Jul 2, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) reacts after popping out in the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Citizens Bank Park. (Credit: Grace Del Pizzo-On Pattison) John Del Pizzo
Since the Phillies selected Bryson Stott in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft, Bryce Harper has taken his fellow Las Vegas native under his wing.
Even in the midst of what's turned into a very disappointing campaign for Stott, Harper still believes the second baseman will turn things around and be a key piece for the Phillies in the second half of the season.
"Just be Bryson," Harper said of what Stott needs to do. "Obviously, he's a great player, a great talent. Just gotta be himself, just like everybody else in here. Just gotta be ourselves and rely on all of our talents and trust in our ability to go out and play this game.
"He’s here for a reason," Harper continued. "He’s one of the best second basemen in the league. Obviously, it’s been tough for him in the batter’s box as of late. He’s just gotta keep going and believe in himself.”
Bryce Harper on Bryson Stott’s struggles: “He’s here for a reason … he’s one of the best second basemen in the league . Obviously, it’s been tough for him in the batter’s box as of late. He’s just gotta keep going and believe in himself.”
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/DKTJhr65W7
After a disappointing 2024 season — which the Phillies largely attributed to a nerve injury in his right elbow — Stott hit .297 with an .810 OPS in March/April, eventually getting promoted to the leadoff spot against right-handed pitchers in mid-May.
But the quick start feels like a distant memory now, as Stott's struggles since have led to second base becoming a pretty strict platoon between him and Edmundo Sosa. Stott was even moved down to ninth in the lineup Friday against the Los Angeles Angels.
And when it was Stott's turn to lead off in the bottom of the seventh against potential trade target Reid Detmers, Rob Thomson opted to have Sosa pinch hit for him against the tough lefty. While Sosa has been starting against lefties, Stott normally has been given the chance to hit against left-handed relievers when he's started the game — but not in Friday's 6-5 loss to the Halos.
Is this going to be the new norm?
"Well, it depends," Thomson said. "Just waiting for Stotty to get it going. Leading off the inning against the lefty ... you've got Turner, Schwarber and Harper coming, was just hoping to get somebody on base."
The frustrating thing about Stott is he's had some flashes in parts of four MLB seasons at the plate. And if he's even just an OK hitter, he's a basestealing threat that's generally graded out very well defensively at second base.
Right now, though, it's fair to question whether Stott is performing well enough to even be part of a platoon.
After going 0-for-2 in Friday's loss, Stott is now hitting just .232 with a .633 OPS. Those aren't his splits against lefties, they are his numbers overall.
The Phillies don't have another left-handed hitting option, and offensive production at the position is down across the sport as only four qualified second basemen (Gleyber Torres, Brandon Lowe, José Altuve and Brendan Donovan) have an OPS above .722. Sosa, meanwhile, entered the night hitting .344 with a .934 OPS against lefties, as opposed to .217 with a .558 OPS against righties. So he's not really a great option to play at the spot every day either.
Given the lack of productive second basemen around the sport right now and more pressing needs elsewhere on the roster, the Phillies will probably just have to ride things out in 2025 with a platoon of Stott and Sosa at second base.
But while Harper's assessment of Stott being one of the best second basemen in baseball once seemed like it could be true, the 27-year-old now has a much longer track record of being a player without enough batspeed to consistently do much more than foul balls off. And he's one of many players in this lineup who make the Phillies feel like a team that need Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner to be perfect to have a shot to win.
