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Phillies Designate David Hale, Select Neftali Feliz

By Steve Adams | June 26, 2021 at 7:50pm CDT

JUNE 26: David Hale has cleared waivers and elected free agency, per the Phillies. Hale is now free to explore an opportunity with any organization.

JUNE 25: The Phillies announced Friday that they’ve designated right-hander David Hale for assignment in order to open a spot on the roster for fellow righty Neftali Feliz, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Philadelphia also placed righty Sam Coonrod on the 10-day injured list due to tendinitis in his right forearm, recalled infielder Nick Maton to fill that roster spot and tabbed righty Enyel De Los Santos as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader.

It’s the first big league action for the now-33-year-old Feliz since 2017. The 2010 American League Rookie of the Year’s career was derailed by arm troubles that began with Tommy John surgery in 2012. That surgery wiped out nearly all of his 2013 campaign, and although Feliz returned with a 1.99 ERA in 2014, his velocity was diminished and his strikeout rate plummeted. Feliz struggled through a dismal 2015 season split between the Rangers and Tigers before enjoying a nice rebound effort with the Pirates in 2016. That bounceback effort, however, was truncated by an arm issue that ended his season in early September.

Feliz latched on with the Brewers on a one-year deal for the 2017 campaign but was hit hard in 27 frames with Milwaukee before being cut loose. The Royals signed him for the remainder of the year and got slightly better results. Feliz signed with the D-backs on a minor league deal that winter, but he was unable to make the team in Spring Training and cut loose at the end of camp. He followed a similar path with the Mariners in 2019.

From 2018-20, Feliz’s only work on the mound came in the Dominican Winter League. His showing there in the 2020-21 season — 3.07 ERA, 22-to-6 K/BB ratio in 14 2/3 innings — was enough for the Phillies to take notice and bring him in on a minor league pact. And his work thus far in Triple-A has certainly been impressive enough to merit a return to the Majors for the first time in nearly four years. Through 14 1/3 frames with Lehigh Valley, Feliz has yielded just a pair of earned runs on eight hits and six walks. He’s punched out 23 of the 58 batters he’s faced so far in Triple-A (39.6 percent).

Turning to the 33-year-old Hale, he never quite found his footing this season. He game the Phils 11 solid frames down the stretch last year, but Hale has surrendered at least one earned run in 10 of his 17 appearances this year and pitched to a 6.41 ERA through 26 2/3 innings of work.

Hale was a viable long relief/spot start option from 2018-20 — mostly with the Yankees, who signed him to a staggering five minor league deals in that time — as he tallied 68 1/3 innings with a 3.56 ERA. Hale has never missed many bats, but he’s generally shown good command and kept the ball on the ground at an above-average clip.

Coonrod, 28, got out to a brilliant start this season but hit a rough patch beginning in mid-May. He’s been tagged for 11 runs over his past nine innings, so it’s perhaps not entirely surprising to see that there’s some degree of an arm issue. Even with that slump, he’s still sporting a respectable 4.18 ERA with a 24.8 percent strikeout rate and an 8.3 percent walk rate.

The 24-year-old Maton returns after a brief stretch in Triple-A. He began his rookie season on an absolute tear in the big leagues, slashing .313/.337/.458 through his first 86 trips to the plate. However, Maton fell into a woeful 0-for-21 slump and lost playing time over the next few weeks, ultimately leading the Phils to send him down for some additional work. He’d never played above the Double-A level prior to the 2021 season.

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Philadelphia Phillies Transactions David Hale Enyel De Los Santos Neftali Feliz Nick Maton Sam Coonrod

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Phillies Remove Hector Neris From Closer Role

By Steve Adams and TC Zencka | June 25, 2021 at 8:47pm CDT

The Phillies are shuffling up their bullpen, as manager Joe Girardi announced to reporters today that lefty Jose Alvarado will be first in line for save opportunities for now (Twitter link via Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Hector Neris has been the team’s primary option in save opportunities this season, but he’s been tagged for six runs over his past five outings — a span of 4 1/3 frames. Neris blew a one-run lead in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s absolute rollercoaster of a game between the Phillies and Nationals.

Alvarado had his first opportunity in the seventh inning of today’s twin bill against the division-leading Mets, but Francisco Lindor lined an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at one apiece. The Mets would go on to win in the bottom of the eighth — Ranger Suarez yielded an RBI single to Dominic Smith.

