Big moment doesn't faze rookie Stott (5 RBIs)
Infielder heating up as Phillies try to push into the postseason picture
PHILADELPHIA -- Bryson Stott is looking more and more comfortable in moments like this.
Stott created the latest signature moment in his rookie season in the Phillies’ 6-4 victory over the Braves on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. He hit a three-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning against Atlanta left-hander A.J. Minter, who has allowed only two home runs in 334 career plate appearances against left-handed hitters.
Stott has seven homers this year. Four have tied the game or given the Phillies the lead, including a walk-off home run to beat the Angels on June 3.
“It’s just kind of breathing and staying calm,” Stott said of his approach. “Not letting it get too big.”
Stott’s homer snapped the Phillies’ three-game losing streak, as they try to return to their winning ways with the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline a little more than a week away.
The Phillies are looking for starting pitching and probably bullpen help as well. They could use a bat, but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Monday they like some of the young players they have.
One of them he mentioned was Stott.
“Stott’s been a contributing member,” Dombrowski said. “I know his average isn’t what we want it to be, but he’s hit the ball hard. He’s really played well defensively.”
Stott is batting .196 with seven homers, 31 RBIs and a .600 OPS. But he has batted .268 with three homers, 12 RBIs and an .817 OPS in 22 games since June 26. He has batted .314 with three homers, nine RBIs and a 1.054 OPS in his past 10 games.
The Phillies believe Stott is coming around at just the right time.
Second baseman Jean Segura could rejoin the team sometime next week. He has not played since May 31 due to a fractured right finger. Stott has been mostly manning second base in the meantime, but he could see time at shortstop and even third base when Segura returns.
Stott is earning that trust.
“We’ve got to work on that, because the bat is pretty good right now, for sure,” Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson said.
Stott hit probably the shortest extra-base hit of his career in the second inning when he dropped a ball in front of first baseman Matt Olson, which took a crazy hop into foul territory. It allowed two runs to score to cut the Braves’ lead to 3-2, but Atlanta carried a 4-3 lead into the eighth, when Alec Bohm and Yairo Muñoz hit a pair of two-out singles.
Stott stepped up against Minter and worked a full count.
“Everything was away, so I just kind of set middle-in and see what happens,” Stott said.
Minter threw a cutter in.
“You’ve got to hope they make that one mistake, and you can’t really miss it,” Stott said. “I’m kind of glad I didn’t miss that one.”
“He put a good swing on it,” Minter said. “If I had to go back and do it all over again, I'd do the same thing. I do pretty good against lefties.”
Stott is the first Phillies rookie to have five RBIs in a game since Rhys Hoskins on Aug. 23, 2017.
“It feels good just to contribute to winning,” Stott said, “and playing good and feeling comfortable is always a help. I mean, the veteran guys from the very beginning were telling me they know I can hit, they know I can play defense. They’ve just kind of been there through it all. To kind of get in this little groove and feel [good] going to the plate and coming to the park every day has been awesome.”