Philadelphia Phillies Boss Explains What He Wants From Bryson Stott

Dave Dombrowski explained what he and the Philadelphia Phillies want from Bryson Stott this season and going forward.

Aug 26, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second base Bryson Stott (5) reacts after striking out during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Can the Philadelphia Phillies win how currently constructed?

That's the question this fan base is wondering after two straight years of frustrating eliminations in the playoffs against teams with less overall talent.

This star-studded lineup has come up small when the team needed them most, and with a quiet offseason so far that is expected to remain that way through the first half of the campaign, the core group of players is going to be relied upon again to bring home the World Series trophy.

It can happen.

The Phillies made their magical run to the Fall Classic in 2022 with a worse roster on paper.

But for them to get out of a loaded National League, Philadelphia will need their role players to step up and take the next steps in their careers.

Bryson Stott is the one many have circled inside and outside the organization.

After being a breakout star in 2023 where it looked like he could become one of the best second basemen in Major League Baseball, he took a huge step back this past campaign which is cause for concern about what his true ceiling might be.

It seems there was a reason for that, though.

Dave Dombrowski revealed Stott was playing with an elbow issue that hindered him for much of the season, and the hope is this winter allowed his body to recover while he worked on things that can help him reach the next level.

What exactly do the Phillies want from their rising star?

Dombrowski laid it out.

"Bryson Stott should be an on-base type of guy. We're not looking [for him] to hit 20 home runs. He's a guy that can work the count, he has a good eye. We want to make sure he really settles into that. That's the type of guy we want to be," he said per Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Stott approached the 20-homer mark in 2023 when he hit 15.

Last year, he had 11.

There was difference of 69 plate appearances across the two campaigns, partly due to his struggles against left-handed pitching that caused Rob Thomson to put some more righty hitters into the lineup.

While Philadelphia isn't expecting Stott to hit 20 or more home runs in a season, that could naturally come if he continues to be disciplined at the plate and gets more experience against Major League pitching.

But, it's clear the Phillies are expecting him to be the on-base weapon in their lineup who "passes the baton" as they like to say to keep pressure on opposing pitchers and gets their superstar hitters to the plate more often.

That largely wasn't who Stott was in 2024.

Whether he can be that guy this season will be seen.