The Philadelphia Phillies have placed catcher J.T. Realmuto on the 10-day injured list as a result of right knee pain, via Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. As a corresponding move, the Phillies have called up catcher Rafael Marchan from Triple-A Lehigh.
Realmuto will undergo right knee menisectomy surgery on Wednesday, per Coffey.
The three-time All-Star has been playing through knee pain throughout the season, but apparently, it became too much for him to bear.
Realmuto is slashing .261/.309/.411 with seven home runs and 20 RBI over 223 plate appearances in 2024. It has been, by far, his least productive offensive campaign since arriving in Philadelphia in 2019. It also represents his worst offensive season overall since his rookie campaign in 2015, when he slashed .259/.290/.406 with the Miami Marlins.
The Phillies entered Tuesday's action with the best record in the National League at 45-20. They hold a comfortable nine-game lead over the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East and are aiming to make their third straight playoff appearance.
J.T. Realmuto's absence could be a big deal for the Phillies
Realmuto is one of the best backstops in all of baseball, so his absence will be a significant deal for the Phillies, especially if he is sidelined for an extended period of time. His primary backup, Garrett Stubbs, has played in 19 games this season and has slashed a paltry .173/.291/.192 across 59 trips to the dish.
Meanwhile, in 13 minor-league contests between Single-A Clearwater and Triple-A Lehigh this year, Marchan is slashing .233/.382/.395 with two homers and eight RBI through 55 plate appearances. He posted an .839 OPS in 55 minor-league games last year.
The good news is that Philadelphia is an incredibly deep team that excels in all areas, so it should at least be able to hold down the fort until Realmuto returns.
The Phillies have three hitters with an OPS over .800, with Bryce Harper leading the way at .920. However, one of those three position players, shortstop Trea Turner, is currently on the injured list due to a hamstring issue. He should be returning soon.
Where Philadelphia has truly been dominant is its starting rotation, as four of its five starters boast ERAs under 3. Ranger Suarez is on top with a 1.81 ERA, and Zack Wheeler is not too far behind at 2.23. As a team, the Phils rank second in baseball with a 2.93 ERA.
The Phillies have been one of the most successful in the league since 2022. They made the World Series two years ago, falling to the Houston Astros in six games. Last October, Philadelphia lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a seven-game NLCS.
Oddly enough, the Phils only won 87 games in 2022 and 90 games last season. They finished third in the NL East in the former campaign and second in 2023. However, the Phillies have played particularly great when it counts, making back-to-back deep playoff runs.
This time around, Philadelphia is also establishing itself as a dominant regular-season team and is the clear favorite to represent the National League in the World Series. Of course, the Phillies will face stiff competition from the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers and also clubs like the Milwaukee Brewers.
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