Phillies have faced an unfortunate trend of hamstring injuries this season originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia
When Bryce Harper began limping while throwing a grounder against the Marlins on Thursday night, he became the third Phillies position player this season to go on the injured list due to a strained hamstring.
Shortstop Trea Turner missed six weeks and outfielder Brandon Marsh 10 days earlier in the year, also with strained hamstrings.
The initial indication is that Harper is expected to return sooner rather than later, but it still raises the question of whether there is anything the team can do to prevent this and similar injuries; Kyle Schwarber is also out with a groin strain.
“We do autopsies on everything,” manager Rob Thomson said before Saturday’s game against the Marlins. “They (athletic coaches) do that. I do it myself. I go back and look at all my paperwork. OK, did I make a mistake here? Did I play many days in a row? Or did you not give them enough DH days? Whatever. We’re always checking in with ourselves to make sure we’re doing what’s right, and if we need to make adjustments, we do.
“At this point, I think it’s just a coincidence. But they are still working on it.”
With all the modern science available and the huge financial investments involved, teams try to be hypervigilant when it comes to trying to keep players on the field.
For example, left-handers Cristopher Sánchez and Ranger Suárez are on track to accumulate heavier workloads than in the past. As a result, the team is keeping an eye on advanced metrics like extension and spin rate in addition to speed to spot any warning signs that they might be starting to wear out.
“I’m a little . . . I’m not worried (about them), but it’s on my mind all the time,” Thomson said. we will.”
ON THE BUMP: Marlins RHP Yonny Chirinos (0-2, 2.70) will face LHP Ranger Suárez (10-2, 2.01) in the series finale on Sunday at 1:35 p.m.
After a bad day, the Phillies return to the road beginning a three-game series against the Cubs with RHP Michael Mercado, RHP Zack Wheeler and LHP Cristopher Sánchez lined up to pitch on Chicago’s North Side.
It will be the first big league start for the 25-year-old Mercado, who made his Major League debut in an inning of relief at Detroit on June 24. “I think he is quite balanced. But this will be a great start for him,” said Rob Thomson. “Wrigley Field. I’m sure his parents will fly in. So we’ll see how he reacts.”
In 14 games for the IronPigs, 10 of them as a starter, he had an earned run average of 1.71. He will be limited to about 90 pitches.
Thomson was asked if he had considered moving Wheeler and Mercado, which would have allowed Aaron Nola, Suárez and Wheeler to play against the division rival Braves next weekend in Atlanta. “Yes, but because of the 115 pitches (thrown by Wheeler on Thursday) and the complete game (by Sánchez on Friday), I think it’s smarter to take care of these guys and give them an extra day,” he explained.
SCORECARD NOTES: The Phillies have used three different designated hitters — Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm — in the last three games and Rob Thomson said a modified version will likely continue even after Kyle Schwarber (groin strain) returns from the IL. The coach said it’s “huge” to get some of the other position players what he calls a “half day off” and that he won’t hesitate to use Schwarber as a backup in those situations.
Right-handed reliever Luis Ortiz will undergo Tommy John surgery on July 11. He was recalled from his rehab assignment at Triple-A Lehigh Valley on June 18 with forearm tightness. He opened the season on the IL with a sprained ankle, but was shut down with shoulder pain on his first attempt to return.
