Valuable Phillies utility man Edmundo Sosa entering walk year: ‘We’re very happy in Philly’
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Few Phillies this offseason had as much fun as Edmundo Sosa.
He and Cristopher Sánchez flew to Northern Italy in early November for Jesús Luzardo’s wedding along Lake Como, then embarked on a multi-week European vacation with stops in Santorini, Greece and Paris, France. The highlight for Sosa? Seeing an Atlético Madrid match.
“It was my first time watching a professional football match,” Sosa said through a team interpreter. “That’s the sport that I watch the most and I love the most to watch.”
Before reporting to Clearwater for his fourth spring training with the Phillies, Sosa had one more stop to make. His mother Nilka turned 60 last Saturday, so he and a very good friend, new Phillies outfielder Adolis García, and their families flew to Panama a day before to throw a party.
“It’s more than a friendship for us,” Sosa said about García. “It’s more like we’re brothers.” The pair last played together in 2019 for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, but remained close friends. They trained together in Tampa during the offseason and went on a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando with their families shortly before Gárcia signed with the Phillies.
“I think it’s going to be a special year for us,” Sosa said. “We’re together again.”
García and Sosa also teamed up to donate baseball equipment to Juan Diaz Caimanes in Panama City, the Little League program that helped him develop into a big leaguer. Those Little Leaguers will get to see him represent Panama in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Sosa will travel to Puerto Rico, another place he is visiting for the first time, to compete in the tournament.
Sosa, since he was acquired from the Cardinals before the 2022 trade deadline, has excelled in what many around the game believe is a tough role. He is the Phillies’ 10th man. He will start nearly every day when there is an injury in the infield. He was Bryson Stott’s platoon partner at shortstop during the 2022 postseason. The two are now a second base platoon. When Sosa is hot at the plate, manager Rob Thomson does everything he possibly can to get him in the lineup.
Not every player in the league can accept — let alone thrive — in Sosa’s role. The Phillies, after dealing with multiple public grievances from veteran players about playing time over the last two seasons, love Sosa for his positive outlook.
He has played well on both sides of the ball. In three-and-a-half seasons in Philadelphia, Sosa has a .755 OPS and 30 home runs. He’s got pop, but his production comes in streaks. He’s one of the Phillies’ best right-handed bats against left-handed pitching. His most valuable trait is his defense at multiple infield positions. He played exactly 33 games at second base and 33 games at third base in 2025. His best position is arguably shortstop. He has accumulated 6.7 FanGraphs wins above replacement since 2022. Much of that can be attributed to his valuable glove.
But 2026 is Sosa’s last season of team control. He will be a free agent at the end of the year, along with Alec Bohm, Taijuan Walker and Luzardo. Sosa has not accumulated more than 300 plate appearances in a season with the Phillies. He is an excellent defender at shortstop and has improved at third and second base over the years. The Phillies in the past have experimented with playing Sosa in the outfield, but the team views him more as a utility infielder.
He can probably find a more desirable role with another team on the open market. The Phillies, according to Sosa, have not reached out to him about a possible extension, but says he has loved his time in Philadelphia.
Bench players are interchangeable, but not Sosa.
“I’m happy here,” Sosa said. “I have my contract for this season, so I will do everything that I can to make it worth it. You know, I’ve got a job to do. I’ve got a lot of things to do here. … I’ll do everything I can to prepare myself in the best way possible. We’ll see how it goes.”
Sosa will likely begin the year in the utility role he has been accustomed. A path to regular playing time may be more difficult, with top prospect Aidan Miller potentially debuting at some point this year. The Phillies are having him work at third base and shortstop. A Stott, Bohm or Trea Turner injured list stint could lead to Miller getting major league at-bats that were once designated for Sosa.
Regardless, the Phillies, at least for one more year, can count on Sosa when called upon.
“I think it’s been pretty special for me personally, spending these past few years with Philly,” Sosa said. “I learned a lot and it’s obviously been an important part of my career. My family and I, we’re very happy in Philly.”