What is Edmundo Sosa’s future with the St. Louis Cardinals?

PITTSBURGH, PA - AUGUST 27: Edmundo Sosa #63 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after scoring during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on August 27, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - AUGUST 27: Edmundo Sosa #63 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after scoring during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on August 27, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
St. Louis Cardinals
Apr 29, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Edmundo Sosa (63) celebrates after hitting a single during the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

Sosa as a key bench piece.

If the Cardinals stand pat, and keep Paul DeJong, then Edmundo Sosa could return next year as an insurance policy at shortstop. With Matt Carpenter unlikely to return, and Tommy Edman settling in at 2nd, Sosa could be the primary sub who fills in at 2nd, short, and 3rd.

Even if the Cardinals decide to sign a shortstop during the off season, Sosa could still be a valuable part of the 2022 bench. With significant money likely being added to the payroll for a shortstop, and probably the rotation, Sosa becomes a cost effective option.

Although Sosa has seemed comfortable defensively moving around the infield, his history as a pinch hitter is not impressive. In 36 games as a pinch hitter in 2021, or games he didn’t start, he has a measly .091/.189/.091. Comparatively, Matt Carpenter has a pinch hitting slash line of .138/.306/.294.

In such a small sample size, it’s probably not fair to make a judgement whether Sosa will or will not be a good pinch hitter. Nevertheless, this becomes an area of concern for the Cardinals as they plan for 2022.