Apr 10, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) runs off the field in the rain against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis
Bryson Stott didn't record a hit in Sunday's 11-4 Phillies win over the Toronto Blue Jays, but manager Rob Thomson seemed encouraged when asked if it was a step in the right direction that the second baseman saw 31 pitches in four at-bats.
"Yeah, I think so," Thomson said. "Because you're adding to the offense, even though you're not getting hits or didn't walk. But seeing 31 pitches, that wears out the other club."
On Pattison's Grace Del Pizzo then followed up with Thomson and asked what Stott needs to do to begin to turn some of those pitches he's seeing into hits on a more consistent basis.
"Well, I think he's starting to do that by ... he's being a little bit more aggressive," Thomson said. "He's hunting the first pitch. You know, eventually he'll scare them out of the zone again first pitch. So I think he's taking the right approach right now."
However, over the first two games of the series in Miami against the Marlins, Stott has continued to struggle, going just 1-for-8. In June, he's hitting just .135 with an unsightly .350 OPS. On the season, Stott is hitting .232 with an on-base percentage that has slipped to .296. Since what appeared to be a breakout campaign in 2023 saw him hit .280 with a .747 OPS, Stott is hitting just .241 with a .654 OPS. A nerve injury in his right elbow hampered Stott for much of 2024, according to the Phillies, but so far, his numbers at the plate in 2025 are even worse.
Stott is seeing a career-high 4.49 pitches-per-plate-appearance in 2025, and Thomson is correct in saying that it wears opposing pitching staffs down when he repeatedly fouls pitches off. At the same time, these long at-bats aren't often ending with Stott winding up on base. It's also become increasingly apparent that Stott is fouling off pitches that other hitters would put in play.
Just posting someone's Baseball Savant page can sometimes be a substitute for actually doing analysis of your own, but it's clear in looking at Stott's that slow bat speed continues to limit what he can do at the plate (and is why he's fouling off pitches that others might hit 400 feet):
To his credit, Stott is in the 91st percentile in terms of baserunning value, per Baseball Savant. He's stolen 30+ bases in each of the last two seasons, and has 11 so far this season. He might not be quite as quick as Johan Rojas or Trea Turner, but Stott is a real weapon when he gets on base.
Surprisingly, defensive metrics are a bit divided on Stott this year. After posting 13 defensive runs saved between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Stott currently has minus-4 DRS this season. However, he has four outs above average, and is generally perceived as a strong defender at second base.
Still, it's hard to shake how unproductive Stott has been as a hitter since the start of the 2024 season, and some of the underlying metrics that don't leave you with much hope that things are going to improve in a noticeable way.
Right now, the Phillies are in a stretch of seeing a bunch of right-handed starting pitching, which will continue over the final two games against the Marlins with the Fish giving the ball to Adam Mazur Wednesday and Edward Cabrera Thursday. Stott figures to be in the lineup for both of those games.
But eventually, the Phillies are going to start to see some left-handed starters again. At that point, Edmundo Sosa will get some more starts over Stott. Sosa has cooled down since a scalding-hot start, but if he gets going again, it's undeniable the type of spark he can provide for a team. It's not hard to imagine a scenario where he heats up to the point that Thomson seriously considers having Sosa get some starts at second base even against right-handed pitching.
Further down the road, Otto Kemp could become a consideration at second base as well. There's no indication that Bryce Harper's return from right wrist inflammation is imminent. But when the two-time NL MVP returns, it's fair to assume Kemp won't continue to see much, if any, time at first base. Alec Bohm has gotten going at third base after a slow start. Left field has been speculated upon as a spot Kemp could play, but he has way more experience at second base. He may be a guy that doesn't ever grade out well at any defensive position, but Kemp has had some impressive offensive moments early in his MLB career. If Stott is still struggling in a few weeks, the Phillies might be inclined to consider Kemp at second base.
Whether the Phillies would seriously consider using one of Stott's three remaining minor-league options if he doesn't get going at the plate is unclear. But Stott entered 2025 needing to prove that last season was a fluke and he should be thought of as a core piece moving forward. So far, he hasn't come close to doing that, and the clock is ticking.
