Phillies 2026 Season Previews: Second Base Platoon?

Philadelphia Phillies second basemen ranked fourth in the majors with a .259 batting average and seventh with a .728 OPS last season. Bryson Stott continued to excel as one of the best infielders in baseball while Edmundo Sosa replicated the same energy that’s made him an integral piece in four consecutive playoff seasons.

Why is the position under so much scrutiny entering 2026 then?

The assumed second base platoon raises questions about the collective Phillies lineup dynamic, Stott’s development as a hitter, and the future of the entire infield with Alec Bohm approaching free agency and Aidan Miller nearing his major league debut.

Stott has made solid contributions in his four seasons with the Phillies. His strength as a contact hitter brings a different element to a lineup that’s struggled with plate discipline at inopportune times.

He’s developed an excellent glove at second base, covering holes on the right side of the infield for a pitching staff with a high rate of groundballs. He also led the club in stolen bases in 2023 and 2024 and finished second behind Trea Turner in 2025.

However, he hasn’t developed into a Phillies franchise cornerstone to restock the future of a lineup with high-priced sluggers drifting toward the later years of their careers.

His most notable shortcoming is against left-handed pitching, and his struggles have pushed him into a platoon role with right-hander Edmundo Sosa.

Rob Thomson penciled Sosa into the lineup at second base against Tarik Skubal in the final week of Grapefruit League action against the Detroit Tigers. Stott’s first at-bat came in the sixth inning against right-handed reliever Will Vest.

The writing is on the wall for the Phillies skipper to continue the second base platoon.

The Phillies have, at times, exhausted the idea that Stott and Day Care contemporary Brandon Marsh might develop into everyday players. Optimistic analysts continually revert to the hyper-specific hope that Stott will someday win a batting title.

The hope hasn’t materialized by age 28. If Thomson isn’t ready to christen Stott as the everyday second baseman yet, will it ever happen?

The 2026 season might be Bohm's last in Philadelphia. Aidan Miller could make the transition to third base as the replacement, which would presumably secure Stott's future.

However, would the Phillies consider keeping a more established hitter like Bohm with a proven everyday track record? If they also slid Miller from shortstop to second base, moving Stott with considerable trade value would suddenly become an option.

Usage indicates Thomson’s lack of confidence in Stott without a handedness advantage. The former first-round pick logged only 123 plate appearances against lefties last season, about 21% of his 560 total.

However, Thomson constantly evaluates his hitters’ individual development and readiness for new opportunities. He particularly admires Kyle Schwarber’s late development into one of baseball's best all-situations hitters and the tireless work of hitting coach Kevin Long.

Thomson identified improvement from Stott late in the 2025 season. He spoke in early August about Long’s input on Stott’s swing. 

Stott had stumbled to the end of July with a .233 average and a .646 OPS hardly characteristic of a regular in a World Series-caliber lineup.

The swing adjustment, however, then coincided with a two-month hot streak while the lineup hit its stride collectively after the MLB Trade Deadline. Stott hit .310 with an .880 OPS in August and September. He more consistently turned on pitches with stronger pull power. He also had a few clutch hits against left-handed pitching, but a relatively small sample size of at-bats will force Phillies evaluators to hesitate before jumping to long-term conclusions.

Conversations have swirled about how Thomson and the Phillies have limited Stott’s opportunities since 2022. However, look deeper than the simple label of a part-time role.

While Stott started only situationally at second base last season, the playing time was far from even with Sosa’s. Left-handed hitters generally start on the strong side of a platoon facing the higher rate of right-handers on MLB staffs. Sosa’s 261 plate appearances were ultimately less than half of Stott’s season total.

Sosa also plays a utility role that intermittently forced him to the opposite side of the infield when Turner and Bohm spent time on the injured list. Thomson also makes midgame substitutions with his platoon options, so neither Sosa nor Stott will necessary finish a game that he starts.

The aggregate success at second base in 2025 suited the Phillies best given the circumstances of how Stott and Sosa fared in all situations by the end of the season. If either player changes those circumstances with drastic improvement, expect Thomson and the Phillies to similarly adjust based on the option that maximizes their World Series chances.

All stats courtesy of Stat Cast, Baseball Reference, and FanGraphs.