Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson has taken notice of the excellent second season that Bryson Stott has had — which added another chapter in Tuesday’s dramatic comeback win over the Baltimore Orioles — but as of now, the plan isn’t to move him up towards the top of the lineup.
Even with Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner having struggled to varying degrees for much of the 2023 season, Thomson explained Tuesday why he’s unlikely to pencil Stott in first or second in the lineup anytime soon.
“Well, no because Schwarber is the leadoff guy … he’s the guy we’ve been winning with when he’s been leading off,” Thomson said. “And if you hit him [Stott] second, then you have three lefties in a row.
“And I like where he’s at because he puts the ball in play with runners on base. Now, the key is to get runners on base in front of him. And once we do that, then I think he’s in a pretty good spot.”
Bryce Harper homered and scored the game-tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, but it’s been a struggle for some of the other hitters above Stott — now hitting fifth — in the 12 games since the All-Star Break. Schwarber has four home runs and 13 RBIs, but went 0-for-4 Tuesday and has 16 strikeouts over that same period. Trea Turner went 0-for-4 in the win over the Orioles, and seems likely to get a day off Wednesday to reset during what’s been a trying first season in Philadelphia. Nick Castellanos made an incredible snowcone catch in the top of the eighth inning, but he’s just .125 since playing in the midsummer classic.
The Phillies did reach a World Series with Schwarber leading off, and aren’t going to make it back to another if he, Castellanos and Turner don’t heat up. But sometimes during a 162-game season, change for the sake of change — even if it’s only a short-term adjustment — isn’t the worst thing. But while there have been some lineup tweaks over the last week, a dramatic shakeup doesn’t appear to be coming. The Phillies will likely add a bat before the Aug. 1 trade deadline, but their success down the stretch is going to be largely dependent on getting improvements from some of their highest-paid players.
For his part, Stott does seem to be comfortable hitting just about anywhere.
“No,” Stott said after Tuesday’s game when asked if it matters to him where he hits in the lineup. “Last year, I hit everywhere I think but second. I told Topper last year that I take my at-bat the same whether I’m hitting first, eighth, ninth, whatever it may be. I’m just trying to put good at-bats together and move the lineup along.”
Stott has done the bulk of his damage hitting out of the six hole in 2023, perhaps a spot he’ll return to if the Phillies do indeed add a notable bat before the trade deadline. For now, the 25-year-old seems to be at the forefront of every win, regardless of where he’s hitting in the lineup.
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