Rafael

Marchan

There’s no room for Marte on Philadelphia’s active roster with starting backstop J.T. Realmuto coming off the injured list for Saturday’s game against the Pirates. He’s been a capable backup catcher, when needed, over the last few years.

Marchan is up to take the roster spot of J.T. Realmuto, with Realmuto going on the injured list with right knee pain. Marchan will likely be the backup backstop to Drew Stubbs while he’s on the roster, which could be a while with Realmuto undergoing surgery.

Marchán was activated from the injured list back in late May and has remained stationed at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 25-year-old backstop joins the Phillies overseas as their extra position player for the two-game London Series.

Marchán wasn’t going to make the Opening Day roster anyway, as Garrett Stubbs will once again begin the season as J.T. Realmuto’s backup, but now he’ll get a late start on the season.

Marchán has wrapped up a minor league rehab assignment and will remain stationed in the upper minors with J.T. Realmuto and Garrett Stubbs handling the Phillies’ catching duties in the majors. The 24-year-old backstop has been out since spring training due to a fractured right hamate bone.

Marchán has been out since spring training when he suffered a right hamate fracture. He’ll likely remain in the upper minors once he wraps up his rehab assignment.

It turns out Marchán actually fractured his right hamate bone earlier this month and will wind up missing at least the first two months of the regular season. That leaves Garrett Stubbs as the primary backup for Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.

Marchán hasn’t been able to resume hitting and has been out for over a week due to the issue. It wouldn’t be a serious concern normally, but the Phillies are also without their other primary backup catcher with Garrett Stubbs, who underwent a precautionary MRI exam on Wednesday, after experiencing right knee soreness earlier this week.

Marchán got an opportunity with the big league club with J.T. Realmuto unable to travel to Toronto. He did not appear in a ballgame during the series. The 23-year-old is hitting .246/.333/.424 with three homers and 14 RBI over 33 games in the minors this season.

J.T. Realmuto is unvaccinated and went on the restricted list ahead of the Phillies’ two-game series at Toronto. Marchán gets the call in a corresponding roster move to function as depth behind the plate.