The Phillies have been fortunate this season because while forward players like Trea Turner and Taijuan Walker have been on the injured list, replacements like Edmundo Sosa and Spencer Turnbull have stepped in and performed well.
They were also fortunate that injuries that initially seemed serious turned out to be relatively minor. Which means Rob Thompson was able to provide upbeat updates on left fielder Ranger Suarez and left fielder Brandon Marsh ahead of Tuesday night’s game.
Suarez, who injured his thumb on a 106 mph line drive in his final start against the Cardinals on Saturday night, played catch in the outfield and will throw in the bullpen on Wednesday.
“Then we’ll find out,” said the director. “So far, so good. Fortunately. Because it could have been really bad.”
Thompson did not rule out the possibility of allowing Suarez, who is 9-1 with a 1.70 earned run average, to make his next start before the team travels to London on Wednesday night. “It just depends on how the bullpen goes. If it’s really sharp, really clean, and looks natural, we might make the call right away,” he said.
Marsh, who began indicating he was injured as soon as he reached second after a double against the Cardinals on Sunday night, was shown to only have a minor hamstring strain. When asked if he could rate her on a standard scale of 1 to 4, Thompson smiled.
He said: “Half if it is like this.” This creates the possibility that Marsh, who is on the 10-day injured list, will be activated as soon as June 13 when the Phillies play the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Meanwhile, although there is no official timetable for Turner’s return, Thompson is optimistic. “I think we’re very close (to the original six-week estimate). It’s going well,” the manager said.
That means Turner, who was hitting .343 when he pulled a hamstring on May 3, could rejoin the lineup sometime in mid-June.
Time will tell
Asked if he was re-evaluating the status of No. 5 Tyjuan Walker, Rob Thompson demurred. “We’re not there yet,” he said.
Why not? “Because I trust him.”
In seven starts this season, Walker has a 5.73 earned run average. His last two matches have been particularly worrying. Opponents have hit .304 against him with an .887 OPS and his ERA is 7.36. But he’s also in the second season of a four-year, $72 million contract.
Thompson said any decision will ultimately be performance-based. “No doubt,” he said. “But I have confidence in him. He’s got to take command better. And I hope he picks up some speed along the way. We saw it improve a few years ago and now it’s coming back. I’m sure he’ll get there. But he’s got to take control of the baseball, and he’s got to “Keep it down, and he’s got to get rid of his cleavage.”
Walker’s next start is scheduled for Sunday against the Mets in London.
the next
RHP Aaron Nola (7-2, 3.03) will start the 4:05 PM finals series against the Brewers on Thursday. Milwaukee, which has used its opener in its first two games, has not announced its starter.
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