Jean Segura is Making an Impact
The biggest acquisition the Phillies made this past offseason was clearly Bryce Harper, signing him to a 13-year, $330 million contract. But for all of the hype, production at the plate, and number three jerseys that Harper has brought to the team, he’s not the newest Phillie who has made the biggest impact on his new club the first month of the season.
No, that honor belongs to shortstop Jean Segura.
When the Phillies traded for Segura back in December, it was clear they were getting a major upgrade to the shortstop position, something they desperately needed after last season. But the extent that Segura has upgraded not only the shortstop position but the entire lineup, has been a pleasant surprise.
Going into last night’s game against the Detroit Tigers, Segura was hitting .347/.405/.514 with 15 runs scored, 11 RBI, one home run, and five walks. After going on the 10-day injured list due to a hamstring strain, Segura was back in action this past Saturday and picked up right where he left off, and it seems the whole team did too.
Before the Segura injury, the Phillies were hitting at a .257 clip and averaged 6.2 runs a game. When Segura was on the injured list, the offensive production declined – an average of 2.9 runs a game with a .220 batting average.
Now, the Phillies offensive decline during that stretch is not all on Segura. After all, center-fielder Odubel Herrera and super utility man Scott Kingery also both ended up on the injured list due to hamstring injuries.
But there is something to be said about the magic that Segura brings to the lineup. For starters, that .405 on-base percentage is an awfully pretty number from your two-hole hitter. Combine that with the mashers behind him in Harper, Rhys Hoskins, and J.T. Realmuto, and you have a recipe for success and scoring runs.
Secondly, when Segura gets on base behind Andrew McCutchen – who, at .370, is 5th in the National League in OBP for qualified leadoff hitters – a lot more pressure is put on the opposing pitchers. No longer can they try to pitch around the middle of the lineup or get them to swing at bad pitches. No, now they have to attack Harper, Hoskins, and Realmuto or run the risk of allowing even more runs. And those three have been pretty successful in driving Segura in.
Finally, Segura’s return to the team creates a more balanced lineup. With all of the injuries, Realmuto was batting second for a while. Maikel Franco, the best number eight hitter in baseball, hit fifth. For the Phillies to be successful this season, they need to run out their ideal lineup, which is the one that they had to start the season.
Segura hitting second brings them one step closer to that ideal lineup. But more importantly, Segura brings the Phillies closer to the team that averaged 6.2 runs a game to start the season.
Photo: via Twitter (@TomMoorePhilly)
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