Philadelphia Phillies: "Bench the guy who actually had a pulse yesterday" - Phillies fans voice frustration after team drops Brandon Marsh following strong performance

During their home Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park, the Philadelphia Phillies suffered a 9-3 loss against the Atlanta Braves on Friday.

The Phillies have released their lineup for today's game. However, to everyone's surprise, Brandon Marsh was not included in the lineup. Instead, Whit Merrifield will cover the left outfield for Saturday's game.

This unexpected decision has caused some Phillie fans to voice their dissatisfaction with X (formerly Twitter).

Marsh played 133 games for the Phillies last year, amassing 60 RBIs and 12 home runs while hitting .277/.372/.458. During this year's spring training, he played eight games and had two RBIs.

Yesterday, Marsh hit a home run for the Phillies in the fifth inning. His two-run homer gave the team an early lead. However, they could not maintain it, resulting in a defeat in their first regular-season game.

Philadelphia Phillies lineup for today’s game against the Braves

Aaron Nola is set to make his debut today for the Philadelphia Phillies after signing a new seven-year, $172 million contract.

Nola played five games in the Grapefruit League, where he recorded a 3.79 ERA in 19 innings. Fans and experts have high expectations of him.

The rest of the players remain the same as yesterday, with Kyle Schwarber serving as the designated hitter and JT Realmuto serving behind the plate. In the infield, Trea Turner will be at shortstop, Bryce Harper at first base, Bryson Scott at second base and Alec Bohm at third base.

Nick Castellanos has been assigned to right field, Johan Rojas to center field and new addition Whit Merryfield will be stationed in left field.

Merryfield will be making his debut for the Phillies after signing an $8 million contract, including a club option for next year, in February.

Players like Harper and Turner failed to make an impact in the last game, so fans are eagerly waiting for a victory from their All-Stars today.

About the author

Sayan has been a Major League Baseball journalist at Sportskeeda since 2023. A geography graduate, Sayan discovered America's favorite pastime through anime during his high school days. The excitement of every home run and strikeout ignited a passion within him for the diamond, and he started playing the MLB's Android games, further enhancing his interest.

While the New York Yankees were the first MLB team Sayan was introduced to, it's the LA Dodgers that hold a special place in his heart. They were the first team he saw lift the World Series (2020) when he began following the sport. Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw are some of Sayan's favorite MLB players, while Dusty Baker is his favorite manager.

Sayan's main strength is in-depth analysis of stats and reporting from a neutral point of view. To ensure accuracy in his articles, he only refers to MLB insiders and experts for information.

When not watching baseball, Sayan likes to relax by watching anime. He also loves following the NBA, NFL and international Chess events during his free time, and is always eager to discuss sports with like-minded enthusiasts.

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