Rob Thomson makes panic-driven lineup change after Game 1 loss to Mets

With a trip to the National League Champion Series at stake (NLCS), Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson is pulling out all the stops. However, his latest lineup change feels desperate after dropping Game 1 to the New York Mets.

Thomson has elected to replace All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm with Edmundo Sosa for Game 2. In light of the stunning swap, the latter will man the hot corner and bat eighth for the Phillies.

Speaking with reporters before the contest, Thomson got asked about the decision to bench Bohm. The Philadelphia skipper cited the injection of "energy" Sosa provides the club. Still, it's a puzzling and ostensibly drastic choice, especially considering they only face an 0-1 series deficit.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

Rob Thomson makes panic-driven decision to bench 3B Alec Bohm after Game 1 loss to Mets

This marks the first time Bohm's been demoted to a reserve role in the postseason. While he's undoubtedly struggled lately, particularly from the plate, his track record and role within the Phillies offense speaks for itself. Thomson is abandoning ship on one of his most dependable hitters at a crucial time, which has the potential to prove costly.

Bohm went 0-for-4 in Philly's 6-2 home loss to the Mets. He ended the 2024 campaign with two hits over his last 27 at-bats, so this demotion isn't entirely out of the blue. Nonetheless, the 27-year-old has been a key contributor in the Phillies' past two October runs.

Sosa batted .257/.313/.422 with seven home runs, 31 RBIs and seven stolen bases across 274 regular-season plate appearances. While he primarily functions as a backup shortstop for the Phillies, his versatility allows him to play multiple infield positions.

Kudos to Thomson for having the guts to make such a significant adjustment. Despite Bohm being a big reason for Philadelphia's success until now, his willingness to adapt on the fly is commendable. Whether that strategy pays off remains to be seen, but we respect the active attempt(s) to improve.