When the Philadelphia Phillies revealed their starting lineup for their series opener against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, there was an interesting wrinkle in the starting nine. With 2024 NL Cy Young winner left-hander Chris Sale on the mound for the Braves, Phillies manager Rob Thomson wanted to get some more right-handed bats in his lineup.

In an effort to also get the Phillies’ hottest bat into the lineup, Thomson penciled Edmundo Sosa in as the starting left fielder. Ironically, it wasn’t Sosa’s bat that got everyone’s attention early in the game.

Edmundo Sosa’s defensive play of the year for the Phillies brought back a Braves home run

Sosa, who had never made a start in the outfield in his professional baseball career, got tested in the first inning. And oh boy, did he come up big — with what could be the play of the year.

With the Phillies up 1-0 after scoring a run on three hits in the top of the first, Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna hit a two-out fly ball to left field. Off the bat at 102.8 mph, it was destined to be a solo home run.

Enter Sosa.

In his first play of the game, Sosa tracked the moonshot fly ball all the way to the wall in front of the Phillies’ bullpen. At the last second, he jumped, reached over the fence and pulled the ball back as if he had been doing it all his life.

You can see the web gem for yourself:

Sosa’s home-run robbery not the only memorable outfield play

Unfortunately, the good feelings were short-lived. In the bottom of the second, a miscommunication between Sosa and center fielder Johan Rojas let a ball drop in left center field for a double. It was an eyesore of a play, with both Phillies stopping in their tracks and the ball landing in the grass in front of Rojas’ feet.

What should have been the second out of the inning, instead forced Phillies starter Zack Wheeler to try to work around the unnecessary base runner. After recording another out, Wheeler walked Jarred Kelenic before Braves catcher Sean Murphy crushed a three-run home run well over the left field wall — even Sosa couldn’t bring it back.

Sosa came into Tuesday’s game hitting a beefy .550 with a 1.321 OPS in 21 plate appearances. With four doubles and six RBIs on the season, the 29-year-old utility player has come up big for the Phillies on multiple occasions already.

Sosa’s last big play before Tuesday’s home run robbery was driving in the winning run in Sunday’s comeback win against the Los Angeles Dodgers.