Phillies Notebook: Rafael Marchan has his breakout game at a good time

PHILADELPHIA — After spending five years up and down between the majors and minors, Rafael Marchan finally arrived on Thursday.

The Phillies’ backup catcher, who took over the role full-time this season, went 1-for-2 with a home run, three RBIs, two runs scored, a walk and a crucial hit-by-pitch in a 5-4, series-clinching victory over the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

He also threw out a pair of runners, including gunning down Ozzie Albies with a perfect throw to second with nobody out in the top of the ninth, when Atlanta threatened to tie the game.

“That was a heck of a throw by Marchan,” manager Rob Thomson said. “That changed the inning, really. … I’ve been saying all along, this kid’s a really good player. Although there’s not many numbers there, he’s really given us good at-bats. He understands the strike zone, he’s really disciplined. He can really throw, obviously. And he calls a great game. He’s coming off of two shutouts in his last two starts before today. He does a great job, and it’s just a huge day for him.”

Marchan is only hitting .152, but he’s only had 33 at-bats because J.T. Realmuto rarely comes out of the lineup. It made a performance like this one all the more special.

“I try not to think too much about that,” Marchan said of his playing time. “I just try to come in every day and do my work, get ready the right way, see pitches, control what I can control.

“The throw in the ninth, that was close right there, and to help the team win makes me happy. I’d rather throw runners out than hit a homer, for sure. It was pretty exciting. You feel like a kid when you do something good. You’re really excited, you’re really hyped. A lot of emotion when you do something like that.”

Marchan has seen an increase in his power at the major league level. In the minors, he hit nine home runs in 1,774 plate appearances. In 162 major-league plate appearances, he already has six, including his two-run shot Thursday.

“I like to hit in the big leagues,” Marchan said, laughing. “It’s more fun hitting in the big leagues than in the minors, so I just saved everything for here. … When you’re in the minors, you want to be here. And then you want to stay here. So I just try to do the right things and play the game the right way to stay here as much as I possibly can.”

Thomson, a former catcher himself, recognizes how hard it can be not to play regularly. He praised Marchan’s work ethic and readiness.

“It’s very difficult, and it’s even more difficult because he’s a switch hitter, so he’s got to work on both sides of the plate,” Thomson said. “But he works at it. He’s one of the first guys in the cages, and he gets his work in and he’s ready to go. He’s always in the book (on hitters) and he’s always looking at video and studying things and talking to J.T. and talking to the pitching coaches. He’s a real student. He’s very diligent at it.”

Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez, who didn’t have his best stuff but navigated through 5.2 innings, spoke glowingly of Marchan.

“Just another one of our young guys with a lot of projection,” Sanchez said. “I like him as a catcher. I like him as a person. He’s just tremendous, and I enjoy having him back there. … He’s just getting the opportunities now to play.”

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Thomson offered no update on when Bryce Harper might be back in the starting lineup, but did say “he’s feeling better.”

Some folks in Philadelphia complained that the Phillies didn’t retaliate for Braves righthander Spencer Strider drilling Harper near the elbow Tuesday, which forced Harper out of the game. But it wouldn’t have made much sense for the Phils to plunk someone in what was a one-run contest until the eighth inning (and only ended up being a 2-0 win) against a division rival.

Also, Major League Baseball has been cracking down on pitchers perceived as throwing at a batter, immediately ejecting, fining and suspending them. Thompson was asked Thursday why the Phillies didn’t retaliate for the hit-by-pitch.

“’Cause it’s not on purpose, simple as that,” he said. “If I think somebody’s throwing at one of our hitters, I don’t know what I’d do. But if it’s a pitch that gets away from a pitcher, which I believe it was, and I think that everybody in that clubhouse thinks it was, that’s baseball. It happens.”

That said, there’s still plenty of time for retribution in a smart way. The Phillies have seven more games this season against the Braves after this series.

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Phillies top prospect Andrew Painter made his fourth Triple-A start with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Thursday, notching a win on the road against the Norfolk Tides. Painter scattered five hits, two runs and a walk while striking five in five innings. After giving up a leadoff double to Colton Cowser, who’s on a rehab assignment for the Baltimore Orioles, he retired eight in a row until Cowser hit another double in the third inning.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.

Source: Berkshire mont