The Philadelphia Phillies have added another name to their injury list, placing Edmundo Sosa on the 10-day IL (retroactive to September 13) with a right groin strain. To fill his roster spot, the team called up Rafael Lantigua from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In a corresponding move, Brewer Hicklen was designated for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster. This marks the third infielder the Phillies have lost in just over a week, after Trea Turner and Alec Bohm were also placed on the IL. Hicklen, acquired at the trade deadline to boost outfield depth, never made a big-league appearance for Philadelphia — the same situation pitcher Matt Manning recently found himself in before being designated.
Phillies Have Another Infielder On Injured List
Rafael Lantigua is set to finally make his big-league debut at age 27. In Triple-A this year, he’s posted a .232 batting average with a .359 on-base percentage and a .333 slugging percentage, adding seven homers, 56 RBIs, and 17 steals over 124 games. His numbers also show a solid eye at the plate with a 1.10 walk-to-strikeout ratio, though his production has been a bit below league average with a 92 wRC+ and a .261 BABIP.
Defensively, Lantigua has been all over the diamond for Lehigh Valley, logging time at second, third, shortstop, and even left field. Most of his action has come at second base, where he’s made 78 appearances, while he’s played shortstop just six times this season. Given the Phillies’ thin infield depth right now, especially up the middle, any playing time he gets will likely come at one of those infield spots.
The Effect Of This Injury On Shortstop Depth
The Phillies’ shortstop situation is being stretched more than ever. With Trea Turner sidelined, Bryson Stott has taken on most of the work at the position, while Edmundo Sosa filled in when Stott wasn’t in the lineup. Now that Sosa is also hurt, the team is left with Stott, Rafael Lantigua, and Donovan Walton as their main shortstop options. Weston Wilson and Otto Kemp could step in if necessary.
The next big question is what happens when Alec Bohm returns, which the Philadelphia Inquirer reports could be later this week. Bohm has never played shortstop in the majors, so the Phillies may look for another way to adjust. One possibility could be optioning catcher Garrett Stubbs to Triple-A to keep extra shortstop coverage on the roster for the time being.
Other Options At The Position
One interesting wrinkle is that the Phillies chose not to bring up Rodolfo Castro, even though he has plenty of big-league experience at shortstop. Both Castro and Donovan Walton are out of minor league options, so that likely wasn’t the deciding factor. Lantigua is assumed to still have options left, though that hasn’t been confirmed through FanGraphs.
Unlike Lantigua, both Walton and Castro have already played in the majors. Castro has put together a .234/.320/.422 line in 127 minor league games this year, adding 19 home runs, 81 RBIs, and 18 steals. His numbers come with a 94 wRC+, a .267 BABIP, and a 0.44 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Defensively, he’s spent most of the season at shortstop, logging 108 appearances at the position in Triple-A.