Crawford’s Lefty Struggle and Phillies’ Outfield Shift

Phillies rookie Justin Crawford is now platooning against lefties after struggling with a .143 average, prompting the team to give him more time to refine his swing — a familiar path for manager Don Mattingly, who platooned as a rookie in 1983. While Crawford’s early success against righties has faded as pitchers adjusted, his ground-ball tendencies are under review, and he’ll see more right-handed starters. Mattingly sees this as part of growth, not a setback. Meanwhile, Edmundo Sosa is stepping up in the outfield, and the team faces a potential blow with Adolis García sidelined by a torn lat — possibly ending his season — prompting a possible trade deadline move for a right-handed bat. The Phillies return home to face the Marlins, with Zack Wheeler on the mound Monday, and may tweak their rotation to rest the bullpen. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/fce1499ff4dd96cb