Phillies manager Rob Thomson made a bold decision on Sunday, benching starting third baseman Alec Bohm for Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the New York Mets.
After losing the series opener 6-2, the Phillies needed a win to avoid heading to New York down 0-2 in the best-of-five series and facing potential elimination.
“I wanted to inject some energy into the lineup with Sosa—he’s our energy guy,” Thomson explained. “Bohm isn’t swinging the bat well right now, though he’s not the only one. He’s frustrated, but I wanted to get Sosa in there. He brings energy, runs around, and can spark the team. That’s what we need.”
Despite Bohm’s struggles, he was a key contributor for the Phillies this season, driving in 97 runs—second only to Kyle Schwarber—despite missing several weeks in September due to a hand injury. Bohm, who batted cleanup most of the season, hit fifth in the lineup on Saturday.
Bohm’s season stats included a .280/.332/.448 slash line over 143 games, and he excelled with runners in scoring position, hitting .301/.365/.534. He was also named the National League’s starting third baseman in the All-Star Game. However, Bohm hit just .170 in September and went 0-for-4 in Game 1, grounding out in a key moment with two runners on in the eighth inning.
Sosa, who hit .257/.313/.422 this season, had stepped up as the starting shortstop when Trea Turner was injured. However, like Bohm, Sosa also struggled in September, hitting only .154.
These guys know what needs to be done; they don’t need a wake-up call.”
