What to watch as Phillies are down 3 big bats and have 1 bench player as they try and win the series over Blue Jays
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
After a bad moss Saturday night and while being down a few key players, the 21-19 Philadelphia Phillies will look to win the series over the 21-17 Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Florida, the current home of the Blue Jays.
Here’s what to watch:
Severally undermanned
The Phillies are down three middle-of-the-order bats for Sunday’s series finale against the Blue Jays.
Bryce Harper is out with a sore right shoulder.
J.T. Realmuto is out with a sore left hand.
Didi Gregorius is out with a sore right elbow.
Not good.
Fortunately for the Phils, they are off Monday so it’s an extra day for all three players to get healthy for a six-game homestand against the Miami Marlins and the Boston Red Sox.
Harper exited Saturday’s game after two at-bats with the shoulder issue. He’s day to day.
Realmuto was pinch-hit for by Andrew Knapp in the eighth inning. He missed a couple of games two weeks ago with a contusion in the same area, the result of his trying to block a pitch in the dirt.
Gregorius has missed four straight games with the elbow issue. It is the same elbow he had surgically repaired in 2018, but Gregorius says the UCL is not the problem. He has swelling in the elbow which makes it difficult to swing a bat.
The Phillies have, so far, tried to avoid an IL stint with Gregorius, but they’re severely undermanned at the moment. They have one player available off the bench Sunday: third-string catcher Rafael Marchan.
Of the 13 players the Phillies carried on their opening day roster, nine have already missed time due to injury. The only four who have remained healthy through 40 games are Rhys Hoskins, Alec Bohm, Andrew McCutchen, and Knapp.
They should be well served by having so many off-days over the next six weeks. The Phillies are off nine times between May 17 and the end of June. They average an off-day for every four games played between now and then.
Anderson starts
Chase Anderson pithed for the Blue Jays last season before signing a one-year deal with the Phillies. Anderson starts today against his former squad.
Anderson retired 15-of-16 at one point in Tuesday’s win over the Washington Nationals in D.C.
Anderson is still looking to record an out in the sixth inning this season.
Starting lineups
Phillies starting lineup vs. Blue Jays’ starter Robbie Ray:
Blue Jays starting lineup vs. Phillies’ starter Chase Anderson:
Essentials
- When: 1:37 P.M. E.S.T.
- Where: TD Ballpark
- Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Radio: 94.1 WIP
- Social media coverage: Philly Sports Reports’ Twitter & Instagram.
