Whether the Phillies can weather Trea Turner’s absence will depend largely on stars like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto slugging to make up the difference. But Edmundo Sosa being a productive stand-in at shortstop while Turner is out would certainly go a long way, too.
So far, so good in that regard. Sosa’s two-run triple in the sixth inning against the Marlins on Sunday was a continuation of what’s been a strong start to the regular season for the 28-year-old. He’s hitting an aesthetically pleasing .286/.400/.500 through about a quarter of the season, and he’s been even more productive since the $300 million shortstop hit the shelf: That .286 average is the same, but he has a .968 OPS in his seven games since.
Sosa also stole his second bag of the year on Sunday, which offered a reminder of one element of his game that isn’t much of a step down from Turner: Sosa ranks in the 98th percentile in MLB with a 29.6 ft/sec average sprint speed this year. Turner shares that 98th percentile, at 29.7.
That aspect of Sosa’s game is in line with what’s been asked of him since he was traded to the Phillies before the 2022 deadline: be somewhat of a sparkplug, maybe steal a bag or two, play solid defense. If those three criteria are met, whatever he can do with the bat — especially in the slugging department — is peanuts.
Well, it’s early, but the Phillies are getting a lot of peanuts these days. Perhaps we should’ve seen it coming.
Must-read (or watch) Phillies content
- Zack Wheeler had his worst start of the season on Sunday as the Phillies failed to sweep the Marlins. Bailey Digh recaps.
- It came without J.T. Realmuto; Tim Kelly explains why and brings an injury update on another key Phillie.
- Grace Del Pizzo’s Tiny Mic series is back. Here’s a heartwarming one in honor of Mother’s Day.
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