3 Phillies predictions we wish we’d have made before the season began
The Philadelphia Phillies limped out of the start gate and have been playing catchup ever since. The Opening Day beating they took against the Texas Rangers put an early sour taste in our mouths they’re still trying to shake. Among all of the Phillies predictions anyone would have made, that wasn’t something too many had in mind to begin the year.
The Phillies are still trying to figure out exactly who they are. Preseason predictions for most fans probably had Kyle Schwarber leading the league in home runs again or even a monster campaign out of Trea Turner. Both could end up accurate.
It’s these other three predictions we all wish we had made. Sticking with the positive because everyone knows this team could use some, imagine how smart we’d all feel if anyone made these predictions for 2023.
1) Phillies prediction we wish we made: Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott All-Star bids
In the absence of Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins, the Phillies have gotten a ton of production from Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott. It wasn’t a ridiculous thought to believe either would have a breakout campaign in 2023. For them to hit this amazingly well, however, comes as a pleasant surprise.
Bohm’s monster start has helped the team overcome losing Hoskins for the year. Bohm’s horrendous defense at third base may be something we see much less frequently with the need for a first baseman and a natural change for him. His time with the Phillies has been difficult to predict. There are times when he has looked like a future All-Star. During other stretches, he’s a part-time major leaguer. Early success in 2023 should already put him in the conversation for a future All-Star bid although there is plenty of competition at first base and enough talent at third base to take a spot from him as well.
Stott’s early season success should also have fans grinning from ear to ear. His rookie year in 2022 was good but also showed holes in his game. That’s not the case for him this year. Stott has been batting leadoff for them regularly. When things get situated with Harper back in the lineup, it might be something to continue. Trea Turner can be effective batting second.
If you predicted either of these players would have early numbers trending toward an All-Star bid this season, good for you. Also, buy a lottery ticket.
2) Phillies prediction we wish we made: Edmundo Sosa would somehow still be this good
Edmundo Sosa has stepped up in a big way for the Phillies this year. What else would we expect? Since joining them last summer, Sosa has gone from a middling infielder without much of a bat to a guy who can actually produce at the plate. He is filling in nicely at third base with Bohm over at first. It has allowed Sosa to get into the lineup much more frequently.
Among all of the Phillies hitters who did have a good year in 2022 for them, Sosa was one you would have been wise to expect coming back down to earth. Quite the opposite is happening in 2023. He’s looking more and more like an everyday option for Rob Thomson.
Through 34 plate appearances, Sosa is slashing .344/.353/.625 with a pair of home runs. It’s time to start wondering if the St. Louis Cardinals made a huge mistake trading this guy. Looking back at his minor league numbers, Sosa was a decent hitter and even popped 17 home runs in 2019 at the Triple-A level. Perhaps all he needed was a chance. That’s something he was never going to get in the loaded Cardinals infield.
On the Phillies roster, Sosa has become more than a backup infielder. He’s someone we don’t groan to see in the starting lineup. He’s less Michael Martinez and more, well, is there a former Phillies player to compare him to?
3) Phillies prediction we wish we made: Brandon Marsh becoming a top center fielder in MLB
When the Phillies opened the 2022 season, we all thought their offense would be unstoppable. There were plenty of misses last year and even this season. Through the good and bad times with guys like Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber, the Phillies have been a tough nut to crack and predict how they’ll perform on any given day.
One player becoming a consistent savior is center fielder Brandon Marsh. Another trade deadline acquisition last season, he already won fans over just by existing. He was the replacement for Odubel Herrera, a player no reasonable fan wanted to return last year. While his numbers with the Los Angeles Angels weren’t superb, they’ve been some of the best of any center fielder in baseball this year.
Joining Bohm and Stott on the list of young Phillies carrying their weight is Marsh. He’s a guy many would have written in as the number nine hitter. This may not change too frequently in 2023 even if he continues to put up huge numbers.
Center field is one of the toughest positions to find good help. Marsh’s .358/.414/.698 start is something we shouldn’t expect him to keep up with all year. What has made Marsh especially good early on is how many of his hits have gone for extra bases. Of the 19, 6 are double, 3 are triples, and 2 are home runs. He isn’t settling for the bloop single. Marsh is hitting the ball a long way and in some cases as far away from the outfielders as he can.
We need to see more to anoint him a top center fielder in the game. He’s on his way.
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