April 07, 2025

Edmundo Sosa needs to play more, left field could be the Phillies' answer

The Phillies' super utilityman has played his way into more regular time, and a look in the outfield might be opening for it.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

Edmundo-Sosa-Phillies-Rockies-3.31.25-MLB.jpg

Eric Hartline/Imagn Images

Edmundo Sosa hits a double in the Phillies' home opener against the Rockies.

The Phillies have to find a more regular spot in the lineup for Edmundo Sosa, and Rob Thomson knows it.

Sunday against the Dodgers, the bench specialist got the start at third base, collected two base hits, and outran the double-play chance that allowed the go-ahead run to score from third in an 8-7 win.

The day before, in a 3-1 loss, he pinch-hit for Brandon Marsh in the eighth inning and then remained in center field for the ninth. Two fly balls were hit his way. He took good routes to them and caught them both.

Sunday's win, which took two of three for the series from L.A. in an early-season headliner, was Sosa's fifth straight start with at least two hits since the year began.

He's 11-for-20 in his at-bats so far (a .550 batting average), has four doubles, and has driven in six runs. His OPS is a lofty 1.321.

The sample size is small, granted, but for Thomson, it is real. Sosa has to play more.

"We gotta really look at this because, so far, it's real," Thomson said of Sosa postgame Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. "It's two hits every game, he's played great at third, he's played great at short, he did well in center field yesterday, so, yeah, we've really gotta get into the lab and try to figure out some stuff to get him in the lineup."

Back on top thanks to Edmundo movin' up the line 💨 pic.twitter.com/CujAAMruPc
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 6, 2025

Another look in the outfield could be the solution.

After that brief glimpse of Sosa in center field on Saturday, Thomson expressed that the move to have him go out there shouldn't be taken as a sign of an experiment to come, at least not in center in particular. That position's depth chart is still between Marsh and Johan Rojas, Thomson said, but he added that he could see Sosa playing a bit of left field.

On Sunday, that idea appeared to get a lot more concrete.

At the end of Thomson's postgame press conference, he was directly asked if he was at a point where he felt comfortable starting Sosa in the outfield against a left-handed pitcher – Sosa is a right-handed batter.

Thomson said he was.

Max Kepler, a left-handed bat, has started all but one game in left field to begin the season, but has also gone 1-for-17 since his three-hit performance in the home opener against Colorado last week.

Kepler is batting .200 off lefties so far (2-for-10). Sosa is hitting .444 (4-for-9).

The Phillies had Monday off to travel to Altanta for a three-game set against the Braves beginning Tuesday night. Left-hander and reigning NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale is listed as the Braves' probable starter to open up the series.

That might be the cue to try Sosa out in left field.

He's got the hot hand right now, and he knows it. And if the call comes, he'll be ready for it.

"I've been able to naturally just come through for the team, and that's something I feel good about," Sosa said from the Phillies' clubhouse on Sunday, through team interpreter Diego D'Aniello. "I'll just keep preparing myself in the same way, coming in and working hard every single day. I think that's something that I'm just gonna do to see if I can just continue with this good stretch."