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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 18: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during a game against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on July 18, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Phillies are in the middle of one of their biggest skids of the season, recently getting swept by the Miami Marlins and losing seven of their last eight games.
Interestingly enough, Phillies manager Don Mattingly decided to sit slugger Kyle Schwarber for each of the team’s final two games against the Marlins.
Ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Baltimore Orioles, however, Mattingly made a notable change to the lineup.
Phillies Announce Schwarber News
After missing two straight games with an illness, Schwarber is back in the starting lineup as the Phillies prepare to face Orioles right-hander Brandon Young.
Schwarber will bat No. 2 behind shortstop Trea Turner and serve as the team’s designated hitter.
Here’s the full lineup and batting order:
Phillies 7/31
T. Turner SS
K. Schwarber DH
B. Harper 1B
A. Bohm 3B
B. Marsh LF
J. Realmuto C
B. Stott 2B
G. Rincones Jr. RF
J. Crawford CF
A. Painter SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) July 31, 2026
Schwarber’s 2026 Season
Schwarber has enjoyed another impressive season at the plate despite leading MLB with 157 strikeouts.
He’s currently slashing .252/.545/.911 with 63 runs, 97 hits, a league-leading 33 home runs, and 62 RBIs.
Phillies Right Now
Philadelphia needs Schwarber to continue providing his power as the team has struggled to find consistency throughout the season.
The Phillies looked especially dysfunctional outside of the early part of the year before they fired manager Rob Thomson.
Phillies superstar Bryce Harper has made it clear that he wants the team to make moves ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline, comments that reportedly did not sit well with some people inside the organization.
Outside of that, Philadelphia enters Friday’s matchup in Baltimore with a 57-52 record. The Phillies sit seven games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East but currently hold a Wild Card spot in the National League.
Cole Sullivan Cole Sullivan is a sports journalist for Heavy.com covering the NFL, NBA, college football, and college basketball. A member of the United States Basketball Writers Association, he has written for FanSided, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, and Newsweek. Sullivan earned an Associate degree from Franklin Pierce University and a Bachelor’s degree from Lynn University, where he studied Communications and Media Studies with a focus on Sports Journalism. More about Cole Sullivan