PHILADELPHIA — Rob Thomson kept his word.
The Phillies manager had “promised” his group of outfielders that he’d run platoons in left field and center for the first six games after the trade deadline, and he didn’t want to go back on it. So there was the struggling Max Kepler, penciled in to play left and bat seventh on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, even after newcomer Harrison Bader hit a go-ahead home run against a right-handed pitcher the night prior.
Thomson’s commitment to his plan paid off. The left-handed-hitting Kepler went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two runs scored in a 5-0 Phillies win.