Edmundo Sosa (groin) returns for Game 3
After rallying late to defeat the Braves in Game 2 on Wednesday to fight another day, the Phillies will use a similar lineup against Ray Kerr, Grant Holmes and a host of Braves’ relievers on Thursday evening in Atlanta.
Edmundo Sosa was removed from Wednesday’s game due to a groin injury that he aggravated while hustling out an infield single. He’ll start at third base and bat seventh for the Phillies on Thursday evening.
Bryan De La Cruz will start in left field in place of Brandon Marsh. That’ll likely be just for one at-bat until Kerr is removed from the game, then the Phillies will swap to Marsh.
It’s a bit surprising that Garrett Stubbs isn’t starting behind the dish, as Aaron Nola has had far more success on the mound this season with Stubbs behind the dish than he has with Realmuto. That could all just be noise though.
No one on the Phillies’ roster has homered off of Ray Kerr, who will serve as an opener for the Braves on Thursday. As a club, the Phillies have hit just .160 (4-for-25) with two doubles (Derek Hill and Bryce Harper) and eight strikeouts against the 32-year-old southpaw. Kerr struck out four batters and allowed just one hit over three scoreless frames against the Phillies on September 13.
Grant Holmes is expected to work in a bulk role for the Braves behind Ray Kerr on Thursday. He has done a nice job against most of the Phillies’ lineup in a limited sample size. The one exception has been Trea Turner who has hit .364 (4-for-11) with a homer and a double against him.
Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto are each 2-for-8 (.250) lifetime with a homer against the Braves’ right-hander. Kyle Schwarber is just 2-for-11 (.182) against Holmes, with one of those hits being a home run.