The Phillies announced Wednesday that they’ve placed infielder Jean Segura on the 10-day injured list due to a strained right quadriceps and optioned righty Ramon Rosso to their alternate site in Lehigh Valley. In their place, the Phillies have recalled infielder/outfielder Scott Kingery and right-hander Spencer Howard.
The loss of Segura even for a brief period — the team has yet to provide a timeline — stings for the Phillies. The 31-year-old is out to an excellent start this season, slashing .333/.359/.450 with a homer, four doubles and a stolen base in his first 64 trips to the plate. The Phillies have bounced him around the diamond the past couple of seasons, but he’s been their everyday second baseman early in the 2021 campaign.
Second base duties will now likely fall to Kingery and utilityman Brad Miller. Kingery is looking for a rebound after a disastrous 2020 season that began with a three-week stint on the Covid-19 injured list. Kingery didn’t have any real ramp-up period to the shortened season, and the .159/.228/.283 slash he posted in 124 plate appearances was miles away from the solid .258/.315/.474 slash he logged through 458 trips to the plate in 2019. He also spent time on the IL with back spasms last season.
The hope was that a full, healthy Spring Training would get Kingery back to his 2020 form, but Kingery struggled mightily in Grapefruit League play. Through 15 games and 49 plate appearances, he cobbled together just a .159/.229/.295 slash that looked eerily similar to last year’s woeful showing. The Phils optioned him to their alternate site near the end of camp, and this will be his first chance at a rebound.
Howard, like Kingery, has long been regarded not only as one of the organization’s best prospects, but one of the best in the league. The 24-year-old struggled through 24 1/3 innings last year during his MLB debut effort and has logged just one inning thus far in 2021. While Howard has been a starter throughout his minor league career, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski indicated at the end of Spring Training that the plan for the 2021 season was to use Howard primarily out of the bullpen.
No idea why they keep optioning and calling up pitchers and barely using them.
Me either… But maybe Howard will stick this time…
Howard is definitely the next starter in line so he should have been called up over whoever they intended to start in Moore’s place (Sanchez/Jones). It seems weird that they can’t seem to decide which lefty they want in place of Alvarado.
Vinny V starts Friday….
noooooooo
Heresy!
Where are their AAA players? It’s like they all disappeared. Miss the minor league games. It’s a big part of what baseball is about.
And here the injuries start…
start? Archie Bradley, Jose Alvarado, and Didi who?
ha I was just noting yesterday to someone, what phillie is going on the IL – seems like the giants are cursing every team they play
Dead last here we come….
sure…
“The hope was that a full, healthy Spring Training would get Kingery back to his 2020 form, but Kingery struggled mightily in Grapefruit League play.”
Kingery was back to his 2020 form in Spring Training. If he could get back to 2019 form or even 2017 AA form, that would be ideal.
They need to call up Odubal. He should have been in CF this whole time.
I think Moniak is a smarter fielder. Now if he can get more hits. All will be good.
Delivered!
Herrera isn’t good. I get it. The CF situation is infuriating, but Herrera won’t solve that. At least Moniak is young enough to have upside.
Moniak has options, once you bring up Odubel you’re stuck w him.
You can always DFA Herrera, nobody would pick up that contract, and he can’t refuse a minors assignment because he has 4 years of service time.
I think they’ll use him as their last resort, and exhaust every other option first.
Is it blasphemy to say Girardi has been an awful manager? Because he has.
Von, I’m gonna disagree with you on Joe..the pen is reverting to last year..not his fault. Two 3 run homers yesterday and another 3 run homer today..
The thought of Vinny pitching Friday is nauseating. I am so done with him..
On a somewhat positive note, Maton looks real smooth at short..now, if only he can continue to hit..looks like they may have Didi’s replacement..
@Dads To me, you need to take Brogdon out after that first homerun. He looked wild his whole outing. Then he gives up a 3-run bomb. You take him out. It’s a 1-run game. Instead he leaves him in. He gets in a ton more trouble. And gives up yet another 3-run bomb. That was Girardi’s biggest mistake, but there are a ton of little moves that make no sense to me. He’s been over managing since he got here. I gave him a pass year one. And it’s early yet this year, but quite frankly, he was paid a hefty sum, and I’m not loving what I’m seeing so far. There’s only so much a manager could do. I get that, but man…he has made some mistakes.
If Maton is the real deal, I feel like the Phillies could try and trade Didi and go after one of the shortstops in next years free agency. Didi is a good hitter and all, but his defensive numbers look pretty bad so far this season. It’s still early, but it’s worrying.
Alternatively, they could keep Didi and also sign a star SS next year, dump Hoskins and move Bohm to 1st and Didi to 2nd or 3rd.
@Dump Hoskins as if he’s not one of the most productive bats in the lineup. Hoskins is the perfect DH for 2022 and beyond.
I’ll believe that when the NL DH actually happens
I understand they (MLB) is planning on a partial DH where when the pitcher is removed for a reliever, the relief pitcher now must hit in the DH slot….so if your starter only goes 5 innings, the rest of the game the pitcher has to hit..the DH is done for that game…