average with 53 strikeouts, and 17 walks.
The veteran is projected to bat a higher average in 2020 than last season.
Gregorius is also projected, according to Baseball-Reference, to post a .264 batting average and a .308 on-base percentage. Should he finish the 2020 season with a .264 batting average or higher, this would be the fourth time in his career he would do so.
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In his career, Gregorius has played a total of eight seasons — the majority with the New York Yankees, while also having stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Cincinnati Reds. He played 82 games with the Yankees in 2019.
Playing with a new team, in a new city, with new people could be challenging for anyone. Seeing as the Phillies are the fourth different team Gregorius has played for in his long career, it could be different for him. However, the adjustments he has to make are significant given current circumstances; he recently said he will don a mask on the field this season.
One good thing that Gregorius doesn’t have to get used to — the manager. Joe Girardi managed Gregorius while in New York with the Yankees for several seasons before being let go. Their relationship is pretty good.
6: Jean Segura
2019 Stats: .280/.323/.420, 12 HR, 60 RBI, 576 ABs
Playing in his second season as a member of the Phillies, infielder Jean Segura is predicted to bat sixth for the team during the 60-game sprint. Batting in the 4-8 spot is something that Segura is familiar with.
With Didi Gregorius playing shortstop, Segura has been receiving reps at the hot corner, both in spring training and summer camp, and is expected to succeed Maikel Franco at the position in 2020. Meanwhile, Scott Kingery is believed to be the new Phillies everyday second baseman, transitioning away from the utility player role he had under former manager Gabe Kapler.
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In 2020, per Baseball-Reference, Segura is projected to post a .286 batting average with 22 runs batted in and four home runs. Should Segura hit four home runs or less this season, that would be the lowest amount of home runs he has hit in a single season since the beginning of his big-league career with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Milwaukee Brewers in 2012.
In 2016, while playing with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Segura posted a career-high 20 home runs in a single season, while seeing 637 at-bats.
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With last season being the first Segura played in red pinstripes, he fit in with the team pretty well and produced both decent offensive and defensive numbers for the team.
However, this is a shortened season — with just 60 games being played, anything can happen.
Phillies: Projected 2020 Starting Lineup, Nos. 7-9 Spots. light. More