Howie Kendrick’s imminent return to the lineup
One of the Phillies biggest acquisitions of the offseason has been largely forgotten by the fan base thanks to an oblique injury. Left fielder Howie Kendrick was cruising through the first 10 games of the season before a diving catch landed him on ice.
Now after missing 34 games with the injury, the veteran is due to return after a four-game rehab stint in Lehigh Valley. Where Kendrick fits onto the depth chart is a question considering the emergence of Aaron Altherr in his absence.
Kendrick is getting time at three positions while rehabbing with the IronPigs: left field, first base, and third. The later will be more of an experiment with Maikel Franco struggling, as Kendrick has limited appearances at the hot corner in his career.
With Odubel Herrera striking out five times Thursday, expect the center fielder to get time off to reset mentally. That spells more time for Aaron Altherr in center field, thus opening a role for Kendrick in left.