Phillies bench Alec Bohm in Game 2 of NLDS

Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm.
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Phillies manager Rob Thomson has benched third baseman Alec Bohm for Game 2 against the New York Mets in the NLDS. Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reported the benching via X.

Phillies looking for a jolt of energy in the lineup, so starting Sosa over Bohm at third because Bohm has been struggling offensively.

— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) October 6, 2024

Edmundo Sosa will play third base on Sunday afternoon and will bat eighth in the lineup.  

Bohm has been struggling offensively for a bit now and Thomson thinks that starting Sosa will provide the team with the “energy” it needs. 

Bohm went 0-for-4 in Game 1 with three groundouts and a popout. He showed visible frustration as he slammed his helmet to the ground on the groundout in the eighth inning. The Phillies had first and third with two outs and Bohm grounded into a fielder’s choice to third. 

Sosa could help provide the Phillies lineup with energy by making things happen on the basepaths by stealing bases and getting into the pitcher’s head.

Rob Thomson on replacing Alec Bohm with Edmundo Sosa: “I wanted to get some energy in the lineup…Bohmer isn’t swinging the bat particularly well, but he’s not the only one.” pic.twitter.com/E1CJablgpV

— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) October 6, 2024

While Thomson is looking for anything to help his team catch a spark, starting Sosa may not be the answer. Sosa has never faced Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino before, so he’ll need a few at-bats to see what he throws.

Another downside to starting Sosa is his chase rate. Chasing pitches outside of the zone played a huge role in the Phillies’ loss in Game 1. This is something the Phillies have to avoid in Game 2. Sosa’s chase rate is the highest on the team at 40.5 percent. Nick Castellanos is right behind him at 37.8 percent. 

Thomson didn’t say Bohm would be unavailable for Sunday afternoon’s game. He wants Bohm to be ready to pinch hit when an opportunity arises. If the Phillies are down a run or two late in the game, Thomson will need to make a huge decision on whether to pinch-hit Bohm or not. Bohm should be back at third base for Game 3 in New York. 

Game 2 is Sunday at 4:08 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. 

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