At first glance, the 2026 Phillies offensive lineup doesn’t look too different. Kyle Schwarber returns as a 50-homer hero, and the Trea Turner-Bryce Harper combo slots back in. But one look towards right field, and you’ll see that the fresh-faced, high-upside Adolis Garcia will scrub in for Nick Castellanos.
The oft-controversial Castellanos hit cleanup for the Phillies in 31% of their games last season. So now, with his recent departure, the Phillies don’t have a clear answer to bat cleanup. That’s a pretty big issue for a team with this much offensive talent.
As the Phillies reevaluate their offensive approach and pray for a Brandon Marsh/Bryson Stott breakout, their alignment on the cleanup spot will be of the utmost importance. Phillies manager Rob Thompson has at least narrowed the field: it will be Alec Bohm, veteran JT Realmuto, or Garcia.
But who should it be? Let’s take a look:
Bohm filled in admirably in 2025. With Castellanos's documented struggles, the Phillies needed a solution, and Bohm did his job, especially over the course of the second half.
Of the Phillies' options, Bohm may be the most comfortable hitting out of the cleanup spot. You’re lacking some of the pure power, which still seems to be in development at the age of 29, but you’re adding the consistency of a career .415 slugging.
For his career, Bohm hit cleanup in 23% of his total at-bats, including an OPS of .746. For reference, you’d consider an OPS like that around league average for a cleanup man, with .850+ being considered elite. TLDR—with Bohm, you could do better, but you could do much worse.
Still, with the protection of Harper & Garcia bookending his at-bats, a career year from Bohm, say about 25 home runs, isn’t out of the question.
Back with the Phillies on a new deal, the 35-year-old backstop has seen some marked offensive regression over the last three seasons. Since 2023, he’s seen his slugging fall by 68 total points.
Still, there’s some evidence to suggest Realmuto got a bit unlucky at the plate in 2025. His 90 mph exit velocity and 45.5% hard hit rate are relatively consistent with his career averages, if not a tick better. The ball just wasn’t falling, especially against left-handed pitching.
Against lefties, his .213 batting average and paltry .265 OBP marked a stark difference from his career marks. Realmuto has always favored right-handed pitching but still maintained a .286 BA in 2024 against lefties. And while I’m not exactly qualified to give anyone batting tips, I’d tell Realmuto to look into some left-handed pitching adjustments.
Realmuto’s inclusion here best illustrates the Phillies' lack of a clear answer. Still, despite the offensive limitations fans saw in 2025, the experience of a veteran may be the determining factor.
Nice to have a new name to throw around. The 2023 iteration of Garcia would be a shoo-in for cleanup, but a lack of plate discipline and even a very public benching in 2025 frankly landed him in Philadelphia as the Texas Rangers opted out.
That’s the Phillies' hope—a reclamation project—that can return to the form that netted 39 homers and a .508 slugging percentage in 2023. The knock on Garcia would be simply getting on base.
For his career, he’s a sub-.240 BA hitter, and he strikes out at a clip of 28.1% (sounds like a Philly already). The benefit he provided in ‘23 was a 10.3% walk rate, which has subsequently fallen from 7.1% to 5.1% last season.
With the power Garcia could bring to the middle of this lineup, it's tempting. For anyone indulging in MLB The Show, Garcia is your man. In real life, he’ll need to be much more selective at the plate to justify any prime billing… at least early on.
The ‘correct’ answer is Bohm. He’s been there, and you’re betting on his upside. That’s likely the smart money to begin the season. He showed plenty last season to justify the move—nobody would question it given the current build of the Phillies roster. Safe move, everyone have a great day.
Thompson also might just opt for Realmuto to kick off the 2025 campaign. Call it a vote of confidence for a veteran who needs an offensive boost. It wouldn’t be a horrible idea, and you’re getting a more disciplined hitter behind 3x batters who will likely be on the basepath often.
But, if Garcia starts getting comfortable in CBP, well, you want to talk about upside? You could be looking at a 1-4 generating somewhere between 130 and 140 home runs. So unlike the Dodgers, I’d rather not defer here—give me Garcia, and we can always change our minds in June.
VERDICT: Going with Garcia, it's just the most fun. He looks jacked, and he’s got something to prove.
