The Philadelphia Phillies have made a significant adjustment to their starting lineup for Sunday’s Game Two of the National League Division Series.
All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm has been benched for the crucial second game against the New York Mets. Despite being healthy, the team is hoping to boost their offense by making a change at third base.
In the 6-2 loss to the Mets on Saturday, the 28-year-old went 0 for 4, with three weakly hit balls that failed to exceed an exit velocity of 75 mph.
Instead, the Phillies will start veteran utility player Edmundo Sosa at third base on Sunday.
“I wanted to inject some energy into the lineup with Sosa, who is our energy guy,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson about the decision. “Bohm’s not hitting well, but he’s not alone in that frustration. I just felt it was time to get Sosa in there.”
Thomson pointed out that Bohm isn’t the only issue with the Phillies’ offense from Saturday; the team managed just five hits overall, with four coming from the top of the lineup. Kyle Schwarber was the only player with multiple hits, including a leadoff homer, while Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos each had a hit but combined for three strikeouts.
Philadelphia went 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base in Saturday’s game.
Bohm had a strong first half of the regular season, earning his first MLB All-Star nod in 2024 with a .280 average, 15 home runs, 44 doubles, and 97 RBIs. However, he struggled towards the end, finishing the season 2 for 27, which carried into his postseason debut.
The Mets will start veteran pitcher Luis Severino as they aim to secure two victories at Citizens Bank Park. They come off two comeback wins and are now the third team to win consecutive playoff games after trailing in the eighth inning or later. The Mets will be looking for length from Severino, as they used five pitchers in Game One.
He will be up against Cristopher Sanchez for the Phillies. The first pitch is set for 4:08 pm ET, airing on FS1.
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