Phillies bench struggling 3B Alec Bohm for NLDS Game 2 vs. Mets; Edmundo Sosa to replace him

The Philadelphia Phillies are making a lineup change for Game 2 of their National League division series versus the New York Mets. Third baseman Alec Bohm is out of the starting lineup and Edmundo Sosa is at third base against Mets starter Luis Severino.

Bohm was an NL All-Star this season, batting .280 with a .779 OPS, 44 doubles, 15 home runs and 97 RBI.

But he has been struggling. Bohm went 0-for-4 in Saturday’s Game 1, seeing only seven pitches. In September, he batted .170 (8-for-47) with a .502 OPS.

Sosa batted .191 with a .504 OPS against right-handed pitching this season, and .154 (4-for-26) in September, which makes this move curious. But Phillies manager Rob Thomson obviously thinks a shake-up is necessary.

“He’s kind of our energy guy,” Thomson said in reference to Sosa. “Bohm’s not swinging the bat particularly well, but he’s not the only one. He’s frustrated. But I just wanted to get Sosa in there.”

Sosa will bat eighth in Sunday’s lineup.

“He goes out there, and he runs around,” he added. “And I think he energizes other people as well, and that’s what we need.”

As Thomson pointed out while talking to reporters on Sunday, Bohm is not the only Phillies hitter having issues. Philadelphia only managed two runs and five hits in Game 1’s 6–2 loss.

The decision isn’t necessarily a question of matchups. Bohm is 0-for-3 in his career against Severino, while Sosa has never faced him.