It was a particularly disheartening loss for the Phillies, who got a historic performance from starter Aaron Nola. Their ace struck out ten consecutive Mets, tying a 51-year-old Tom Seaver record, notes the Athletic’s Matt Gelb (via Twitter). The blame doesn’t all fall on the bullpen, however, as the defense made a pair of errors, and Nola himself contributed two of their three overall hits in the game.

The closer shakeup isn’t the only change the Phils have brought about in the relief corps. Earlier today, the team announced that righty David Hale was being designated for assignment in order to make room on the roster for former AL Rookie of the Year Neftali Feliz, who’ll be returning to the Majors for the first time since 2017. The Phils also put Sam Coonrod on the injured list due to forearm tendinitis.

Philly relievers have been worth -0.2 fWAR this season while posting the third-worst save percentage in the Majors at 46.8 percent (15 for 32), notes Jim Salisbury of NBCSPhilly (via Twitter). That said, were it not for Philadelphia’s particular case of deja vu, the concern might not be quite on red alert. The Phillies bullpen, however, has sung this song before, posting -0.8 fWAR and a 7.06 ERA in 2020. Their 12 blown saves were the third-highest number in the Majors.

It’s not all doom-and-gloom, however: with a 50 percent groundball rate, Girardi’s bullpen is burning worms at a better rate than any other team in the Majors, and their 69.9 percent left on-base percentage ranks in the middle of the pack. And yet, despite their league-leading groundball percentage, when the ball does get elevated, it’s leaving the yard at a league-worst 17.2 percent home-run-to-fly-ball rate.

It should be noted that, like most bullpens, the Phillies have dealt with their fair share of injuries.  Seranthony Dominguez has been out for the year as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. JoJo Romero looked like a potential breakout contributor before he, too, succumbed to Tommy John.

Furthermore, free agent acquisition and veteran high-leverage bullpen arm Archie Bradley missed 37 games, and he has yet to find his game: 4.20 ERA/5.69 FIP with an uncharacteristically-low 17.4 percent strikeout rate and uncharacteristically-high 15.9 percent walk rate. Brandon Kintzler, another would-be closing option and could-be stabilizing veteran presence, has been on the injured list for 17 days (and counting) with a neck strain.

Zooming out, the Phillies have lost four in a row, dropped seven of their past 10 and fallen behind the Nationals in the division (six games behind the Mets). Though the Phillies have entered every year of the Bryce Harper era with hopes of contention – and played like contenders for parts of those 2+ seasons – they are in danger of failing to post a winning record for the tenth consecutive season. The organization hasn’t finished above .500 since its highly-successfully five-year run as division champs from 2007 to 2011.

As for this season, Girardi’s bullpen is likely to remain fluid. Case and point, Neris found himself back in a closing situation in the second game of today’s doubleheader after Bradley served up a game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh. Neris successfully picked up the save.

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Philadelphia Phillies Hector Neris Jose Alvarado

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Injury Updates: Gregorius, Plesac, Smith, Yajure, Duran

By Mark Polishuk | June 24, 2021 at 9:12pm CDT

Didi Gregorius resumed his Triple-A rehab assignment tonight, after halting the assignment on June 10 after just two games.  Gregorius hasn’t played a big league game since May 12 due to a right elbow impingement and a condition known as pseudogout, which might have led to the setback in his rehab.  However, Gregorius now looks to be on track, and if all things go well, could be on pace to rejoin the Phillies before the end of June.  Now in his second season in Philadelphia, Gregorius was off to a slow start with a .229/.266/.364 slash line in his first 128 plate appearances.

