The Philadelphia Phillies spent the final week of the regular season trying to avoid a collapse. They secured a playoff spot with a win on Sunday, but their reward is a trip to Atlanta for a best-of-three Wild Card Series against the Braves. If Philadelphia hopes to extend its season, its biggest stars cannot be the only hitters who show up.
Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper will command attention. Trea Turner will have chances to set the table. Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh have had solid seasons. Bryson Stott, though, might be the player who determines whether the Phillies can turn those opportunities into enough runs to beat Atlanta.
Luis Arraez has been ruled out of the Wild Card series with his left-ankle injury. Stott is back at second base in the meantime.
Stott finished the regular season batting .256 with a .735 OPS, 10 home runs, 67 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. Those numbers will not make him the headline name in this series. His value is in how many ways he can affect a close game: reaching base, taking an extra base, and making a difficult play at second. Philadelphia may need all three against a Braves team that won 94 games.
Bryson Stott is finding his swing as the Phillies need it most
The Phillies’ offense struggled badly in September, ranking near the bottom of the majors in batting average, OPS and runs per game. Stott had his own slump during the month, but he finished differently. Over his final seven games, he went 9-for-23, drew six walks and posted a .517 on-base percentage. He's hitting .320 over his last 15 games as well.
Stott saved one of his best performances for the game Philadelphia had to win. He collected three hits against the Rays on Sunday, including an RBI double, and stole a base as the Phillies clinched. One strong game does not guarantee a productive playoff series, but it gives Philadelphia a timely reminder of what its second baseman can do when he is comfortable at the plate.
Stott does not need to hit a home run off Chris Sale in Game 1 to matter. A long at-bat against Atlanta’s ace could push up his pitch count. A walk or single could give the next hitter a chance with a runner in scoring position. In a three-game series, those smaller contributions can be the difference between making Sale work and allowing him to cruise.
Article Continues BelowThat challenge begins immediately. Sale posted a 2.16 ERA this season and a 2.08 ERA in four starts against the Phillies. He is capable of shutting down any lineup, especially one that has spent much of September searching for answers. If Stott can help create traffic against him, Philadelphia gives its bigger bats something to work with.
Stott’s glove carries extra weight in Atlanta
Stott's defense gives Philadelphia a dependable presence. That matters in a series likely to feature tight games.
A clean double play behind Philadelphia’s pitchers could stop an Atlanta rally before it grows. A ball Stott reaches in the gap might keep Ronald Acuña Jr. or Matt Olson from coming up with a runner already in scoring position. Those plays rarely get the same attention as a home run, but the Phillies cannot afford to give the Braves more chances.
Philadelphia has beaten Atlanta in each of their past three postseason meetings, including Division Series victories in 2022 and 2023. That history will add to the atmosphere at Truist Park, but it will not score any runs this week. The current Phillies must find a way to support their pitching and string together better at-bats than they managed for much of September.
Stott is positioned to help them do both. If he keeps reaching base, uses his speed, and makes the plays expected of him at second, Philadelphia has a better chance to send its stars to the plate with something on the line. If his late offensive surge fades and the Phillies continue to waste outs, their stay in October could be brief. That makes Stott an overlooked X-factor in a series where every opportunity will count.