Thursday’s game started out so well for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Miami Marlins. Then things went downhill quickly. Very, very quickly.
It went from a spectacular start from ace Zack Wheeler that the Phillies were in full control of, leading 3-0 heading into the seventh inning. It ended up as a sloppy, injured-riddled loss.
Devastating Bryce Harper injury caps Phillies' brutal night
Aside from shockingly losing the game 7-4, the Phillies may also be staring down potentially devastating injuries to Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.
Starter Zack Wheeler cruised through 6 2/3 innings and looked like he had extricated himself from the seventh when home plate umpire Emil Jimenez missed a strike three call. Instead of the inning ending with the Phillies still up 3-0, the Marlins’ Ali Sánchez singled, and everything unraveled for the Phillies.
Matt Strahm came out of the bullpen and loaded the bases by hitting Jazz Chisholm Jr., which were then promptly cleared by a three-run double off the bat of Bryan De La Cruz. Strahm left the mound trailing 4-3.
The Phillies tied it in the bottom of the inning on an Alec Bohm sacrifice fly, but Jeff Hoffman coughed up two runs in the eighth. The Marlins tacked on another run in the ninth. But by the end of the night, that was least of the Phillies' concerns.
Things go from bad to worse with injuries to Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber
Things went from bad to worse for the Phillies in the ninth inning. Schwarber was pulled from the game before the inning, with Brandon Marsh taking his spot in left field. The team announced that their regular designated hitter, who was making just his third start in the field this season, left with a groin strain.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, fans at Citizens Bank Park and watching at home collectively felt their stomachs sink on the final play of the game.
With two out, Harper attempted to run out a ground ball to the right side. Racing Marlins pitcher Tanner Scott, Harper hit first base awkwardly and immediately reached for his left hamstring. He looked to be in considerable pain as he limped off the field and headed directly down the tunnel.
Needless to say, the NL East-leading Phillies would be facing a devastating loss if they were to lose both Schwarber and Harper for any length of time.
Schwarber is hitting .250 with an .820 OPS with 17 home runs and 49 RBI out of the leadoff spot this season.
Harper is having an MVP-caliber year, hitting .303 with a .981 OPS, 20 home runs and 58 RBI. In a cruel twist of fate, he was named as the starting NL first baseman for this year’s All-Star Game earlier in the evening.
According to MLB.com’s Paul Casella, after the game Phillies manager Rob Thomson said they wouldn’t have any updates on either player until Friday. Until then, all we can do is hold our breath and hope for the best.