More on other sidelined players from around the majors…

  • Indians right-hander Zach Plesac has been on the 10-day injured list for almost a month due to a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb, but he took another step forward in his recovery process today.  Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer was among those to report that Plesac was set to throw a 40-pitch bullpen session today, with 20 pitches each on flat ground and off a mound.  This is Plesac’s second bullpen session in seven days’ time, so if he emerges in good condition, a rehab assignment might not be too far away.
  • Veteran reliever Joe Smith is also on tap for a bullpen session, with Smith telling reporters (including Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle) that he plans to run through his entire arsenal of pitches when throwing tomorrow.  Elbow soreness sent the Astros righty to the IL on June 9, and he could just need the one bullpen before beginning a minor league rehab assignment.
  • The Pirates shifted right-hander Miguel Yajure from the seven-day minor league IL to the 60-day IL.  Yajure was first sidelined with right elbow/forearm soreness on June 1, and today’s transaction is “just more of a paper move” that “has nothing to do with how he’s progressing or what he’s doing,” manager Derek Shelton told reporters (including Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).  Yajure only just began throwing, and it appears as though he wasn’t going to be back within 60 days from his initial IL placement anyway — as Mackey notes, the Bucs don’t gain a 40-man roster spot with the move, since Yajure was in the minor leagues when first placed on the injured list.  One of the four players acquired from the Yankees in the Jameson Taillon trade back in January, Yajure has a 2.76 ERA over 16 1/3 MLB innings over the last two seasons.
  • Twins right-handed pitching prospect Jhoan Duran was shut down three days ago due to an elbow strain, though the team announced (hat tip to MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park) that surgery wasn’t recommended.  The shutdown will continue for the next 5-6 weeks as Duran’s elbow will continue to be monitored, and there is hope that he can then rehab in time to pitch again before the 2021 season is cover.  Currently ranked as the 80th-best prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, Duran made his Triple-A debut this year but has struggled, posting a 5.06 ERA with 13 walks in 16 innings (though with a 29.33% strikeout rate).
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Cleveland Guardians Houston Astros Minnesota Twins Notes Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates Didi Gregorius Jhoan Duran Joe Smith Miguel Yajure Zach Plesac

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Mike Rizzo, Clayton Kershaw Weigh In On Scherzer/Girardi Debacle

By Steve Adams | June 23, 2021 at 9:40am CDT

We’re just days into the league’s on-the-fly implementation of testing pitchers for foreign substance usage, and the checks have predictably led to some bizarre scenes. A’s reliever Sergio Romo completely removing his belt and dropping his pants will elicit some laughs, but neither the Nationals nor the Phillies found much humor in the new rules yesterday when Philadelphia skipper Joe Girardi called for a check on Washington ace Max Scherzer with a runner on first base in the fourth inning (video link via MLB.com).

An incredulous Scherzer complied, but both he and Nats skipper Davey Martinez were visibly livid with Girardi after the umpiring crew gave us the jarring visual of running a hand through Scherzer’s hair before ultimately clearing him.

Scherzer, who’d already been checked after the first and third innings Tuesday, could visibly be seen yelling, “I’ve got sweat!” to Girardi as he ran his hand through his hair and returned to the mound. He escaped the inning unscathed, went on to complete five frames in his return from the IL and ultimately stared Girardi down as he walked off the field for the last time.

Further fireworks ensued. Girardi was tossed from the game after walking onto the field and challenging the opposing dugout. While some initially believed he was beckoning toward Scherzer, Jomboy astutely points out in a video breakdown that Nats hitting coach Kevin Long, who previously coached under Girardi in New York, was the clear target after lobbing some choice expletives toward his former skipper.

Girardi told reporters after the game that he had all the respect in the world for Scherzer’s career, calling him a future Hall of Famer. However, he also claimed (via Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia) that in more than a decade of watching the three-time Cy Young winner: “I’ve never seen him wipe his head like he was doing tonight. Ever.”

While Girardi insists that he wasn’t “playing games” to disrupt Scherzer’s rhythm on the mound, that defense isn’t flying with the Nationals. Washington general manager Mike Rizzo pulled no punches this morning when calling out Girardi during a weekly radio appearance.

“It’s embarrassing for Girardi,” Rizzo said on 106.7 The Fan (link with audio). “It’s embarrassing for the Phillies. Was he playing games? Of course he was. … He’s a con artist. He’s been doing that for years on TV. … I love Joe Girardi. I’ve seen him play since he was in high school in Peoria, Illinois — scouted him at Northwestern. I know him well. But I know him well.”

Rizzo is hardly the only one taking notice around the league. Fellow multi-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, in his own postgame media session, went out of his way to express bewilderment toward Girardi despite not initially being asked about it (video link via SportsNet LA).

“I will say this,” Kershaw began. “You know how Girardi checked Scherzer, or called him out? I think there should be a punishment if they don’t catch anything on the guy. Scherzer is one of the best pitchers of our generation. To see him get checked … and mess up his rhythm, you better find something if you’re going to call him out like that. Maybe there should be a punishment if a manager checks a guy and there isn’t anything.”

Asked specifically whether managers could deliberately call for a check to disrupt a pitcher, Kershaw acknowledged it as a “good technique” for managers to use. He suggested that perhaps a failed substance check should lead to a team losing a replay challenge to prevent such gamesmanship.

