The Philadelphia Phillies are welcoming a major piece of their lineup back as they continue their important series against the Atlanta Braves.
After being a late scratch in the series opener, Bryson Stott is back in the starting lineup for the Phillies. The infielder is set to hit eighth in the order while taking over at third base as Philadelphia looks to respond after a tough loss.
Stott’s absence in the opener was not injury-related. Interim manager Don Mattingly revealed that the Phillies infielder stepped away from the lineup because of a personal matter — his wife, Dru, was preparing to give birth to the couple’s third child, a daughter.
Stott later shared the exciting family news on social media, celebrating the arrival of his new daughter before returning his focus to the team’s postseason push.
The Phillies will certainly welcome his return as they look for more consistency from their offense. Stott has put together one of his strongest seasons in Philadelphia, entering the matchup with a .255/.331/.403 slash line along with 10 home runs. His 100 wRC+ indicates he has been a league-average hitter overall, but his ability to handle left-handed pitching has been especially valuable.
Against southpaws this season, Stott has produced a .276/.353/.419 slash line with a 111 wRC+, showing that he can provide quality at-bats regardless of the matchup. His return also keeps him on pace for his highest plate appearance total since 2023.
With Stott back in action, outfielder Bryan De La Cruz moves to the bench for the second game of the series against Atlanta.
Philadelphia enters the contest with a 79-62 record and finds itself five games behind the Braves in the National League East race. After dropping the opening game of the series, the Phillies have little room for error as they battle for both the division title and playoff positioning.
The loss also pushed Philadelphia behind the Chicago Cubs in the race for the NL’s No. 4 seed, with Chicago holding the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning six of seven meetings earlier in the season.
A victory is crucial for the Phillies, as securing either the division crown or the No. 4 seed would allow them to host a Wild Card Series at Citizens Bank Park.
Philadelphia will turn to ace Zack Wheeler to help stabilize the situation. The veteran right-hander has consistently carried the Phillies during his time with the club and will be counted on to slow down a Braves lineup that has created problems for the team.
Atlanta will counter with left-hander Martin Perez as the Braves look to strengthen their advantage over their NL East rivals. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park.
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