Phillies change it up: Trea Turner sits, Nick Castellanos bats second, Edmundo Sosa plays shortstop

On Tuesday night, shortly after his team’s first shutout loss at home in exactly a year, Phillies manager Rob Thomson was asked about a lineup shuffle.

“Getting close,” he said. “I am.”

Sure enough, on Wednesday afternoon, the lineup looked quite different. Trea Turner was out, and Nick Castellanos was moved into the two-hole. Infielder Edmundo Sosa was penciled in for Turner at shortstop, hitting seventh.

Thomson said it was unlikely that Castellanos would continue to bat second. These aren’t permanent changes. But after dropping four in a row and going 7-16 since the All Star break, a shake-up was in order. And no one embodies the team’s struggles more than Turner.

Since the All-Star break, Turner has hit .168/.210/.253 with an .463 OPS. He has struck out 20 times to just five walks. Before the break, he was in the conversation for a batting title. The Phillies shortstop hit .349/.395/.546 with a .941 OPS and 11 home runs from March 29-July 14.

It has been quite the turn of events.

“Just giving him a breather,” Thomson said of his decision to sit Turner. “Get him off his feet for the day, let him spend some more time on his swing.”

» READ MORE: Trea Turner has been ‘cautious’ stealing bases since returning from a hamstring strain

The clubhouse media availability was pushed back an hour Wednesday afternoon for reasons Thomson did not disclose. When asked whether he held a team meeting, he said it is his policy not to comment on that. But he did say that he has been encouraging his team to keep grinding.

“That’s it,” he said. “Every day.”

Given how Turner and second baseman Bryson Stott have been scuffling lately, it’s likely that Sosa sees some more playing time. Earlier in the season, there was discussion about Sosa getting reps in the outfield. It’s unclear why that didn’t come to fruition, but given how consistent he has looked at the plate, the Phillies will look to find ways to get him in the lineup.

“When [Sosa] was playing every day when Trea went down, he got the opportunity to get consistent at-bats, and he took advantage of it,” Thomson said. “He’s swinging the bat very well. His defense is really good. I think his best spot is probably shortstop. He’s most comfortable there. He brings a lot of energy to the field.”

Ranger Suárez (lower back soreness) will throw a simulated game Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies are going to try to get him up to 80 pitches. They’ll figure out his next steps from there.

Outfielder Austin Hays (left hamstring strain) did the same work he did Tuesday: batting practice in the indoor cage, a throwing program, and light defensive work. There is no specific timeline for his return, but Thomson doesn’t expect Hays to be out long.

“We still think it’s not too far past that 10-day period,” Thomson said.