Bryce Harper on Bryson Stott: “He’s an everyday guy, always has been”

Bryce Harper was asked about Bryson Stott’s recent hot streak and whether or not that his second baseman should be an everyday player.

Bryce Harper on Bryson Stott:

Bryce Harper insisted that Bryson Stott should be an everyday player when asked about Stott’s hot streak.

“He’s an everyday guy. He always has been, and when you take an everyday guy out of the lineup, it’s tough for them to kind of get it going each day.” pic.twitter.com/rCBZISPXYT

— Colin Newby (@ToNewbyginnings) May 6, 2026

“He’s an everyday guy. He always has been, and when you take an everyday guy out of the lineup, it’s tough for them to kind of get it going each day.” Stott backed it up from his end. “Obviously it’s something I want to do, but I mean, that’s not up to me as much as I would want it to be.”

Bryson Stott’s Numbers Need Context:

Bryce Harper isn’t wrong but the Bryson Stott numbers are worth looking into.

Stott is hitting .210 with a .621 OPS on the season. Those are not good numbers and I’m not going to pretend they are. Three home runs, 13 RBI, six stolen bases.

Over his last seven games he’s slashing .200/.231/.680 in 25 at-bats with three homers and nine RBI. Over the last 15 games, .216/.245/.510 in 51 at-bats and over the last 30 games, the slash line is .210/.259/.362.

Sorry but that’s ugly no matter how you slice it so here’s what matters.

Bryson Stott HR No. 3 in Last 4 Games:

VROOM VROOM pic.twitter.com/lPxch9b23z

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 6, 2026

Cristopher Sanchez dominates, Harper homers twice in Phillies 9-1 route of the Athletics >>

Against left-handed pitching this season, Bryson Stott is slashing .308/.471/.538 with a 1.009 OPS. Against righties, he’s at .196/.221/.337 with a .558 OPS. There’s a clear split there that shows he can hit when the matchup favors him.

The problem is that most of his at-bats come against right-handers and the production in those matchups has been rough which explains why the Phillies want to platoon him with a guy like Edmundo Sosa. Sosa is slashing .267/.313/.333 with a .646 OPS against lefties and .294/.294/.529 with a .823 OPS against righties. 

Bryson Stott on becoming an everyday player for the Phillies:

Bryson Stott on becoming an everyday player for the Phillies:

"Obviously it's something I want to do…but I mean, that's not up to me as much as I would want it to be."

(Via @MrUram) pic.twitter.com/fQKFTdSyZD

— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) May 6, 2026

Obviously, numbers will only bring an argument so far.

Stott also gets an unfair shake at times because the rest of this lineup has been so inconsistent. The Phillies tend to go cold together and go hot together as a unit. When the whole lineup is scuffling, Stott’s numbers look even worse because there’s no one around him providing any cover.

Right now the team is benefiting from a soft May schedule before things harden up in the second half of the month. The numbers across the board are going to look better during this stretch for everyone.

Stott Should Play Every Day Because of His Glove

The bat is inconsistent but the glove at second base is not. Stott is one of the best defensive second basemen in the National League. That kind of defense up the middle has value every single night regardless of what the batting average says.

You don’t bench a Gold Glove caliber defender because he’s hitting .210 in early May when the entire roster was hitting .218 as a team three weeks ago. You run him out there, let him find consistency at the plate, and trust that the talent is going to produce over 162 games.

There’s no reason he shouldn’t be playing every day. The Phillies aren’t being criminal by splitting his time but they’re also not maximizing what he gives them defensively when he sits.

The Real Platoon Should Be Bohm and Sosa at Third

If Mattingly wants to platoon someone, here’s the actual answer. Alec Bohm is hitting .161 with a .440 OPS this season. One home run and 15 RBI in 124 at-bats.

That is historically bad production from a third baseman on a team with championship aspirations. I’ve been patient with Bohm all season and at this point the numbers are impossible to defend. He hasn’t barreled a ball consistently all year. The hard-hit rate is down. The results at the plate have been a disaster from Opening Day.

Edmundo Sosa is hitting .277 with a .710 OPS in 47 at-bats. Those are small sample numbers but the production has been noticeably better than what Bohm is providing. Sosa has been solid defensively and has come through with timely hits throughout this stretch under Mattingly.

There’s your platoon.

Stott plays every day at second base. Bohm splits time with Sosa at third. That keeps the best defensive infield combinations on the field while giving Bohm the chance to work through his struggles without killing the lineup every night.

If Bohm figures it out and starts hitting again, great, he takes the job back full time. If he doesn’t, Sosa is right there producing at a level that at least keeps the lineup competitive.

The answer to the playing time question has been sitting right in front of everyone this entire time. Stott is an everyday player. The platoon belongs at third base. Harper said it. I’m saying it. Mattingly should listen.

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