Phillies Bench All-Star Alec Bohm amid Struggles; Edmundo Sosa Starts Game 2 vs. Mets

In a fairly surprising move, Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson made the decision to bench All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm for Sunday's pivotal Game 2 matchup against the New York Mets in the NLDS.

Thomson told reporters he was looking to inject some energy in the lineup so he was opting for Edmundo Sosa at third base. He'll hit seventh in the lineup.

"He's scuffling a little bit," Thomson added. "It's not like there aren't other guys scuffling in the lineup. But I just wanted to get some energy in the lineup. And I think Sosa is kind of our energy guy. Run around and do some things. Maybe create some things."

Bohm, 28, hit .280 with 15 homers, 97 RBI, 62 runs, 44 doubles and a .779 OPS this season, spending much of the year as the clean-up hitter and Bryce Harper's protection in the lineup. But a hand injury suffered late in the season cost him 14 games in September, and for the month he hit just .170 with two homers, eight RBI and a .502 OPS across 47 at-bats.

He was one of many Phillies to struggle in Saturday's Game 1, going 0-for-4 in the 6-2 loss that spoiled Zack Wheeler's spectacular performance (seven innings, no runs, one hit, nine strikeouts).

"He is frustrated and I get it, but you've got to keep playing," Thomson noted of his All-Star third baseman. "I texted Bohm last night and brought him in and talked to him today. Just told him to be ready to pinch-hit. I just wanted to get that energy into the lineup. He's actually a really good pinch-hitter. He wants to play, no doubt. But he's a pro."

The 28-year-old Sosa, meanwhile, is an excellent fielder and utility man for the Phillies but isn't exactly renowned for his bat, hitting .253 with seven homers, 31 RBI and a .734 OPS in 90 games this season.

The Phillies need some sort of boost after the lineup was largely befuddled by a bullpen game from the Mets, regularly chasing bad pitches out of the zone. Outside of a Kyle Schwarber homer in the first inning and a meaningless run in the ninth, the Phillies looked lost at the plate in Game 1.

"We need to eliminate some of that chase we saw yesterday, that's for sure," Thomson told reporters. "I hope it is in their heads. You've got to adjust. They get it, they understand it."