The Phillies bench really can’t hit lefties

In last Saturday night’s 5-4 loss against the Braves, Joe Girardi made a slightly unusual decision: he took Rhys Hoskins out of the game in the seventh inning and replaced him at first base with Andrew Knapp. He did so because he had used J.T. Realmuto as a pinch-hitter in the top half of the inning, and Girardi didn’t want to lose access to either of his catchers in case the game went to extras. (Joe Girardi didn’t say this himself, but it seems like the clear explanation, and it’s what T-Mac and Ruben Amaro said on the broadcast.)

I would argue that it makes more sense to keep Hoskins in the game and run the small risk of needing to use your emergency catcher, but ultimately, it didn’t end…