Philadelphia Phillies Star Open to Lineup Change if It Helps Team Keep Winning

There have been rumors the Philadelphia Phillies could shake up their lineup in 2025 and one star is willing to make a change if it means the winning continues.

Oct 5, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) hits a solo home run against the New York Mets in the first inning in game one of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies once again look like they are going to be amongst the World Series contenders in 2025.

Nearly their entire core was brought back from last year’s team that won 95 regular season games and took home the National League East title. A few changes have been made, as the bullpen lost Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman, but the rest of the group looks mostly the same.

In the lineup, there is projected to be only one new face, outfielder Max Kepler. 

Despite having zero experience as a left fielder, he is currently penciled into the starting spot there.

He is the only projected starter who wasn’t on the team last year.

Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto and Brandon Marsh are all back for another run in 2025.

However, their alignment in the batting order could be changed.

Manager Rob Thomson has hinted that the speedy Turner would be taking over as the leadoff hitter this upcoming season after batting in the No. 2 hole in all 121 of his appearances in 2024.

Atop the order for 149 games last year was Schwarber, who didn’t hit anywhere else in the order.

He excelled as the leadoff man, leading the National League with 106 walks. It was the second consecutive campaign he draw triple digit walks, as he is an on-base machine.

However, he also offers incredible power at the plate, launching 38 home runs. That gives him 131 in his three years with the Phillies, as he has six seasons in his career he has hit at least 30 long balls.

Could Thomson be looking to put him in a spot in the order that will enable him to produce more runs?

Whatever the thought process might be behind such a move, Schwarber is ready to do whatever is asked of him.

“I’m going to do what they tell me to do,” the veteran slugger said in an exclusive interview with Sports Talk Philly, via Kyle Odegard. “For us, it’s all about trying to find the best possible way to win a game. No one has a personal attachment to where they hit. They just go out there wherever their name is written, and they go hit. If we feel like that’s the best lineup, we’re going to do it, and wherever I hit that day, I’m going to do it to my best ability.”

Wherever he is hitting in the lineup, Schwarber is ready to produce. His approach and mentality in the box may be tweaked a little bit depending on the situation, but where he is penciled in pre-game isn’t something he is overly worried about.

“I don’t think the position in the order is such a big thing,” he added.