“You get going in a rhythm, and maybe you have a guy on base, and they check you?” Kershaw continued. “It throws you off. It’s something that you’re not used to. … I think there should be some repercussions for managers just doing that on a whim like that, because if you call somebody out — anybody — but [especially] somebody of Max Scherzer’s caliber and you don’t find anything? I think that looks pretty bad on [Girardi’s] part.”

As for Scherzer himself, he expressed frustration regarding not only being called out by Girardi but by the situation in general. The repeated manner in which he ran his hand through his hair, he explained postgame, was in order to get some type of moisture to mix with the rosin he was using. (Pitchers are permitted to either lick their fingers or use sweat in conjunction with rosin under MLB’s current policy.)

“I got sick of licking my fingers and tasting rosin the whole night,” Scherzer explained postgame (video link via MLB.com). “I couldn’t even get sweat from the back of my head because it wasn’t a warm night. The only part that was sweaty on me was my hair, so I had to take off my hat to be able to try to get some moisture on my hand to mix with the rosin.”

Scherzer chuckled as he added that he’d be “an absolute fool” to use any kind of substance on a night when the focus on such usage would be at an all-time high. He further lamented the fact that in the at-bat prior to Girardi calling him out, he’d nearly hit Alec Bohm in the head with a 95 mph fastball that sailed out of his hand due to lack of grip — a common concern we’ve seen expressed both by pitchers and by position players.

Ultimately, Scherzer shifted the focus to commissioner Rob Manfred: “These are Manfred rules — go ask him what he wants to do with this. I’ve said enough.”

Given the ultra-competitive nature of managers and pitchers throughout the league, the stakes that will be on the line as the season progresses and the rather haphazard implementation of the new substance-check policy, it’s likely that Manfred will indeed need to address the issue in a public fashion sooner than later. The Scherzer/Girardi saga may have been the first dust-up but surely won’t be the last.

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Philadelphia Phillies Washington Nationals Joe Girardi Max Scherzer Sticky Stuff

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Minor MLB Transactions: 6/22/21

By Anthony Franco | June 22, 2021 at 10:55pm CDT

The latest minor moves from around baseball:

  • The Diamondbacks announced that utilityman Ildemaro Vargas has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Reno. The 29-year-old has bounced around the league a bit in recent seasons, suiting up for Arizona, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and the Cubs. Through 55 MLB plate appearances in 2021, Vargas has hit just .137/.200/.176. As a player who has previously been outrighted in his career, Vargas has the right to elect free agency.
  • Marlins infielder Deven Marrero has apparently cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment, as he was in tonight’s lineup with Triple-A Jacksonville. Miami designated Marrero for assignment over the weekend. The former Red Sox utilityman only appeared in one MLB game with the Marlins before being removed from the 40-man roster, going hitless in three plate appearances.
  • The Phillies have signed utilityman Jake Elmore to a minor league contract, notes Chris Hilburn-Trenkle of Baseball America. He has been assigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 34-year-old has appeared in parts of six MLB seasons, most recently with the 2019 Pirates. Elmore has a .215/.292/.275 mark in 527 major league plate appearances.
  • The Athletics recently released right-hander Tanner Anderson, Hilburn-Trenkle relays. Also a former Pirate, Anderson pitched in the big leagues between 2018-19. The 28-year-old has worked to a 6.15 ERA/4.88 SIERA over 33 2/3 MLB frames. He’d managed a 3.60 ERA in 15 innings with Triple-A Las Vegas this year, but Anderson only struck out three batters in that time while walking twelve.
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Arizona Diamondbacks Miami Marlins Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Deven Marrero Ildemaro Vargas Jake Elmore Tanner Anderson

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Dylan Cozens To Pursue Football Career

By Steve Adams | June 22, 2021 at 1:20pm CDT

Former Phillies/Rays farmhand and current Brewers minor leaguer Dylan Cozens announced on Twitter today that he plans step away from baseball in order to pursue a career in professional football. Cozens thanked the three organizations in which he’s played for all of the opportunities afforded to him since being selected by Philadelphia in the second round of the 2012 draft but says he’ll now opt to chase another dream: playing in the National Football League.

Cozens, 27, was a defensive end and two-sport star in high school. His father, Randy, was drafted by the Denver Broncos back in 1976. Listed at a hulking 6’6″ and 245 pounds presently, it should come as little surprise that a player with Cozens’ size and athleticism had a scholarship offer to play football at the University of Arizona before opting to sign with the Phillies back in 2012.

