With clean slate, Bryson Stott wants to get back to 2023 version of himself for Phillies in playoffs
The 2024 regular season is one Bryson Stott may want to forget, at least individually.
One season after a breakout year at the plate, Stott didn't come close to his 2023 production levels. Stott hit just .245 with a .671 OPS, belting 11 home runs and driving in 57 runs.
This was a significantly different player than the one who ended last season. That version of Stott hit .280 with a .747 OPS,15 home runs and 62 RBIs, a version Stott would like to return to with the postseason set to begin Saturday.
"There were a lot of things that I liked and others that I obviously didn't," Stott said this week as he reflected on his season. "Everyone starts at zero now. Good or bad, you gotta put your season behind you. We won a ton of games as a team, and this is an ultimate team game."
Stott cut his strikeouts from 100 to 93 and upped his walks from 39 to 53, but the batting average and OPS took a significant hit. He hit just .229 with a .589 OPS with runners in scoring position, significantly impacting the Phillies' offense.
Will Stott become the hitter he once was during the postseason? Over the last month, Stott hit .253 with a .624 OPS, hitting one home run with nine RBIs. The past week was encouraging, as Stott hit .333 in four games with a .733 OPS.
It was a small sample size, but Stott may be starting to turn a corner.
"He swung the bat pretty well today. Hit a couple balls hard," said Phillies manager Rob Thompson, referring to Stott's performance in the intrasquad game. "He didn't have anything to show for it. But he hit two balls on the nose, but he looks fine. As long as he's chewing up on the nose and hitting pitches and having that balance of aggressiveness vs. patience.
"That's a big thing for him. Being able to use the field and low line drives to left and when he does get a chance to tune on the ball and hit high on line to right. When he does that, he's a really good hitter."
Perhaps Stott is back to getting to that 2023 level. The Phillies will have to decide on Stott against left-handed pitching, as he's hitting .233 with a .585 OPS in 112 at-bats against lefties. Edmundo Sosa may get the nod there.
The postseason is a clean slate for Stott, which is what he needed.
"You don't care if you're 0 for 5 or 5 for 5," Stott said. "As long as you win the game. I'm looking forward to that."
