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Bryson Stott is Phillies' quiet superstar
There's a player in the Philadelphia Phillies' lineup who leads the team with a .294 batting average, 150 hits and 27 stolen bases.
Bryce Harper? The obvious first choice, but it's not him.
Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos are each experiencing resurgent seasons, but they don't meet the criteria either.
Kyle Schwarber? Please.
No, the Phillie in question is 25-year-old second baseman Bryson Stott, the former first-round draft pick playing in his second major-league season.
Bryson Stott has one of the highest ceilings I’ve ever seen in a young Phillies player
— Philly Sports Sufferer (@mccrystal_alex) August 28, 2023
The way his career projects he’s going to win a batting title and be a multi-time all-star and could be a Phillies franchise LEGEND by the time it’s all said and done. pic.twitter.com/HE9XKvFYZP
Last year, Stott's batting average was just .234, and his on-base percentage didn't even clear .300 (.295). This season, with better discipline at the plate, he's bumped his numbers up to a .294 average and .338 OBP. Over 131 games this year, he has 50 more hits, 10 more doubles and 15 more stolen bases than he tallied in 127 games last season.
Stott started the 2023 campaign on a tear, batting .422 with 19 hits over his first 11 games. He was rewarded by becoming the Phillies' leadoff hitter, temporarily replacing the struggling Kyle Schwarber. The arrangement didn't quite work out for either player, as Stott's average dipped to .284 by June 1. In his 77 games since retaking his spot in the middle of the lineup, Stott is batting .301 with 86 hits.
Given these numbers, some may wonder why Phillies manager Rob Thomson has Stott batting fifth in most games, and as low as seventh last Sunday and Monday. It may be due to the fact that he doesn't draw many walks. Stott's 33 bases on balls are tied for sixth on the team. For comparison, center fielder Brandon Marsh has walked 50 times this season. It's one of the only offensive categories in which he's better than Stott, and as a result, Marsh's on-base percentage is .383. If Stott can further tweak his approach at the plate to boost his OBP, his upside is even greater.
Stott and 26-year-old third baseman Alec Bohm are often referred to as the Phillies' "day care" compared to the veterans on the team. It's an endearing nickname, but one that may not last for long. Harper, Turner and Schwarber are all 30 years old. Castellanos is 31 and catcher J.T. Realmuto is 32. It's possible that their numbers could tail off while Stott and Bohm are still in their 20s. Graduation day could be coming soon for day care.
BRYSON
— Life of a Philly Fan (@PhillyFanLife) July 26, 2023
ALEC
THE PHILLIES DAY CARE COMES UP CLUTCH!!! pic.twitter.com/1IckHCuRqQ
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TODAY'S BEST
Milwaukee Brewers: Player Leaves Game With Concerning Head Injury Amid Crew’s Tuesday Win vs. Pirates
The Milwaukee Brewers came out on top once again on Tuesday, sending yet another strong statement to the rest of the big leagues in the form of a 14-0 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field in Milwaukee. The Brewers have now won 11 straight games, while improving to 75-44 overall. As for the Pirates, they have lost their fourth consecutive contest while dropping to 51-70. Making the night even worse for the Pirates was the apparent head injury suffered by outfielder Oneil Cruz. He collided with teammate Jack Suwinski in the fourth inning as both players tried to make a defensive play. Cruz stayed in the game for a bit but was removed in the sixth inning for pinch-hitter and veteran Tommy Pham. The Pirates have yet to disclose the exact nature of Cruz’s injury, so it’s possible that he could be ruled out for the series finale this Wednesday. So far in the 2025 MLB regular season, the 26-year-old Dominican is leading the Pirates with 18 home runs to go with 51 RBIs, but is also hitting just .207/.304 /398. Milwaukee Brewers aiming for a Pirates sweep All eyes will once again be on the Brewers this Wednesday, as they have a chance to stretch their win streak to a dozen games and add more to their lead atop the National League Central standings. After Paul Skenes failed to deliver on the mound for the Pirates on Tuesday, Pittsburgh will have Mitch Keller toeing the rubber. Keller was solid in his previous start versus the Brewers, pitching six innings of one-run ball while striking out seven hitters in a 2-1 victory at home back in May. As for Milwaukee, it will give the ball to Brandon Woodruff, who is 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA in three starts at home, thus far this season.
