But Edmundo Sosa? He thrives in it. He embraces it. And—here’s the thing—he’s really good at it.
Following Monday’s 6-1 home-opening win over the Rockies, Sosa likened himself to a sixth man in basketball—a key piece off the bench, always ready when his number is called.
“Obviously, this isn’t basketball,” Sosa said through the team’s interpreter. “There are more of us here, more bench guys who have a job to do. But I feel good about my role. I’m with the Phillies. Great city, great teammates. I’m on the best baseball team there is. That’s it—just going out there with that mentality. Everybody knows their job, and we go out and do it.”
Sosa was in the starting lineup on Monday with Trea Turner sidelined by back tightness, though Turner still made an appearance as a pinch-hitter. He entered the game coming off a strong weekend in Washington, where he collected four hits.
And when his moment came in the seventh inning, Sosa delivered. With two outs and Rockies right-hander Victor Vodnik on the mound, it was the kind of situation where a manager might look for a lefty bat. But Rob Thomson liked the matchup.
“He’s in the game,” Thomson said. “Vodnik’s not a real traditional guy—he’s pretty even [splits]. And Sosa’s been swinging the bat well, so I decided to stay with him.”
Good call.
Sosa rewarded Thomson’s faith with an RBI double to the gap in right, scoring two runs to give the Phillies the lead—and ultimately, the win.
“I’m always preparing myself,” Sosa said. “I think I’m going to be on the field playing when I go to the gym. That comes with batting practice and the defense as well. I always assume that I’m going to have playing time, and that’s what keeps me in a good spot to produce whenever I’m on the field.”
Because that’s what good utility players do. They stay ready. They embrace the grind. And sometimes, like Edmundo Sosa, they come through when it matters most.
You Should Know
Alec Bohm walked into the clubhouse Monday, and there it was—his first shipment of the much-hyped “torpedo” bat, arriving just moments before first pitch. So what did he do? Took a few practice swings, shrugged, and decided to use it in the game. Because why not?
“It’s wood, it’s a bat, that’s really it,” Bohm said following his 1-for-4 performance. “It’ll be all the hype until the next thing comes around.”
Classic.
Needless to say, Bohm wasn’t exactly blown away. The idea behind the torpedo bat? Move the barrel slightly closer to the handle to help the hitter. But for Bohm, a bat’s a bat—until it proves otherwise.
