The Athletics may have the biggest-picture roster plan in baseball right now, with the move to Las Vegas coming in 2028 and a long runway to reshape the club before then. They’ve already locked up several players to long-term extensions, but there’s still a clear need to keep adding pieces as the roster takes shape.
One name that’s now surfacing as a fit is Phillies utilityman Edmundo Sosa. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter predicted the A’s could target the impending free agent as a low-cost infield addition, especially with top prospect Leo De Vries unlikely to be ready for an Opening Day job in 2027 after season-ending shoulder surgery.
Reuter sees the situation this way: "A bounce-back season from Zack Gelof should lock him into a starting spot at second base or third base. Whichever position he doesn't fill will be the storyline heading into spring training," Reuter wrote.
He also pointed to De Vries’ injury as the reason a veteran stopgap could make sense. "Top prospect Leo De Vries had a shot at winning an Opening Day roster spot before undergoing shoulder surgery that will sideline him into next year, leaving someone like Edmundo Sosa or Amed Rosario as a logical low-cost target to bolster the infield," he added.
Reuter slotted Sosa into the Opening Day lineup batting ninth and starting at third base. The 30-year-old brings real defensive versatility, too, with the ability to move around the infield and handle a corner outfield spot if needed.
At the plate, Sosa has hit .238/.278/.397 with seven home runs and a 79 OPS+ in 77 games this season. He’s been a dependable bench option for Philadelphia, and a one- or two-year deal with Oakland would give him a better path to regular playing time.
In Other News...
Phillies Have A Shortstop Squeeze That Could Reshape Their Infield
The Phillies have quietly created a logjam in the middle of the diamond, and it starts with the kind of depth every organization wants but cant always keep sorted out cleanly. Aidan Miller, back after surgery on his back in 2026, remains the headliner and is expected to keep building toward the next step, possibly in the Arizona Fall League. Behind him, Bryan Rincon has put together a breakout season at Double-A, strengthening his case as one of the systems better prospects thanks to his defensive profile, while Juan Villavicencio has added another layer of intrigue with his plate discipline in the lower minors.
For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious and the problem is just as clear: there are only so many innings, at-bats and infield reps to go around. The Phillies have more than one shortstop who looks like part of the future, and the way those players are handled over the next stretch could say a lot about how the organization imagines its infield alignment down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Saw A Phillies Rookie Become A Bigger Problem
Andrew Painters first turn back in the Phillies rotation offered a reminder of why the organization still views him as such an important piece, even after the early rough patch that sent him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The rookie right-hander had to reset after the demotion, but his return has brought steadier results, and his latest outing against Atlanta was his sharpest sign yet that he is settling in at the major league level.
Against the Braves, Painter worked five innings and allowed just one earned run, giving Philadelphia exactly the kind of start it needed in a tight stretch. He did not get the win, but the bigger picture mattered more for the Phillies, who continue to hold a strong spot in the National League Wild Card race with a young starter beginning to look much harder to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Face A Crucial October Debate As Mattingly Weighs Final Tweaks
With September roster expansion in place, the Phillies are already using the final stretch to sort through the kinds of decisions that can matter just as much in October as the games themselves. Rafael Marchn is back behind the plate and Grant Holman has joined the bullpen mix, giving the club a little more depth as it heads into a crucial series against the Braves with a playoff spot still to secure.
The bigger question is how the roster looks when the calendar turns and the bench gets tightened for the postseason. Philadelphia has more than enough moving parts to consider, from lineup combinations to relief depth, and the challenge now is figuring out which two players eventually get sent back to the minors before the playoffs. Don Mattingly and the staff have a few options to weigh, and the next few days could shape how flexible the club is when the games matter most. [Read more 🡒]