Bryson Stott’s output for the Philadelphia Phillies this season has been nothing short of underwhelming. A leap forward was desperately needed for the second baseman after his well-rounded 2023 campaign saw a regression last season.

While that hasn’t been the case this year, the last month of play has seen Stott’s offense slowly begin to improve, just in time for the postseason.

Bryson Stott struggled mightily for over half the season

Pick an area, and it’s evident how paltry Stott’s offensive numbers have been this year. Entering Friday’s action, he was tied for the 18th-worst OPS in the majors among qualified hitters, largely due to his .367 slugging percentage, another bottom-20 mark. His 29 extra-base hits would be the lowest total of his career by a large margin.

While the defense has been adequate, highlighted by an above-average range factor, it hasn’t been good enough to justifiably compensate for the poor offense. While his 21 steals on the year are great and a good sign of Stott’s speed and ability to create opportunities on the bases, that’s hampered by his inability to get on base consistently — with a .323 on-base percentage.

Stott’s inconsistencies are only one facet of a Phillies offense that has struggled to find its groove this season. While he’s not alone in this, he has certainly been a relative disappointment, even considering the pitiful production from the outfield. After a brilliant start in the leadoff spot, Stott cooled off drastically and was removed from the role in early June.

It took a while for the sparks to fly. Between June 20 and July 22, Stott compiled only one multi-hit performance and only had five hits through the first three weeks of July. His performance on July 23, however, was a great sign and started his recent hitting surge that will hopefully inspire more confidence approaching October.

Stott’s recent production is a great sign for Phillies before postseason begins

In that July 23 game against the Boston Red Sox, Stott racked up two extra-base hits, his first such game since May 8. This led to his surging August, where, through 52 at-bats, Stott is slashing .365/.433/.615, with eight extra-base hits, more than a quarter of his season total. Of late, his three-hit performance in Wednesday’s 11-2 rout of the Seattle Mariners, and his two-run home run on Friday, have been exactly what fans have longed for since Stott started slumping.

Stott’s recent uptick in production, funnily enough, coincides with the birth of his second child. While it wouldn’t be the first time a Phillies player has shown off their “dad strength,” most notably Bryce Harper, there’s a few likelier options that could explain the boost in his performance.

For starters, it lines up well with a larger team outburst. Since closing out the last week of July with a 3-3 record, the Phillies have gone 13-7 in August, their best winning percentage in a month since May, and have wound up with some of their best production offensively all season, with an .811 OPS.

During that time, Stott has seen more at-bats in the bottom third of the lineup, where he has easily hit the best. Mentally, it takes a lot of the pressure off a hitter in those spots. Hitting leadoff, by comparison, necessitates getting on base, a much harder task to handle. Stott, especially batting ninth, has been night and day. He has a 1.073 OPS in the nine-hole. His next best spot is seventh, where he’s managed a .791 OPS. After that everything essentially falls off a cliff.

Subtle changes to his approach have helped as well. This season, Stott is chasing fewer pitches, his rate being down nearly six percent compared to the rest of his career. That doesn’t always translate to results — his contact and power have never been spectacular — but it does set a player up for better counts, which does lead to better production.

More importantly, he’s become a bit more aggressive while not becoming overly so. Since that July 23 game, Stott is 5-for-7 when he swings at the first pitch, including two doubles, and has walked 10 times in 19 plate appearances with three-ball counts. That’s a great balance to strike, unloading on hittable first pitches while also being patient enough to take the walks and get on base.

While the pop certainly isn’t there, homering only three times over the last month, in that game against the Red Sox and against the Mariners and Nationals this week, that’s never been the expectation with Stott. He’s a complementary piece to the heavy hitters, and that’s more indicative than ever with this recent outburst.

Having Stott perform well at the bottom of the lineup, especially batting ninth, sets up more opportunities for guys like Trea Turner, Harper, and Kyle Schwarber to step up with runners on base. The Phillies need him in that role, driving in the occasional run while getting on base for more run opportunities. It’s a winning formula, and the Phillies will need it to succeed for the rest of this season and the postseason.

Consistency has been lacking this year, however, and that’s an obvious concern. But a championship contender needs all hands on deck to pull off October glory; production from the bottom of the lineup, in the form of Bryson Stott, is a clear necessity. The last month has been exactly what the team, and fans, have needed. One extra bit of hope that everything will come together.