Philadelphia Phillies infielder Edmundo Sosa is off to a hot start this season. Trea Turner, missing a few games with an injury, gave Sosa more playing time. Turner has since returned to the lineup, but Sosa took advantage of the opportunity. Sosa has played in four of the Phillies six games so far. Three of those four appearances came at shortstop, while the other came at second base. Sosa’s start at second base went against a left-handed starting pitcher with Phillies manager Rob Thomson resting left-handed batter Bryson Stott. Despite his hot bat, Thomson gave Sosa a previously scheduled day off on April 3. The Colorado Rockies starting a right-handed pitcher against the Phillies played a role in the decision.
2025 Season So Far
Sosa has a .600/.625/.867 line with no home runs and five RBI in 16 plate appearances. Additionally, Sosa led all qualified players in batting average entering games on April 3. Sosa has a 313 wRC+ with a .636 wOBA this season. So far, Sosa has a 1.492 OPS and a 0.33 BB/K rate. Sosa has an 18.8% strikeout rate and a 6.3% walk rate this season. So far this year, Sosa has a 58.3% hard hit ball rate and an 8.3% barrel rate. Sosa has a 76.7% contact rate and a 53.6% swing rate so far this season. This is not the first time Sosa has excelled while Turner has been injured. Sosa can rise to the occasion when called upon. On multiple occasions, Sosa has delivered a clutch hit.
To add, Sosa has a .750 BABIP, which led all qualified hitters entering April 3. Heading into April 3, Wilyer Abreu of the Boston Red Sox was the lone qualified hitter with a better wOBA than Sosa. Abreu and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees are the lone players with a better wRC+ than Sosa heading into the April 3 games. Sosa also has the third-best OPS in that time frame, behind Abreu and Judge. Furthermore, Sosa has a 0.75 WPA and is ranked fifth among qualified hitters entering play on April 3. Sosa has a 0.35 clutch rating, which ranks sixth best, and second on the Phillies behind Alec Bohm, heading into play on April 3.
Options To Get Extra Playing Time
With Sosa off to a hot start, the Phillies might have to get creative to find ways to keep him in the lineup. Sosa is good against left-handed pitching. Furthermore, Sosa worked in the outfield extensively during spring training. Sosa may work his way into the lineup against left-handed pitchers, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Gelb specifically mentioned Sosa playing left field in that hypothetical scenario. Sosa has two career major league regular season appearances in left field. Both came with the Phillies in 2022. Sosa also has two major league regular season appearances in center field. In his major league career, Sosa has not made a start in the outfield.
Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler are both left-handed hitters and do not have the greatest numbers against left-handed pitchers. Sosa has a .774 OPS and a 111 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. Kepler has a career .654 OPS and a 78 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. Marsh has a .583 OPS and a 62 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. With that in mind, it is possible that some rotation will be created to get Sosa in the lineup more often. This would see Kepler and Marsh rotate off days against left-handed pitchers while Sosa starts. Based on what Gelb wrote, this would probably see whoever is in the lineup between Kepler and Marsh playing center field while Sosa plays left field.
Main Photo Credits: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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