The Phillies played the first 11 games of the season with both Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner leading off. Although both players were doing a fine job in the leadoff spot, it still felt like something was missing. In walks Bryson Stott, your new leadoff hitter. On paper Stott is the prototype you want for a leadoff hitter. He makes contact, can work the count, and is a threat with his legs once he is on base. Kyle Schwarber had great success the past couple seasons as a leadoff guy, but it may be more important to have him protecting Bryce, which means the top spot in the lineup is open.
Stott has been the leadoff hitter for the Phillies since April 11th. There have only been two games where Stott did not hit leadoff in that stretch, hitting 7th both times. To see the impact in the top spot, let’s take a look at the numbers from Stott’s first 11 games of the season vs. his first 11 games as a leadoff hitter.
First 11 Games of Season: March 27th – April 10th
| Average | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | Triple | Double | Single | RBIS | Runs Scored |
| .282 | .364 | .417 | .750 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 5 |
First 11 Games as a Leadoff Hitter: April 11th – April 23rd
| Average | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | Triple | Double | Single | RBIS | Runs Scored |
| .298 | .362 | .440 | .802 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Stott got off to a solid start, hitting .282 with a .364 on base percentage. Being at the bottom of the order allowed Stott to hit with guys on base and this showed with his 5 RBIs. Once he was on base you would expect the top of the order to drive him in, but he only scored five runs in the beginning stretch of the year. Even though Bryson was hitting solid in the 8 hole, the lineup needed a spark. On Friday April 11th, Rob Thomson made a change, moving Bryson Stott from the bottom of the lineup to the top.
He didn’t get off to a great start hitting leadoff, going 0-4 in his first game. Then his numbers started to improve. Most major hitting categories rose for Stott as a leadoff hitter. Most notably his average jumped from .282 to .292. Stott was also able to improve his power numbers by keeping consistent in home runs and doubles while adding a triple. The second baseman also had eight RBIS and seven runs scored – both going up from his first eleven games.
It is fair to say that Stott’s individual numbers improved in his initial move to the leadoff spot, but this increase in production didn’t immediately lead to wins. The Phillies started the season 7-4. With Stott hitting leadoff they went 5-6 over the next 11 games. The increase in production didn’t directly lead to wins, but you could feel the impact he had on the lineup. They were more dangerous at the top with Stott getting on base and the big boys behind him. Plus he was able to knock in runners when the lineup turned over. This production carried over into the next set of games, and this time it started to impact winning. Now let’s take a look at Stott’s overall production in the leadoff spot.
All Games Since Moving to Leadoff:: April 11th – May 7th
| Average | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | Triple | Double | Single | RBIS | Runs Scored |
| .267 | .337 | .367 | .703 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 14 |
Stott has played in 33 games so far this season. 22 have been with him in the leadoff role. If you compare the start of the season to the 22 games as a leadoff hitter, we see his hitting numbers take a hit. This is expected as more games are played, his numbers will even out. With Stott hitting .267 since leading off, the Phillies have had a 13-9 record. Which means after the initial games, the Phillies went 8-3 in the next 11 with Stott leading off.
This is where we see the impact Thomson made with the lineup change. It gave Stott a much needed boost. He began hitting with more power and production. It took some time for the move to help the win column, but now that it has, will the Phillies slow down? Kyle Schwarber has been a menace in the leadoff spot the past two seasons. With his success as the clean-up hitter this season, Stott is likely to keep the role. Thompson will occasionally move him down with a lefty as a starter, but Bryson has implemented himself as the Phillies leadoff hitter. Hopefully the trend over the last 22 games continues and the Phillies keep winning more and more games with a new number 5 as the leadoff guy.
Photo Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images
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