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Phillies faced with tough Alec Bohm vs. Edmundo Sosa question
TL;DR
The Philadelphia Phillies are struggling offensively, prompting a decision between sticking with Alec Bohm or switching to Edmundo Sosa. Bohm's poor performance has raised concerns about his role in the lineup.
Phillies faced with tough Alec Bohm vs. Edmundo Sosa question originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia Phillies haven't begun the season like they were hoping to. One of the main reasons for the lackluster start has been the struggles of the offense.
Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have been fine, and even Brandon Marsh and J.T. Realmuto haven't been the issue. But the same cannot be said for Bryson Stott, and especially Alec Bohm.
Amid Bohm's struggles this season, the Phillies are now faced with a tough question of whether to stick with Bohm or turn to Edmundo Sosa. Matt Gelb of The Athletic highlighted this debate, providing insight into why Sosa might not come out on top.
Phillies face tough Alec Bohm vs. Edmundo Sosa question
"The Phillies have resisted using Sosa as an everyday player for a prolonged period unless forced by an injury," Gelb writes. "He has value as a spark plug off the bench. He's been exposed before with regular at-bats."
Turning to Sosa as the full-time third baseman would be a major leap for the Phillies to make. Sosa can factor into the lineup as a platoon second baseman against lefty starters like he is now, but using Sosa more isn't a move the Phillies will want to do.
They're still trying to make Bohm work, despite his major struggles to begin the season. But it is still only 17 games into the season.
Bohm struggled last year and was able to bounce back in a big way, hitting over .300 in the final 100-plus games of the season. It's hard to rely on such a turnaround happening for the second time in as many years.
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This season, Bohm is hitting .153 with a .447 OPS. Sosa, on the other hand, is hitting .294 with a .956 OPS. There is a big difference, though, as Sosa has had just 17 at-bats while Bohm has had 59 at-bats.
Last year, the Phillies were asking the same question of whether Sosa should just be the full-time starter over Bohm. But the Phillies stuck with Bohm, and he rewarded that faith.
It would hardly be a surprise if Rob Thomson trusted Bohm once more and let him get a chance to bounce back again this season.
That doesn't take away from this question, however, as the Sosa vs. Bohm debate will continue on, and only get more contested if Bohm continues to struggle while Sosa continues to stay hot.
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Q&A
What are the reasons for the Phillies' offensive struggles this season?
The Phillies' offensive struggles are primarily attributed to the underperformance of players like Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm, despite contributions from others like Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.
Why is the Phillies' management considering Edmundo Sosa over Alec Bohm?
Management is considering Edmundo Sosa due to Alec Bohm's ongoing struggles at the plate, which have impacted the team's overall performance.
What impact could switching from Alec Bohm to Edmundo Sosa have on the Phillies' season?
Switching to Edmundo Sosa could potentially improve the Phillies' offensive output, but it remains to be seen if this change will significantly alter their season trajectory.