WASHINGTON -- After nudging his average up to .244 in mid-April, rookie Freddy Galvis has struggled at the plate the last couple weeks.
That hasnt changed the way Charlie Manuel feels about the slick-fielding infielder.
Galvis started out his major-league career 0 for 12, then went 11 for 33 over the next 12 games and was at a season-high .244 as of April 20.
Since then? His average has plunged.
Galvis, whos made all the plays at second in place of injured Chase Utley, is 5 for 40 in his last 14 games (.125), including nine starts, and his average has dropped down to .190, 16 for 84 overall.
Of 191 major-leaguers with at least 75 at-bats, only 13 have a lower batting average (including former Phils Scott Rolen, .188, and Marlon Byrd, .163).
Hes young, Manuel said in the visiting dugout Sunday night before Game 3 of the Phils-Nationals series. This is new to him.
MLB
Galvis, 22, hit .278 in nearly 600 plate appearances with Reading and Lehigh Valley last year, but Manuel said hes stuck in some bad habits at the plate right now.
He gets out on his front side too much the way he approaches the ball sometimes, Manuel said. Once he learns to stay back, just be himself, relax, hell be fine. But when youre not getting hits, that happens.
Galvis did have a double Saturday, only his fifth hit since April 20.
I think if you have a couple days, a couple good days, 2-for-3, 3-for-4, I think you might see a difference in him, Manuel said. Freddiell be a good player. He is a good player. Hes improved his hitting since last year, but he still needs some improvement, and he will. I believe in him, and I think hell definitely improve.
When Utley comes back, its going to be tough for Galvis to get at-bats, and Manuel hinted that hed rather have Galvis back at Triple-A playing every day than sitting the bench in the majors.
If were going to keep him in the big leagues, more than likely, well have to play him some, he said. We couldnt just sit him on the bench and not let him play, because hes still in that development stage of developing his game and his career.
But he also said he wouldnt rule out keeping Galvis and have him back up all three infield spots, even though Galvis has never played third. He had never played second before this year and has played stellar defense.
I would feel comfortable putting Freddie at third base, he said. We havent thought about it, because hes only played short and second.
Manuel has Pete Orr playing second and batting ninth on Sunday night. Orr is hitting .269 in 10 games.
Ive been in baseball 50, 51 seasons, and Ive heard people my whole baseball career talk about guys good defense, good defense, good defense, and I love that, but the first thing I noticed, when you start losing games and youre not getting any offense, the first thing they want to do is stick the other guy in the lineup who can hit a little bit better, he said. Its been that way since baseballs been in operation. Thats how its always been.
Charlie impressed with Nationals
The Nationals go for the three-game sweep in the nationally televised Game 3 Sunday night at Nationals Park, and a Washington win would drop the Phillies 6 12 games behind the Nats in the N.L. East (see game notes).
The Nats have won seven straight over the Phillies, although their four-game sweep last September came after the Phillies clinched the N.L. East, and Manuel wasnt playing his regulars.
In all, the Phillies are 2-11 in their last 13 games against the Nationals, who havent reached the playoffs since 1981, when the franchise was the Expos and based in Montreal.
Theyve been improving now for the last three years, Manuel said. Theyve been improving. Theyve got a good team. Right now, theyve got a lot of energy, theyve got a lot of youth, theyve got a lot of life, and all that counts. All that goes a long way. I see them playing very good right now.
Lee Set to start on Wednesday
Manuel confirmed that Cliff Lee will return to action Wednesday and face the Mets. Lee said Saturday he expected to start Wednesday, when the Mets and Phils finish a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park.
Lee went on the Disabled List on April 22 with a strained left oblique muscle. Hes 0-1 with a 1.96 in three starts but hasnt pitched since a 10-inning scoreless no-decision against the Giants in San Francisco on April 18.
Phillies Lineup
1. Rollins, SS
2. Pierre, LF
3. Victorino, CF
4. Pence, RF
5. Nix, 1B
6. Ruiz, C
7. Polanco, 3B
8. Orr, 2B
9. Hamels, P
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com