Did the Phillies just drop a major clue about their biggest Opening Day roster question?
Phillies appear to drop major clue about the biggest question surrounding their Opening Day roster
Did the Philadelphia Phillies just subtly tell us that Bryson Stott made the Opening Day roster?
It sure seems that way.
On Monday evening, the Phillies posted this carousel of shots to Instagram with the caption ‘Four more days.’
The post also features Didi Gregorius and a snapshot of Stott’s gloves. Not pictured? Literally anyone else.
spiraling rn pic.twitter.com/8t2XnbNUtg
— PHILLIES TBOH (@FS_TBOH) April 5, 2022
The message is either crystal clear or a very mean tease, but if this turns out to be their Stott soft launch – and I hope it is – it’s pretty incredible news and an impressive accomplishment by the young prospect. After all, he was drafted less than three years ago, their first-round pick in the 2019 draft. Then, the 2020 minor-league season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, so 2021 was his first – and now, possibly his only – full MiLB season.
Last year, Stott leapfrogged up from High-A to Double-A, and by season’s end, he was in Triple-A, a stone’s throw from the big show. He followed it up with a dazzling performance in the Arizona Fall League, where he walked more than he struck out.
By the time the Phillies’ offseason began, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told the media that he had challenged Stott to show up to spring training with the goal of earning a spot on the big-league roster.
Throughout the truncated spring, Stott has answered Dombrowski’s call. Over his first 11 games, he’s slashing .480/.581/.680 with a 1.261 OPS. As he did in Arizona last fall, Stott is drawing more walks than whiffing. His performance earned him high praise from the newest Phillies slugger, Nick Castellanos, who called him “cool as a cucumber” and remarked that he’s “playing like a veteran.”
Stott has more than proven himself worthy of a spot on the Opening Day roster, and hopefully, this is the Phillies’ sneaky way of announcing it. Really, it would be more outrageous if this wasn’t an announcement.
Either way, after a 99-day lockout, the Phillies are finally back in business on Friday, the lineup is more stacked than an unopened Pringles can, and at some point in the near future – maybe as soon as four days – it’s going to be the season of Stott.
Update: Bryson Stott makes Phillies Opening Day roster
On Tuesday morning, the Phillies informed Stott that he has made the Opening Day roster. Congratulations and welcome to the season of Stott!
