Stay or Go: Should the Phillies bring back Bryson Stott?
Here’s Part 10 of Phillies Nation’s Stay or Go series.
2025 was a whirlwind for Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott. He was the team’s primary leadoff hitter for a decent stretch in the first half. He was hot over the first few weeks, then struggled for months before finding his swing in late July after the birth of his second child. Over the final two months of the regular season, Stott batted .310 with an .880 OPS.
Did Stott have a good season? It’s an interesting question. He was once again a stellar player defensively at second base. He stole 24 bases. His defense, speed and baseball acumen makes him a well above replacement-level player.
Stott is under team control through the 2027 season. The Phillies like him a lot, but could they move their starting second baseman in a trade this offseason in an effort to shake up the roster?
Should the Phillies keep or trade Bryson Stott? Vote in the poll below and we’ll reveal the results for all players at the end of the series.
Previous editions of Stay or Go:
- Harrison Bader
- J.T. Realmuto
- Max Kepler
- Kyle Schwarber
- Ranger Suárez
- Nick Castellanos
- Orion Kerkering
- Taijuan Walker
- Alec Bohm
Destiny Lugardo — Site Director — Stay
I can talk about the adjustments with his hands and how it led to a really strong second half at the plate for Stott. But really, the Phillies can’t trade Stott. At least not right now. They already pissed off Bryce Harper once this offseason. I’m sure Harper would not be happy if they traded his best friend away just weeks after feeling disrespected by Dave Dombrowski.
Nathan Ackerman — Staff Writer — Stay
Of all the Phillies with any chance to fall victim to a shake-up this offseason, Stott’s spot feels among the safest, and it should be. He hit .310 with an .880 OPS in the last two months of the season, constituting 50 games, no small sample. He had another stellar year defensively at second base, and although Trea Turner made massive strides at shortstop, Stott is next in command to slide to the other side of the infield when he needs to. He’s still got two years of control left and is projected for a reasonable $5.8 million in arbitration. This one is pretty straightforward.
Bailey Digh — Staff Writer — Stay
Stott made adjustments in the batter’s box around the All-Star break. They worked. His .855 second-half OPS was 15th in the National League and third among all second basemen. I’m buying stock in Stott’s bat moving forward. And even if I wasn’t, his defense at second base is strong enough for me to want to keep him. I also like Stott’s general player profile: strong defense, good contact skills and a speedy base-stealer. He’s a nice complement to the rest of the roster.