With a clean sheet, Bryson Stott looks to return to his 2023 version in the playoffs for the Phillies

The 2024 regular season is one that Bryson Stott wants to forget, at least individually.

One season after a year in which he had a breakthrough, Stott didn't come close to its 2023 production level. Stott hit just .245 with an OPS of .671, hitting 11 home runs and driving in 57 runs.

This was a significantly different player than the one who finished last season. That version of Stott hit .280 with a .747 OPS, 15 home runs and 62 RBIs, a version that Stott would like to return to when the postseason begins Saturday.

“There were a lot of things I liked and things I obviously didn’t like,” Stott said this week as he reflected on his season. “Everyone is starting from scratch now. Good or bad, you have to put your season behind you. We won a lot of games as a team and this is the ultimate team game.”

Stott reduced his strikeouts from 100 to 93 and increased his walks from 39 to 53, but his batting average and OPS took a significant hit. He hit just .229 with a .589 OPS with runners in scoring position, which significantly hurt the Phillies' offense.

Will Stott become the hitter he once was in the postseason? Over the last month, Stott hit .253 with a .624 OPS and hit one home run with nine RBIs. Last week was encouraging as Stott hit .333 with a .733 OPS in four games.

It was a small sample size, but Stott may be starting to turn things around.

“He swung the bat pretty well today. He hit some balls hard,” Phillies manager Rob Thompson said Stott's performance in intrasquad play. “He had nothing to show for it. But he hit two balls on the nose, but he looks good. As long as he chews his nose and hits balls and has the balance between aggressiveness and patience.”

“This is a big deal for him. He can take advantage of the field and low line drives to the left and, when given the chance, focus on the ball and hit high on the line to the right. If he can do that, he's a really good hitter.”

Maybe Stott will get back to his 2023 level. The Phillies will have to choose Stott against left-handed pitching, as he is batting .233 with a .585 OPS in 112 at-bats against lefties. Edmundo Sosa Maybe you'll get a nod there.

The postseason is a fresh start for Stott, which is exactly what he needed.

“You don’t care if you’re 0 for 5 or 5 for 5,” Stott said. “As long as you win the game. I’m looking forward to that.”