PHILADELPHIA — Having to put half your infield on the injured list before a key division series is less than ideal, but it’s what the Phillies faced on Monday.
Trea Turner and Alec Bohm were placed on the 10-day IL ahead of a four-game set with the New York Mets. Turner has a Grade 1 hamstring strain, according to an MRI on Monday. Bohm is dealing with persistent soreness in his left shoulder.
Manager Rob Thomson expects Bohm back after 10 days and Turner to be ready for the postseason.
“We expect him back by playoff time,” Thomson said.
In the meantime, the Phillies recalled Otto Kemp from Triple A. They selected the contract of Donovan Walton, who played parts of five seasons with Seattle and San Francisco. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Phillies are expected to place Daniel Robert (flexor strain) on the 60-day injured list, though a formal announcement has not yet been made.
Turner tweaked his hamstring on Sunday in Miami while running out a ground ball. He immediately took himself out of the game in the seventh inning.
Thomson had given Turner the day off Saturday, saying Turner reported feeling “a littlebanged up,” but Thomson didn’t think it was anything that would precipitate the strain.
Turner missed six weeks in 2024 with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and took several more weeks to feel back to his normal self. This diagnosis is less severe and “actually better than what we expected,” Thomson said.
Thomson said Bohm has “been grinding with this left shoulder” for seven to 10 days, and the team decided to give him a break to stop the problem from progressing. Thomson didn’t cite a specific incident.
The Phillies have 19 games left in the regular season. Should they earn the bye as the second seed in the National League – they enter Monday four games up on the Dodgers for that spot – they would open the Division Series on Sept. 30.
“It’s always imperative to me, and especially now,” Thomson said. “I think we need to give these guys some time off. So we’ve got to go for it.”
Edmundo Sosa started at shortstop Monday night. Bryson Stott is another option to play, while Donovan Walton has experience there in the big leagues. Kemp started at third. Thomson mentioned Weston Wilson as a shortstop option as well, while top prospect Aidan Miller was not considered as a replacement, Thomson said.
To fill the hole at leadoff, Bryce Harper moved up to the top spot. Harper has started 37 career games at leadoff. Harper started one game in the leadoff spot in 2022 and eight in 2019. He’s a career .271 hitter with 11 homers and 28 RBIs in 144 at-bats batting leadoff.
Thomson said Harper was on board with the plan, which included not wanting to budge last year’s leadoff man Kyle Schwarber from the second spot in which he’s been effective this year.
“We want to stack all those guys at the top,” Thomson said. “I think Schwarb gives Harp a little bit more protection hitting behind him. Schwarb has been in the two spot all year, and he’s had his most productive year. Harp was good with it. They were all like, whatever you want to do, we’re good.”
Nick Castellanos returned to the outfield against a right-handed pitcher, in part because Brandon Marsh is dealing with a bout of the flu.
Robert was placed on the IL with forearm tightness last week. He’ll be shut down from throwing for at least three weeks, though an MRI showed only a flexor strain, meaning he avoids Tommy John surgery.
Walton has played 72 big league games, spending 2019-22 with Seattle before stints with the Giants in 2022 and 2024. He’s a lifetime .174 hitter. He has played 23 games at shortstop (18 starts).
He signed as a free agent with the Mets last November, was acquired in a cash deal by the Phillies on July 1 and has hit .339 with two homers and 27 RBIs with in 50 games with Lehigh Valley. He’s played 35 games at second base, four at third base and 11 at shortstop with the IronPigs.
“From what AC (Lehigh Valley manager Anthony Contreras) says, he’s really savvy player, knows how to play the game, does all the little things right,” Thomson said. “He’s swinging the bat well right now. He can play second, third and short.”
Source: Berkshire mont