Enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon by watching the Phillies is a tradition unlike any other.
We were granted access to Clearwater, Florida, for the second straight day and watched Philadelphia take on the Minnesota Twins.
The stars were out in this one, as Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, JT Realmuto, Nick Castellanos, and Bryson Stott took the field for the viewing audiences. We got a glimpse at a potential lineup for the Phillies that will be carried into the season, as well as some looks at members of the bullpen.
The Phillies were able to earn their second victory of the year with a 10-8 win over Minnesota.
Making a Statement
Trea Turner made his Spring debut for the Phillies this afternoon. Turner got himself acclimated with the fans in quick order. He lead off the game with a single, followed by a stolen base. He would then score on a JT Realmuto single to left, giving us the full Trea Turner experience in game one.
The well-paid shortstop would not just stop there. Trea would single in his second at-bat, but this time, he would drive in his first RBI. Pairing that with a really nice backhanded play at shortstop, it’s safe to say Trea Turner made a statement on Sunday afternoon.
Phillies Spring Training Adjustments
The whole purpose of Spring Training is for players to get acclimated to playing baseball again. This is the time to try new things and make adjustments before the season began.
For Nick Castellanos, now is the time to build himself up in an effort to bounce back from a poor 2022 campaign.
After a rough first game from Nick on Saturday, he settled in on Sunday afternoon. Casty went 1-2 for the game with 2 RBIs, a run scored, and a walk. The hit, of course, came on a beautiful opposite-field homerun for the Phillies’ outfielder.
That Ball is Outta Here
It was certainly a day for homeruns on Sunday afternoon. Around Major League Baseball, there were four grand slams, and two of them just so happened to be in this Phillies-Twins matchup.
In this game alone, four homeruns were hit, including three from the Phils.
Nick Castellanos got the homerun parade started in the 5th inning to make it a 4-2 game to cut the deficit in half. Kody Clemens, the other part of the Gregory Soto trade, hit a solo shot in the 6th.
The biggest blast of the day, however, came from Ethan Wilson. The Phillies’ #7 prospect took the lead with a grand slam in the bottom half of the 6th inning.
A Look Ahead
Philadelphia will return to action on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Phillies broadcast team will not air this game, but the action will return to NBC Sports Philadelphia on Tuesday in their game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Phils will see Zack Wheeler make his spring debut on Tuesday, among other regulars getting some action as well.
Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire
