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Phillies shift gears again, keep Alec Bohm at first base against a right-hander

Rob Thomson says the decision to stick with Bohm has more to do with keeping Edmundo Sosa in the lineup at third base.

Alec Bohm played first base for the Phillies again Sunday, this time against a right-handed pitcher.
Alec Bohm played first base for the Phillies again Sunday, this time against a right-handed pitcher.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Nine games into the season, the Phillies are on Plan D at first base.

This time, though, the change is by choice, not out of necessity.

Rather than using Kody Clemens against a right-handed pitcher, as manager Rob Thomson had intended after backup-turned-starter Darick Hall tore a ligament in his thumb, the Phillies shifted gears again and kept Alec Bohm at first base Sunday against the Reds.

» READ MORE: What do the Phillies do at first base now that Darick Hall is out?

Thomson explained that the decision to stick with Bohm had more to do with keeping Edmundo Sosa in the lineup at third base. Sosa began the day 5-for-14 (.357) with a home run before punching an RBI single through the left side in the second inning of a 6-4 loss.

“Sosa’s hot swinging the bat,” Thomson said before the game. “He’s really a talented guy, and his offense is improving. He’s not chasing as much. He’s staying on breaking balls. He’s stronger than he was last year.”

Two years ago, even for much of last season, the Phillies wouldn’t have given much thought to moving Bohm between positions. He worked hard to become a passable third baseman. Some within the organization may have worried that exposing him to another position would cause too much disruption.

But the Phillies’ confidence in Bohm’s skills and maturity has grown to the point that they believe he can handle a change.

“I don’t care,” Bohm said. “We’re trying to put the best team on the field every day.”

The Phillies’ first base plan has been evolving since Rhys Hoskins was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Hall injured his thumb last Wednesday in New York and will have surgery this week. He’s expected to miss two months.

» READ MORE: Phillies celebrate their 2022 National League championship with ring ceremony

Clemens got called up Friday from triple-A Lehigh Valley, and Thomson said the left-handed hitter would receive the majority of the playing time. Asked if Bohm was an option, Thomson said, “He’s our third baseman,” while allowing that he could play first against tough lefties.

As expected, Bohm shifted over to first base, with Sosa at third Saturday against Reds lefty Nick Lodolo. But after staying with that alignment in the series finale against right-hander Connor Overton, Thomson indicated that he may stick with it for a while.

“It doesn’t mean [Sosa’s] going to play every, every day,” Thomson said, “but we’re going to see what he’s going to do against right-handed pitching.”

Bohm played third base in college at Wichita State, through the minor leagues, and for the majority of the last three seasons in the majors. He has made 17 career starts at first.

There are nuances to first base, such as positioning on cutoffs and bunt plays, that Bohm will need to practice. He’ll also have to adjust to different angles on the opposite side of the field. But he said he may benefit from the experience of playing on the right side in a shifted defensive alignment over the last few seasons.

“I should be locked in every day, right?” Bohm said. “Playing all over the place, it’s not necessarily easy. But at the same time, it’s a really similar position as far as ground balls and hops I’m getting. For me, it’s just getting used to seeing the game from the other side of the field. That’s really the only adjustment, I think. Just being on the other side.”

“Everybody thinks that first base is easy to play. Well, it’s not,” Thomson said. “That bunt [Saturday]. Where does everybody go? You’ve got to learn that stuff. And he’ll get it.”

» READ MORE: Phillies need to find a way to make do until Bryce Harper and the cavalry arrive

Extra bases

Left-hander Ranger Suárez (elbow) was among several players who returned to Citizens Bank Park to receive a National League championship ring. Suárez will throw another bullpen session Tuesday. ... Right-hander Nick Nelson (hamstring strain) is slated to throw a simulated game Monday, while lefty Cristopher Sánchez (triceps) will begin a minor-league assignment Wednesday at triple A. ... Thomson said left-hander Matt Strahm (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will throw 80-85 pitches Monday night against the Marlins after throwing 61 in his first start of the season last week in New York. Strahm will be opposed by reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara (1-0, 1.84) for Miami.