Phillies notes: Sosa OF experiment is for real this time and even more important

Phillies notes: Sosa OF experiment is for real this time and even more important originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Edmundo Sosa outfield program went from interesting wrinkle to necessary contingency this weekend as the Phillies began their Grapefruit League schedule.

Weston Wilson suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain on Friday, a six-week injury that changes the complexion of the outfield arrangement. If healthy, Wilson would have likely opened the season for the Phillies as a right-handed-hitting bench option and occasional left fielder in place of Max Kepler. There was talk of also getting Wilson some work in center field this spring and if he was passable, he could have become an occasional platoon option with Brandon Marsh.

With Wilson sidelined, the Phillies need a right-handed-hitting outfielder even more and the answer could be Sosa. The 29-year-old utilityman has worked out each day during camp in the outfield with coaches Paco Figueroa and Andy Abad, and unlike last season, it’s more than just an experiment. The Phillies toyed with the idea last summer but Sosa was needed elsewhere when Trea Turner missed six weeks with a hamstring injury.

“It’s hard work every single day,” Sosa said through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “I start the day doing my infield routine to keep my skills as sharp as possible and then I go back and forth with Paco doing a lot of outfield work.

“The main difference this year is that I’m in it 100%. Last year, we did sort of a test drive in the outfield, two or three days, let’s try it out and see how it goes. But this year we’re fully invested in this new role. Last year, I didn’t work in the outfield every day. Now I am.”

Sosa, who started Sunday’s 7-3 loss to the Orioles at shortstop, will see time this spring in left field and center field. Manager Rob Thomson said he’d like to see it in a game “sooner rather than later, probably within the next week.” Buddy Kennedy will also work more in left field.

Johan Rojas is another right-handed hitting center field option to pair with Marsh but Rojas struggled offensively last season, whereas Sosa is a legitimate threat against left-handed pitching. He hit .284/.347/.514 against lefties last season and his career OPS is 91 points higher than it is against righties.

“It says a lot that they’re trusting in my ability to learn a new position,” Sosa said as he enters his fourth season with the Phils. “It’s a position I’ve never played in the big leagues nor in the minor leagues. If they’re letting me try this, it’s because they’re trusting that I can assume this new challenge. I’m here to learn and I’m here to help the team win.

“I’m thankful for being here another year where I call it home, with the Phillies. I feel like I’m around family. I really have it good here.”

Phillips’ start

Tyler Phillips started for the Phillies and allowed three runs over two innings. He walked the first batter of the game after a pesky nine-pitch plate appearance, hit the next and both scored. Vimael Machin took Phillips deep in the top of the second.

Phillips is battling for the final spot on the Phillies’ pitching staff but is more of a longshot candidate behind Taijuan Walker and with so many relievers and starting pitching depth pieces in camp.

Phillips is also out of minor-league options, meaning that if he does not make the Phillies’ Opening Day roster, they would have to place him on waivers. Starting pitching depth is so precious leaguewide that he might be snatched away. A trade is also always a possibility.

“I am out of options, I understand that,” Phillips said Sunday. “Again, this is a team I want to be with, I have a lot of passion for this team, these guys in here, the city. If I’m able to come in here and continue to go about my business like I have nothing to lose, I think that’ll show the best me.”

“There are 29 other teams. This is a team that I really like, obviously. But again, it’s my career and I have to do what I’m capable of doing.”

Phillips was quite a story last summer, a South Jersey native making good for the local team. He made eight starts with the Phillies and was 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA after the first four, which included a shutout of the AL Central-winning Cleveland Guardians. He then allowed 23 earned runs over just 11⅔ innings in his remaining four.

As always, the truth is probably somewhere in between, but July 2024 proved to Phillips that this dream has been worth chasing.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that I belong in the big leagues,” he said. “I’ve put in a lot of work my entire career, I’ve been through a lot of crap coming up through this and now it’s just finding that true competition. I was good in July last year, really good in July. I think a lot of that was just finding yourself and not letting any insecurities creep in.

“This year, a big thing that I’ve been trying to work on is just being myself, being a good teammate in this clubhouse, talking with guys, not being timid. … Not letting any of the negative thoughts come in because a lot of those translate into real world, physical things.”

The Phillies lost the game, 6-3. Veteran infielder Christian Arroyo, signed as camp opened, belted a solo home run onto the concourse past left field in the third inning.

Prospect notes

In the seventh, former first-round center fielder Justin Crawford, the Phillies’ No. 3-ranked prospect, singled the opposite way and scored a run when power-hitting corner outfield prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit a two-run shot. Crawford and shortstop Aidan Miller (the Phillies’ top-ranked position player prospect) each played Saturday and Sunday. Crawford just missed extra bases on Saturday when he crushed a line drive to deep left-center that was snagged on the run.