For several years after that second-round selection, Cozens ranked as one of the Phillies’ highest-ceiling prospects — but one with a good bit of risk. He garnered praise for his immense power, which he displayed with a 40-homer showing in 134 games of Double-A ball in 2016, but Cozens also came to pro ball with somewhat limited baseball experience and a notable penchant for swinging and missing. Cozens struck out in 31.7 percent of his plate appearances in Double-A that year and saw that rate spike to 35.7 percent over the next two seasons in Triple-A.

Cozens received a pair of brief calls to the Majors in 2018-19 but only tallied 45 plate appearances. His 2019 campaign was ultimately cut short when he required surgery to remove bone spurs and repair cartilage in his left foot. The Phillies released Cozens after that surgery — injured players cannot be outrighted, and the team needed a roster spot — and he opted to sign a two-year minor league deal with the Rays in Aug. 2019 rather than return to the Phils. The idea was that he’d finish up his rehab with the Rays in ’19 and play in their system in 2020, though last year’s minor league season obviously didn’t take place.

Cozens inked a minor league deal with the Brewers back in December and has appeared in 31 games this year, batting .177/.343/.329 with two homers, four doubles, a triple and four stolen bases in 100 plate appearances. The steals may surprise some, but despite his size, Cozens has swiped 110 bags in 145 tries as a minor leaguer — a testament to his athleticism.

Cozens will have a long road to walk if he ultimately realizes his dream of reaching the top level in a second major sports league, but he’s young enough that it’s certainly not implausible. Despite having played in parts of nine minor league seasons, Cozens only celebrated his 27th birthday on May 31. Best of luck to him in the next phase of his career.

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Milwaukee Brewers Philadelphia Phillies Tampa Bay Rays Dylan Cozens

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Phillies Place Matt Joyce, Andrew Knapp On Injured List, Call Up Matt Vierling, Rafael Marchan

By TC Zencka | June 19, 2021 at 12:22pm CDT

The Phillies announced a number of roster moves this afternoon. Matt Joyce has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain and Andrew Knapp has been placed on the 7-day injured list because of a concussion. In their place, the Phillies have selected the contract of outfielder Matt Vierling and recalled catcher Rafael Marchan from Triple-A.

The 36-year-old Joyce has had a limited impact this season as an extra bat off the bench. In 62 plate appearances across 36 games, Joyce has slashed .100/.258/.240. In his defense, most of that action has come in a pinch-hitting role. True to his reputation, he’s also maintained a positive approach, posting a 16.1 percent walk rate and 22.6 percent strikeout rate. He has not been helped by an .086 BABIP mark.

The 24-year-old Vierling has not yet appeared in the Majors. He is, in fact, making the jump after just three games at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He had not appeared above High-A before this season. Regardless, he ’s been on point so far this season, slashing a combined .354/.426/.616 in 115 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A.

Like Joyce, Knapp has had a tough go of it this season: -1.0 bWAR and a triple slash line of .174/.234/.221 that’s far from characteristic of what the Phillies have come to expect from their long-time backup catcher.

Marchan has had a taste of the bigs in five games of action this season. He should slide seamlessly into his role backing up J.T. Realmuto.

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Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Andrew Knapp Matt Joyce Matt Vierling Rafael Marchan

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Phillies Jean Segura Out Three Weeks With Groin Strain

By Mark Polishuk | June 16, 2021 at 7:44pm CDT

7:44 pm: The Phillies are placing Segura on the 10-day IL, Girardi told reporters (including Matt Gelb of the Athletic). Maton has indeed been recalled to replace him. GM Sam Fuld said Segura suffered a Grade 1 groin strain and is expected to miss three weeks (via Zolecki).

7:57 am: Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to the Dodgers was a particularly tough night for the Phillies, due to injuries to both Bryce Harper and Jean Segura.  Harper left the game in the fourth inning due to lower back tightness, while Segura came up limping after beating out a grounder to first base in the ninth.  Segura was replaced for pinch-runner Andrew Knapp, as the backup catcher was the last man remaining on Philadelphia’s bench after Harper’s injury and other in-game substitutions.

Segura’s injury was labeled a left groin strain, and manager Joe Girardi told reporters (including MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki) after the game that “I’m not so confident that’s day to day,” so a trip to the 10-day injured list certainly looks to be in the cards for the infielder.  This would Segura’s second IL stint of the season, after a right squad strain sidelined for 15 games in late April and early May.

