Phillies acquire middle infielder Sosa from Cardinals ahead of deadline
Jeff Curry/USA TODAY
It’s nearly impossible to predict every move at the trade deadline, but of all things, this is not on my trade deadline bingo card.
About five hours prior to the first pitch of Saturday night’s game, the Phillies announced they were receiving middle infielder Edmundo Sosa from the Cardinals in exchange for left-handed reliever JoJo Romero.
Sosa’s .189 average isn’t going to get him inserted into the lineup, but he is a good option as a defensive replacement or a pinch runner. He could make an occasional spot start against a left-handed pitcher, but that should be it, especially when Jean Segura returns.
In 2021, Sosa had a much better season, as he posted a .271 average and a .735 OPS in 288 at-bats. His playing time in 2022 has been inconsistent, which could partially explain his offensive drop-off. But if he expects to see more consistent time in Philadelphia, he is mistaken. The Phillies have an abundance of middle infield depth on their 40-man roster, and if Sosa had triple-A options left, he might not even make the roster.
Romero, a left-handed reliever coming off Tommy John surgery, allowed three runs in two innings during his short stint in the big leagues.
In the most likely of scenarios, this trade means nothing. The Cardinals have been looking to deal Sosa for the past two days, and the Phillies’ front office could have seen his 2021 numbers and decided to take a chance.
As the Phillies are looking to add a starting pitcher ahead of the deadline, this could be a prerequisite move to acquiring a big name before the clock strikes six on Tuesday. But chances are, this is just Dave Dombrowski taking a low-risk gamble.
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