‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Bryson Stott on his walk-up song, watching Ohio State games with Bryce Harper, and more

Stott joined The Inquirer’s baseball show to discuss still being in “day care,” why “A-OK” isn’t going anywhere, and how “Philadelphia living” is apparent in how he roots for the Buckeyes.

Bryson Stott is in his fourth major league season with the Phillies.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

by Scott Lauber

Published March 29, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET

As one of the younger players on the Phillies’ roster over the last three seasons, Bryson Stott was a charter member of a group that became known as the “Daycare.”

But the kids are grown up now.

Because as the stars on the marquee move closer to their mid-30s, it’s time for the supporting cast — Alec Bohm, Stott, and Brandon Marsh — to play a more prominent role. In spring training, hitting coach Kevin Long challenged Stott and Marsh, in particular, to “be the superstar.”

We discussed that topic and more with Stott in the latest episode of Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball show. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation, which has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Watch the entire interview below.

Q: You’re entering your fourth major league season and you’ve been part of this group with Brandon Marsh, and Alec Bohm, that has become known as the Phillies “Daycare.” At age 27 — with a baby girl who is probably in actual daycare — do you still embrace that identity of the “Daycare?”

A: I think it’s kind of always going to be there. I think a lot of people think it’s like, ‘Oh, they’re 26-, 27-, 28-year-olds [now]. It was less about our age as it was our [major league] service time at the time of when it started. Just looking around, we have 10-year guys all over the place and five guys that were going to hit 10 years in the next year and a half, two years. So it was less about our actual age than it was our service time. We were always on the rookie duties, carrying the speakers and things like that, what we’re supposed to do. It was less of, ‘Oh, you’re 24 years old, you’re going to be called a Daycare member.’ It was more, ‘You have one day in the big leagues. Marsh, you have a year.’ And it was more about the service time. And I think a lot of people were like, ‘They’re not in the Daycare. They’re 28,’ and things like that.

So we just think it’s funny, and we joke. We’re like, ‘We play seven years in a row and we’re still on the road in spring training because you guys are going to have 15 years,’ and things like that. So I think it’s always going to stick around and just be a little joke that the veterans have for us. But yeah, being able to do it with those two [Bohm and Marsh] has been awesome. And I came up with Bohm in a sense. And then we got Marsh in 2022, and he kind of joined forces with us. So that was fun.

Q: You play on a team that the core of the team hasn’t changed in three, going on four, years. So you really don’t grow out of that daycare with this group. You need to get Aidan Miller and Justin Crawford in there, and you can pass the daycare onto them.

A: Exactly. Yeah. In spring, it kind of goes seniority-wise on who goes on the road. And we’re like, ‘Oh, we’ll see you guys in Fort Myers’ because no one else is going over there. It’s fun, and getting to go and see the other stadiums. I kind of like going on the road in spring just to kind of see. Outside of my first spring training, I’ve never been to Florida, so I’ve only been to Clearwater pretty much, and just seeing the different parts of Florida is cool to me, so I have no complaints. But obviously you’re not going to send Bryce [Harper] and Nick [Castellanos] and J.T. [Realmuto] and all those guys. That’s where our joke of we could play six, seven more years, and we’re still a little behind.

Q: Hitting coach Kevin Long told me his challenge to you and Marsh is to think of it more like you’re the superstar on the team. His feeling is that if you played for 25 or so other teams, you’d probably be leading off or batting third. Is that a mindset you’ve adopted going into this year?

A: Yeah, I think you have to have that mindset. My mindset is I think I could hit first on this team. Marsh probably feels the same way. I feel like if you don’t have that mindset, we’re in the wrong business. Obviously, we know our place on the team and we know that, at least for me — I don’t know if I could speak for Marsh — but I know that if I’m going well, it takes a lot of pressure off those guys who think they have to carry the load and do things like that and try to do more than they need to do. And that’s why the batting order’s nine people.

So, yeah, our lineup is deep and there’s guys in there that could hit anywhere in the order, and so if we’re all doing what we’re capable of doing, you just have free-and-easy [Kyle] Schwarber, you have free-and-easy Trea [Turner], and Bryce, and they’re not trying to do more than they need to do. What they just roll out of bed and do is plenty good. As you can see, they’re all All-Stars.

So I think that we’re also a big part of the lineup. And, obviously, it helps them when we’re going well. And that’s why we want to do well is to take some pressure off those guys and let them know that they don’t have to drive in 400 runs and things like that.

Q: Got to ask you about the walk-up music, “AOK.” Why did you pick it? And now you’ve got to stick with it, right? Because it’s sort of become your thing. How did it come about?

A: Yeah, I’m going to keep it. I just like the song, and I never thought it would turn into this and kind of be a part of the Philadelphia experience and kind of just rolling with me. And, yeah, I just like the song and then did a couple of cool things and then it kind of stuck and the crowd sings it. I definitely can’t change it, but I don’t want to change it either.

Q: You went to UNLV, but I know you’re an Ohio State football fan. You used to watch a lot of Ohio State with Bryce. What’s it like to watch a college football game with Bryce? And did you go to the national championship game?

A: That was, I think, the second playoff game of Ohio State I’ve missed since the start of it. We got to Florida early, so it just wasn’t going to work. But, no, it’s fun. I think the Philadelphia living is coming out in me now watching those games. I’m the one yelling at the TV, and he’s like, ‘Oh, just be quiet. They’re going to be fine.’ And it’s fun. And I love it. I’m a huge football fan, and just watching them is awesome. They had a great year and should be pretty good this year too. [Harper] is just funny. He’s always yelling at me and, ‘Why don’t you yell at the TV and not me? I’m just sitting here. I have no effect on this game.’ It’s fun, and we like to do it.