How will Schwarber fit atop Phils' lineup?

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Now that his deal is official, Kyle Schwarber will suit up for the Phillies before long. But manager Joe Girardi does not need to see his new left fielder in person to start thinking about where he could hit him in the lineup.

He is already thinking about it.

¡°You get a guy that¡¯s a high on-base [guy] and hits for power, you can hit him anywhere in the lineup and he¡¯s going to be successful,¡± Girardi said.

Schwarber, 29, agreed to a four-year, $79 million contract on Wednesday, and the deal was announced on Sunday afternoon. Phillies officials like Girardi couldn't comment specifically about him until the announcement, so Girardi was asked on Thursday about a theoretical left fielder who bashes home runs and gets on base at prodigious rates.

Where does a player like that hit in a lineup that already includes Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Rhys Hoskins -- and is about to add Nick Castellanos?

Does he hit leadoff?

Does he hit behind Harper and Hoskins?

¡°Some things will depend on how our center fielders are doing and where they¡¯re at,¡± Girardi said. ¡°We¡¯re looking at center field. Is it an everyday guy? Is it a platoon situation? [Matt Vierling] had a pretty good year last year. You feel pretty comfortable leading him off against left-handers. We¡¯ll have to look against right-handers. And then there are some other internal candidates, but I haven¡¯t really spoken to them much about it. But let¡¯s just see what all the pieces are first, and then we¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

Phillies leadoff hitters had a .302 on-base percentage last season, which ranked 29th in the Majors. It was the team¡¯s worst showing in that spot since a .294 mark in 2009. Schwarber batted a combined .266 with 32 home runs, 71 RBIs and a .928 OPS in 113 games last season with the Nationals and Red Sox. Those look like the numbers of a middle-of-the-lineup bat, but Schwarber hit 17 homers with a .385 on-base percentage and a 1.216 OPS in 27 games hitting first.

He has more plate appearances batting first than at any other spot in his career, which makes him an intriguing option for the Phillies.

¡°He might not be the prototypical speed guy up there, but he gets on base a ton, he hits for power,¡± Realmuto said. ¡°I know when we faced him [last season], I wouldn¡¯t like to see him hit leadoff. It¡¯s not a fun at-bat to face the first guy of the game. He can hit a homer whenever he wants. There¡¯s just not a bunch of them that are scary at-bats to start a game. [Ronald] Acu?a Jr. comes to mind.¡±

Schwarber certainly is not the traditional leadoff hitter. He is not a speedy runner and does not steal bases.

Nobody will confuse him with Rickey Henderson.

¡°So what?¡± Hoskins said. ¡°Get on base. I think he¡¯s going to make Citizens Bank Park look small, which I¡¯m pretty excited about. He gives you a professional at-bat. I¡¯ve always said, I don¡¯t really care where I hit, but if I get to hit with people on base, I¡¯m in. But what I think is cool is that this gives Joe some flexibility. Hopefully we¡¯re not interchanging a ton, but if we are, I think the lineup is going to go regardless.¡±

Perhaps Schwarber will hit first against righties and Vierling may hit first against lefties.

Perhaps Realmuto could hit second, with Harper third and Hoskins fourth, regardless.

First, fifth or somewhere else, Schwarber should help an offense that needs to hit to compete in a division stacked with great pitching.

¡°I think that he will definitely help our offense and be a spark, no matter where he hits,¡± Realmuto said.