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DENVER – Scott Kingery made his third consecutive start at the Phillies' shutout Friday night. He replaced Jean Segura, who treated a minor hamstring injury.
"My penchant, though I do not swear by that, is to start Scott again [Saturday night] short stop, "said director Gabe Kapler. "We are potentially aiming for Sunday as a day to put Jean back in training."
Once Segura is ready, he will have most of the representatives at the short stop. The Phillies did not trade against him so he could separate.
So what's going on with Kingery, who has beaten the bat in a limited time this season?
Kapler said Kingery would fulfill the role of super-utility that the organization was considering when she signed it for a six-year, $ 24-million contract in the spring of 2018 .
"I think it's more important to put him in the training because of his performance," Kapler said. "It's less a" let us make sure the representatives keep it cool, "and rather a" it helps us win. " "
"His representatives could come to a halt here and there. They could come in the field outside here and there. It has certainly become an option at the second and third bases.
Kingery played outside at the University of Arizona and played it in the spring. He briefly played in all three Phils fields last season and collected a few innings in the left field earlier this season.
Kapler has talked a lot in recent days about using Kingery in the central field sometimes. With Odubel Herrera on the list of disabled people with a sore hamstring for at least nine days, it would not be surprising to see Kingery take up his post at the post next week. Apparently, Roman Quinn will have most of the play time in the center while Herrera will be out, but Kapler said Quinn would not live up to his abilities.
In Thursday's practice, Kapler reminded Kingery to follow his pre-game work in the middle of the field. This would seem to support the idea that Kingery will see it soon.
Clearly, the Phillies want to see Kingery play on center field because they believe his versatility is valuable and that it offers a way to put his bat in training while letting other players rest. (It does not hurt either that Quinn and him put pressure on Herrera.) But it is also possible that the Phils want to evaluate the ability of Kingery to play in the middle of the field, because they will have to change their alignment when Herrera will be ready to play. return. One possibility is to exchange Aaron Altherr. If he leaves, the Phillies would lose some central depth of field.
Kingery made significant defensive advances in the shutout last season. Kapler thinks he has the same growth potential in the central field.
"I think I can easily say that he will go to the center of the field and that he will immediately play the center of the field in the average or above average just because of his athleticism and his speed "said Kapler.
Kingery entered Friday night with a .414 (12 vs. 29) average with four doubles, two homers and a 1.227 OPS. As a rookie last year, Kingery hit only 226 with a 605 OPS. He acknowledged that his improvement had allowed him to gain experience, to relieve some of his momentum – as he says, to "flatten out" – and to be more aggressive at the beginning of the count.
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