Phillies injury updates: Five players working back from the disabled list

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 17: J.P. Crawford #2 of the Philadelphia Phillies in action against the Oakland Athletics during a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 17, 2017. The A's defeated the Phillies 6-3. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 17: J.P. Crawford #2 of the Philadelphia Phillies in action against the Oakland Athletics during a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 17, 2017. The A's defeated the Phillies 6-3. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Many of the Phillies injured players are getting closer to returning

Five Phillies players are working back from injuries as the club starts the second half of the season, and the organization gave updates on each of them.

Former top prospect J.P. Crawford is still recovering from a broken hand, and was cleared for hitting and fielding, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark.

Crawford broke his left hand on June 19 during a 2-14 hitting spell while coming off an earlier elbow injury. He could begin a rehab assignment for the hand in the near future.

He’ll likely platoon with Scott Kingery at shortstop unless a trade is made involving Eduardo Escobar or another veteran shortstop.

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Starter Jerad Eickhoff has missed all season with numbness/tingling in his pitching fingers. He received a cortisone shot on Monday and will resume a throwing program. Eickhoff hasn’t pitched a major league game since August 30, 2017. He started this season on the disabled list with a right lat strain, but the nerve issue that sidelined him last year came back to haunt him during his rehab this season.

Pedro Florimon is closer to returning after breaking his foot on May 29 against the Dodgers. Tom Housenick says Florimon is a couple days behind Crawford in his recovery, which suggests he could be cleared for on-field activities soon.

Rounding out the list of injured big leaguers is Zach Eflin, who missed his last start with a blister on a pitching finger. He’s scheduled to start Monday against the Dodgers at home, and Enyel De Los Santos has been returned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

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While the big leaguers are getting healthy, the Phillies announced that pitching prospect JoJo Romero, #6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was placed on the disabled list with an oblique injury.

This is really bad for the Phillies considering Romero was a potential trade candidate with the deadline less than two weeks away. Expect the organization to exercise extreme caution with their top southpaw pitching prospect.