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?