David Dahl
David Dahl was tearing up the opposition at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, batting .340 with 26 RBI, when he was called up to replace Brandon Marsh in left field. Marsh’s sample size is much larger, with 205 plate appearances to Dahl's 34.
Dahl, a former All-Star in Colorado, started off doing his best imitation of Sosa imitating Turner. He homered in his first game against the Brewers and in his third game against the Mets. His on-base percentage lags far behind Marsh’s (.206 to .341), but adjusting for sample sizes, Marsh only leads with 0.13 RBI per plate appearance to Dahl’s 0.10.
Defensively, Dahl is largely a left fielder only at this point in his career. Marsh can play all three outfield positions, and has this season. In left field, the league fielding average the day after Marsh returned to action on June 16 was .982. In 68 chances, Marsh had two errors and a .971 fielding percentage in left before his injury. Dahl had none in his substitution stint in only 12 chances. Marsh has two assists from left and one from center. Dahl has one assist from left.
It’s difficult to predict, with so few plate appearances, how Dahl might fare with a longer tenure in the outfield for the Phillies this season, but it’s certainly not as though left field went down the drain for the games he replaced Marsh. In terms of RF/9 June 16 (putouts + assists / innings played), Dahl’s figure was 2.04, Marsh’s 1.71.
At this point, Dahl is staying with the team despite Marsh’s return.