Apr 2, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Edmundo Sosa (33) reacts after his 2 RBI double during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
The good news if you're a baseball fan: Tuesday's Phillies-Atlanta Braves game will feature a matchup between last year's NL Cy Young Award winner in Chris Sale, and the runner-up in Zack Wheeler.
The bad news if you're the Phillies: You have to face Sale, an eight-time All-Star who may very well be a Hall of Famer one day. Facing Sale is particularly problematic for the left-handed heavy Phillies when you consider that lefties hit just .192 off of the southpaw a season ago.
Even with Rob Thomson trying to give some of his left-handed hitters some runway against lefty pitchers early in the season, Tuesday will be a night where you want to give them a rest. The Phillies are limited in the right-handed options they have on the bench, but Edmundo Sosa — he of the five two-hit games already — feels like a lock to be in the starting lineup. It's just a matter of where.
Sosa pinch hit and then stayed in Saturday's game to play center field in the ninth, recording two catches in the outfield. After the game, Thomson was asked what he thought of Sosa's limited work in the outfield.
"Good. The ball will always find you," Thomson said with a smile. "But no, he got good jumps, good reactions, routes were good."
So the natural follow up question was whether Sosa could soon start a game in center field.
"Probably not," Thomson admitted. "That's [Brandon] Marsh or [Johan] Rojas, I would think, depending on left or right. But I can see him playing some left field."
Rob Thomson on how Edmundo Sosa looked in center field and whether he could start out there any time soon
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/n4Tc0IH5Cq
What you're left to conclude from that answer is that Rojas will be in center field Tuesday, which would make sense considering he's a strong defender and Truist Park in Atlanta has a spacious outfield.
But while Sosa could just sub in for Stott Tuesday with either Marsh or Max Kepler in left field, don't be so sure that's what the arrangement will be.
After Sosa went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Sunday's 8-7 win over the Dodgers, Thomson was asked whether Sosa can do anything to earn more playing time.
"I think we gotta really look at this," Thomson said of getting Sosa more at-bats. "Because so far, it's real. It's two hits every game. He's played great at third ... he's played great at short ... he did well out in center field yesterday. So we really gotta get into the lab and try to figure out some stuff to get him into the lineup."
“We’ve really gotta get in the lab and try to figure out some stuff to get him in the lineup.”
Rob Thomson on Edmundo Sosa getting in the starting lineup more: pic.twitter.com/XV5Cn5LMhD
Later in the press conference, Thomson mentioned that "we have really good versatility now with Sosa being able to play the outfield."
It just feels like with your best defensive center fielder in Rojas likely to be in the lineup Tuesday, Stott coming off of a game where he delivered an RBI and both Kepler and Marsh off to slow starts offensively, all the signs are pointing towards Sosa getting an opportunity in left field Tuesday in Atlanta.
