PHILADELPHIA (AP) — In an effort to shake up their struggling offense, the Philadelphia Phillies made a bold move by benching All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm for Game 2 of the NL Division Series. Bohm, who is healthy but mired in a hitting slump, was replaced by Edmundo Sosa at third base for the game against the New York Mets.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson explained that he wanted to inject some energy into the lineup by starting Sosa, who is known for his lively playing style. Bohm, who had a disappointing 0 for 4 performance in Game 1, was visibly frustrated and has been struggling at the plate recently.
Despite Bohm being benched, he was called upon to pinch-hit in the seventh inning with the Phillies trailing. Unfortunately, Bohm was unable to deliver, popping up to third base in his at-bat against Mets pitcher José Buttó.
Bohm had a solid regular season, hitting .280 with 15 home runs and 97 RBIs, but his performance dipped towards the end of the season. In contrast, Sosa posted a .257 batting average with seven home runs and 31 RBIs in 90 games.
Thomson emphasized the need for more energy and production from the Phillies' lineup, especially from key players like Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos, who have struggled in the postseason. Turner is hitless in his last 16 playoff at-bats, while Castellanos recently ended a hitless streak that dated back to last season's NLCS.
The Phillies' lackluster offensive showing in Game 1 wasted a stellar outing from ace pitcher Zack Wheeler, who threw seven shutout innings. The bullpen faltered in the eighth inning, leading to a 6-2 loss to the Mets.
Second baseman Bryson Stott was moved up to the fifth spot in the batting order for Game 2, while Sosa batted eighth. Thomson downplayed the lineup change as a wake-up call, stating that the players are aware of what needs to be done to turn things around.
The Phillies will need to find their offensive rhythm quickly to avoid falling behind in the series against the Mets.
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