Edmundo Sosa had never hit a home run that far at the MLB level.
In the second inning of the Philadelphia Phillies’ series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sosa smashed a first-pitch slider from Miles Mikolas deep into the stands. His 439-foot, two-run homer was the longest of his MLB career, his third in nine games, and the first from a Phillie that reached Ashburn Alley, the concourse in center field of Citizens Bank Park, since 2022.
Sosa’s blast was the biggest highlight of the Phillies’ 4-2 victory over his former team. It raised Sosa’s OPS, already the highest on the Phils so far this season among all hitters, to .969. Philadelphia became the first team to reach 40 wins in the 2024 season and extended its home winning streak to seven games.
Rob Thomson said that he couldn’t see where outfield hits were going early in the game because of the sun shining on the Phillies’ dugout. After noticing Sosa drop his bat to indicate a no-doubter, he looked to left field to see where the ball would land. Instead, it went a long, long way to an even deeper part of the yard — a part that even Sosa’s many power-hitting teammates haven’t reached.
A 439-foot moonshot for Mundo đź’Ą pic.twitter.com/JgjBEsPuQZ
— MLB (@MLB) May 31, 2024
Love Sosa
Sosa has been “playing outstanding” since taking over for the injured Trea Turner, Thomson said. Turner’s left hamstring strain has sidelined him since May 4 and Sosa has started the overwhelming majority of the following games at shortstop. He hasn’t just taken advantage of his golden opportunity to show the team what he can do with regular playing time, he’s made the absolute most of it. He’s demanding more playing time through his performances.
