Didi Gregorius was placed on the COVID-related injured list Friday, the Phillies announced. Their starting shortstop was out of the lineup for the second straight game, which seemed to be due to the fastball to the ribs he took from wild pitcher Genesis Cabrera Wednesday in St. Louis. Now, it’s unclear how much time he will miss.
Bench coach Rob Thomson, serving as the Phillies' manager for the night so Joe Girardi could attend his daughter's college graduation, said Gregorius' ribs were still a little tender but that he likely would have been able to play if not for the COVID issue. By rule, teams don't provide much info about the nature of COVID-related IL stints.
Bryce Harper was also out of the Phillies' lineup for the second straight game Friday. He was hit earlier in the same inning as Gregorius, taking a 97 mph Cabrera fastball to the cheek/nose area. He checked out fine at the hospital and went through concussion protocol. He posted an Instagram video after the game in good spirits and even texted with Cabrera to defuse the situation.
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SIGN UP HERE It does not sound like Harper will require a stint on the injured list. He might be back this weekend.
"It’s not so much about his face, it’s more about his wrist when the ball bounced off his face and ricocheted," Thomson said. "He’s still a little bit sore. He’s going outside to shag. He probably won’t hit today. He won’t be available. It’s more precaution than anything."
Girardi was ejected after his two players were hit and spoke passionately after the game about player safety, arguing if that's the goal, a pitcher who hits multiple batters in scary places with blazing fastballs in such quick succession should be removed, intentional or not. Hard to argue.
J.T. Realmuto was also out of the Phillies' revised lineup after appearing in the initial version. Thomson told Scott Franzke on the 94 WIP Pregame Show that Realmuto has a sore left hand from a wild pitch that hit the base of his hand Thursday. Realmuto felt the soreness taking swings in the cage and was scratched.
MLB
This was the Phillies' lineup for Game 1 of a seven-game homestand against Marcus Stroman and the Mets:
1. Andrew McCutchen, LF
2. Matt Joyce, RF
3. Rhys Hoskins, 1B
4. Brad Miller, 2B
5. Alec Bohm, 3B
6. Nick Maton, SS
7. Andrew Knapp, C
8. Odubel Herrera, CF
9. Chase Anderson, SP
Other injury updates
- Jean Segura, out since April 21 with a quad strain, hit on the field, took groundballs and did high intensity running Friday. He will be re-evaluated Saturday, which would be the day he’s eligible to return from the 10-day IL.
- Reliever Archie Bradley threw in the outfield and was scheduled to have a short bullpen session Friday if all went well. He has been out since April 11 with an oblique strain.
