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Brandon Marsh’s 2026 breakout at the plate is drawing the attention of broadcasters and manager Don Mattingly.
Brandon Marsh’s 2026 breakout is becoming impossible to ignore. The Phillies outfielder has transformed himself into one of the National League’s most productive hitters. He leads all qualified hitters with a .338 batting average and has homered in each of his last three games.
Those around the Phillies are taking notice, including interim manager Don Mattingly.
“Now it seems like we’re talking about him every day like we talk about [Cristopher Sanchez],” said Don Mattingly after a 9-5 win over the Chicago White Sox. “Every day, he’s just swinging the bat. Not only for average, but power. He’s driving in runs.”
Phillies television announcer Tom McCarthy joked that Marsh’s postgame interviews were “becoming a common occurrence” after the series win over the White Sox. His broadcast partner, John Kruk, asked the outfielder if his confidence was through the roof.
“Yeah, whether it’s true or false confidence, you have to go up there with it,” said Marsh on NBC Sports Philadelphia’s postgame interview.
That comment was fitting for a player who joked just two nights earlier that he’d rather head back to the dugout than face teammate Jhoan Duran.
Brandon Marsh Breakout Strengthens Phillies Lineup
Brandon Marsh has stepped up for the Phillies in 2026, as his .338 average leads all hitters through June 7.
Brandon Marsh’s breakout has been critical in keeping the Phillies’ lineup afloat past their top three bats. Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, and Adolis Garcia have all opened the season in a prolonged slump. As a result, he’s been moved up to a more critical part of the lineup against right-handers.
Now, he’s hitting behind Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper, taking advantage of them getting in scoring position in front of him. He’s third on the club in RBI (30). That has helped the Phillies’ offense come to life of late, leading to 26 wins in their last 37 games.
“Our pitching’s been incredible, hitting has gotten better, and I feel like this is the tip of the iceberg,” said Marsh. “We just got to keep our foot down on the pedal and just keep going.”
As the rest of the lineup continues to get hot, it should show up more on the scoreboard. They broke a stretch of 13 games of scoring four runs or fewer in the White Sox series, plating 17 runs in their two wins.
Their 26-11 turnaround under interim manager Don Mattingly has been mostly fueled by their pitching, giving the offense plenty of margin to work with to win. As the club adds more hitting to their lineup, they will be a tough out for any team to play down the stretch and into the postseason.
Brandon Marsh Making Case for First All-Star Game Honors
Through his first 60 games of the season, Marsh is slashing .338/.368/.521 with eight homers and a 145 wRC+. He is second among primary left fielders with 1.4 fWAR, trailing just Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs.
His hot start at the plate could mean the first All-Star Game of his career. Marsh spoke about that prospect after a big day against the White Sox.
“It would be really, really cool to be a part of that group this year, especially here in Philly. I would be lying to you if I said it wasn’t on my mind, but I’m not really focused on that. I’m really focused on just trying to be present here with these guys, be a sponge to my teammates, keep learning from them, and trying to be the best I can be.”
The added subplot for Marsh’s All-Star candidacy is that the 2026 MLB All-Star Game will be hosted in Philadelphia. The Phillies’ left fielder is one of six potential players who could represent the club for the National League.