Vikings WR gets brutal injury news for second straight season
A Minnesota Vikings wide receiver's season is already over. The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday that wide receiver Rondale Moore is being placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a leg injury that he suffered in the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans this past weekend. It is a devastating blow for Moore who is now being sidelined for an entire season, before it even begins, for the second year in a row. Moore signed a one-year, $2 million contract in free agency with the Vikings this offseason in the hopes he could return from a different injury that cost him the entirety of the 2024 season. Moore was a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 after being acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for backup quarterback Desmond Ridder. This is now two different teams that Moore has been a part of but will never play a game for them due to injuries. Moore was injured while returning a punt. He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, catching 135 passes for 1,201 yards over three seasons before being traded. He was never going to be counted on to be a key contributor for the Vikings offense this season, especially given the superstars they already have at wide receiver in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he still had a chance to be an interesting depth player. Now it is fair to wonder what the rest of his career might even look like. Missing two full seasons due to two different leg injuries is going to be a brutal thing to try to come back from. Missing two seasons for any reason is difficult, but when you add the leg injuries to the equation, it makes the obstacle even steeper.
Oklahoma QB denies sports gambling allegations after suspicious screenshots emerge
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer has faced questions about some alleged screenshots from his Venmo account, and the school is reportedly investigating the situation. Screenshots and videos that were widely circulated on social media Monday claimed to show multiple Venmo transactions linked to Mateer that contained the phrase “sports gambling.” The two main transactions in question were on Nov. 20, 2022, which was when Mateer was a freshman at Washington State. The alleged transactions that referenced “sports gambling” were between Mateer and a Venmo account for Richard Roaten, who is believed to be one of Mateer’s former Washington State teammates. While some have questioned whether the screenshots could have been altered, there were also videos that appeared to show people actively scrolling through the account that is believed to belong to Mateer. According to a Tuesday report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Mateer has denied to Oklahoma officials that he has ever been involved with gambling. The school is still planning to investigate further, however. Mateer issued a statement on his X account denying being involved in sports gambling, explaining that the descriptions seen on his Venmo account are "inside jokes" with his friends. "The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false," Mateer wrote. "My previous Venmo descriptions did not accurately portray the transactions in question but were instead inside jokes between me and my friends. "I have never bet on sports. I understand the seriousness of the matter but recognize that, taken out of context, those Venmo descriptions suggest otherwise. I can assure my teammates, coaches, and officials at the NCAA that I have not engaged in any sports gambling." Oklahoma also issued a statement saying it has “no reason to believe” there is going to be an NCAA investigation. Rules prohibit student athletes or team staff from betting on any sports that have NCAA championships. One of the alleged screenshots connected to Mateer had a reference to “UCLA vs. USC” in addition to “sports gambling.” Penalties for an athlete who has been found to have gambled on prohibited sports can include a loss of eligibility. Mateer had his first full season as a starter last year at Washington State. He completed 64.6% of his passes for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also rushed for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns. Mateer entered the transfer portal after last season as one of the top players available, and he had a disrespectful gesture when announcing his commitment to the Sooners.
Packers' injury issues go well beyond just QB Jordan Love
The big injury news for the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday involved starting quarterback Jordan Love. That is not their only concern. While Love is expected to be sidelined for at least the next week, the Packers are also dealing with a growing list of injuries at wide receiver, and that list added another name on Tuesday. Wide receiver Romeo Doubs left Tuesday's practice after getting tangled up with a defensive back on a deep pass attempt. While he said he should be okay, it is still a big concern because the Packers are already dealing with injuries to fellow wide receivers Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. Watson's injury is, at the moment, the most significant of them as he is likely to begin the regular season on the physically unable to perform list. Overall, that is pretty much every one of the Packers' top returning wide receivers on the injured list. The problem is that by missing extended training camp and preseason time, especially when Love is also sidelined, they are missing a lot of key practice reps and preseason work that could be getting them ready for the season, especially when so many of the wide receivers are relatively unproven and still pretty inexperienced NFL players. Given how tough the NFC North is expected to be, the Packers cannot afford to get off to a slow start. Not only are they going to be dealing with an offensive lineup that may not be 100% healthy at the most important positions, they also open the season with two NFC opponents in the first five days of the campaign, with games against the Detroit Lions (Sept. 7) and Washington Commanders (Sept. 11). That is a grueling start to the season under normal conditions. But when you add in the short week, as well as the injury situation, it is clear this is going to be a massive test for the Packers early on.
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