Despite the missed time, Segura has still been one of the Phillies’ best hitters this season, and he has been on pace for the best numbers of his 10-year career.  Segura has hit .332/.379/.465 over 203 plate appearances (133 wRC+, 136 OPS+), cracking three homers and scoring 24 runs.  While Segura has benefited from a sky-high .378 BABIP and his .365 wOBA far outpaces his .321 xwOBA, he has also been one of the league’s harder player to strike out.  Now in his second year as the Phils’ starting second baseman, Segura is also delivering above-average glovework, as per the Outs Above Average (+4) and Defensive Runs Saved (+4) metrics, though UZR/150 (-7.4) isn’t a fan of his defense at the keystone.

Nick Maton would be the likeliest Triple-A call-up if Segura did hit the injured list, as Maton has the second-most innings at second base of any Phillies player this season.  The rookie got off to a hot start in his first MLB season, but an 0-for-20 slump resulted in Maton being sent to Triple-A last week.  Ronald Torreyes and Brad Miller are second-base options on the active roster, though Torreyes has been starting at shortstop in the wake of Maton’s slump and Miller’s utilityman skills might be required in the outfield with Harper hurting.

In the bigger picture, however, there’s really no ideal way for the Phillies to replace Segura and Harper if both miss a substantial amount of time.  Philadelphia is in second place in the NL East but with only a 32-33 record, and the team sits five games back of both the division lead and the second NL wild card berth.  If the Phillies continue to hover around the .500 mark and can’t gain any ground in either playoff race, it remains to be seen how aggressive the team might be at the trade deadline (or, if they might pivot to selling some players).

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Philadelphia Phillies Jean Segura

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Bryce Harper Removed From Game Due To Back Tightness

By Tim Dierkes | June 16, 2021 at 9:59am CDT

TODAY: Harper left the game due to tightness in his lower back.  Girardi told MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki and other reporters that Harper might not play in today’s game, though Harper’s recurring back issues aren’t thought to be a long-term issue.  “I think he’ll be a player for us on Friday,” Girardi said, referring to Philadelphia’s next game.

JUNE 15: Phillies star right fielder Bryce Harper was removed from tonight’s game against the Dodgers in the fourth inning, reports Matt Gelb of The Athletic.  “Looks like he hurt his back on a swing,” according to Gelb.

Harper was day-to-day with lower back tightness at one point in mid-April, but only took one day off for the issue.  He suffered a terrifying injury later that month, taking a Genesis Cabrera fastball to his left cheek.  He actually avoided the IL immediately after that one, dealing with various nagging injuries until the Phillies put him on the shelf for a left forearm contusion in late May.  Phils manager Joe Girardi wasn’t particularly forthcoming during that period, so who knows what we’ll get on the latest Harper injury.  The Phillies, 4.5 games back in both the NL East and the Wild Card at the time of this writing, can’t afford an extended absence from Harper.

Meanwhile, we learned today that Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius has been slow to recover from an elbow injury due to something called “pseudogout.”  According to the Mayo Clinic, pseudogout is “a form of arthritis characterized by sudden, painful swelling in one or more of your joints.”  Gregorius last played for the Phillies on May 12th.

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Philadelphia Phillies Bryce Harper Didi Gregorius

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Phillies Sign Brock Stassi

By Anthony Franco | June 15, 2021 at 2:52pm CDT

The Phillies have signed first baseman Brock Stassi to a minor league contract, per an announcement from the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. Stassi had played in thirteen games with the Ducks before earning his way back into the affiliated ranks. He’ll be assigned to Double-A Reading.

Stassi (the older brother of Angels catcher Max Stassi) is most well known for his previous stint with the Phillies. The former 33rd-round pick and six-year minor league veteran broke camp with the Phils in 2017 and picked up fairly regular playing time over the season’s first month. Stassi didn’t produce much in that limited time, hitting just .167/.278/.295 with a pair of homers over ninety plate appearances.

Philadelphia outrighted Stassi off the roster near the end of that season. He’s hooked on with the Giants and Twins in recent years but hasn’t made it back to the big leagues. The 31-year-old has a .264/.364/.403 line in parts of four seasons at Triple-A, and he’s compiled a similar .271/.356/.404 mark at Double-A.

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Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Brock Stassi

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