Two strong games have made Edmundo Sosa a strong possibility as the Phillies’ backup center fielder

CLEARWATER, Fla. — There’s been a lot of talk in recent days about the Phillies’ apparent lack of a right-handed bat to pair with lefty Brandon Marsh in center field. But after a couple of encouraging performances in the treacherous Florida wind and sun over the last two games, Edmundo Sosa appears to have repositioned himself as a legitimate — if not likely — option to enter the season filling that role.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said on Monday afternoon that he was pleased enough with his utility man’s performance in the field that he would have no problem starting him in center field in the first week of the season if the need arises.

“If we don’t do it then, when are we going to do it?,” Thomson said. “It’s not like we’re playing spring training games anymore. (Outfield coach) Paco (Figueroa) has been telling us that he’s getting better every day and we’ve seen it in the last two days. He’s really gotten off the ball well. If we come across a tough lefty and we need to give Marshy a day off, I’d feel confident in him.”

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That’s a significant vote of confidence, given the implications. With nine days to go before opening day, the Phillies are still trying to figure out the identity of their final two bench players. Sosa and fellow veteran Josh Harrison are two locks for the roster, both of them right-handed. Problem is, neither has played much center field as professionals, and Sosa’s early attempts at the position this spring have not inspired a ton of confidence. That’s led to plenty of debate about whether the Phillies will need to keep a third right-handed hitter capable of playing center field, presumably from a group of candidates that includes Scott Kingery, Dalton Guthrie and Kody Clemens.

If the Phillies feel confident that Sosa can handle nine innings of center field, that would obviously eliminate the need to keep one of those players and would enable them to instead keep both Darick Hall and Jake Cave, who have both shown the ability to hit for significant power from the left side of the plate against regular season major league pitching.

It’s worth noting that Thomson’s comments about Sosa came on a day when Cave and Hall both had a pair of RBIs in the Phillies’ 14-6 win over the Orioles. Cave, who tripled, is 16-for-37 with eight extra base hits on the spring. Hall, meanwhile, has five home runs and a 1.046 OPS in 42 at-bats.

That’s not to say that the Phillies have made up their minds. Only two days ago, team president Dave Dombrowski suggested that talks about the exact composition of the bench are still very much live and fluid. Every time he asks someone to name their ideal five, Dombrowski said, “I get a different combination of names.”

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That said, keeping both Cave and Hall would enable the Phillies to have a left-handed pinch-hitter available when starting a lefty DH against righties. It would also give them the option of giving left fielder Kyle Schwarber an occasional day off in the field (Cave can play all three outfield positions — he just isn’t an ideal backup for Marsh because both hit left-handed).

Thomson’s thinking makes perfect sense. He’s long made it known that he would like to find ways to get Sosa on the field. Immediately after the season, he said he would be comfortable if the veteran utilityman entered 2023 as their starting shortstop, a thought that was later rendered moot with the signing of Trea Turner. After the Phillies traded right-handed center fielder Matt Vierling to the Tigers, the manager hatched the idea of getting Sosa some reps at that position.

“He’s getting better every day,” Thomson said. “He’s getting good jumps. Even the ball that went off the wall, he ran right to the spot. It looks like he’ll be able to do it.”

After an active day against the Orioles, Sosa said that he is feeling increasingly comfortable with his defense in center field.

“When I compare myself to my old self at the beginning of camp, I see progress,” Sosa, who posted a .937 OPS in 57 plate appearances down the stretch last season after a low-cost trade with the Cardinals. “I’m getting good results. .... I want to be ready for whenever Thoms needs me to play center field. I think I’m taking better routes other there. I think I’m reading the bat better. All those fly balls, I’m getting under them. I feel way more comfortable now.”

And the Phillies seem to be feeling the same way about their looming decision about the bench.

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