Stott back up with Phillies after hot stretch in Minors

PHILADELPHIA -- Bryson Stott is back, and he is going to be the Phillies’ primary shortstop for at least the next week.

The Phillies recalled Stott from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, before their game against the Mets was postponed because of rain. The Phillies and Mets will play a single-admission doubleheader beginning at 12:35 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Stott is back because the Phillies placed Didi Gregorius on the 10-day injured list with a sprained MCL in his left knee. Gregorius hurt himself Wednesday when he collided with Kyle Schwarber in left field. Gregorius’ IL stint is retroactive to Thursday, meaning he can be activated no earlier than May 15. Phillies manager Joe Girardi said there is a chance that Gregorius needs only 10 days or so before rejoining the team.

Until then, Stott will play shortstop, with Alec Bohm at third base and Johan Camargo bouncing around the infield.

Stott rejoins the Phillies swinging the bat well. He batted .333 (12-for-36) with two homers, seven RBIs and a .986 OPS in nine games with the IronPigs.

“Getting those at-bats day after day after day is big,” Stott said. “And when you’re feeling good, you want to keep hitting. I feel good now. Playing every day was big. That’s how you get back to yourself and get back to being comfortable.”

Stott opened the season with the Phillies, but he was optioned to Triple-A on April 25. He batted .133 (4-for-30) with one double, three RBIs, one walk and 10 strikeouts in nine games with the Phillies. He went hitless in his last 18 at-bats. He started on April 18 in Colorado, pinch-hit on April 19, then did not play again until he was optioned.

Stott is the organization’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 43 prospect in baseball, so he needed to play, which was why they sent him to Triple-A.

Stott said he learned something about his short-lived stint with the Phillies last month.

“I felt myself chasing those hits instead of letting the hits come,” Stott said. “Trying to hit the ball like I did in spring 2021.”

Stott batted .179 (5-for-28) with one walk and 16 strikeouts in the spring of ’21.

“Trying to hit the ball before he even threw it was kind of what I was feeling,” he said. “Just kind of seeing those pitchers and having those at-bats back to back to back [in Triple-A] let me get back to where I need to be.”