What was mostly a perfect game for the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday now has a bit of a different tone after the most recent news.
During the Phillies' 16-2 win against the Marlins, All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto fouled a pitch off his left knee that looked very painful as the catcher stumbled around the plate. He stayed in the game and subsequently lined a ball into centerfield to drive in the seventh run of the game for the Phillies before being lifted for Garrett Stubbs soon after.
On Sunday, manager Rob Thomson spoke to the media about Realmuto's injury, stating that he felt "much better today than yesterday" and could be available to play in a day or two.
Phillies’ latest J.T. Realmuto injury update is disappointingly familiar
Now, with contradicting news this afternoon regarding the timeline for the 33-year-old's return, Phillies fans are seeing a similar picture to that of Alec Bohm's recent hand injury. Before the Phillies' series opener with the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, Thomson reportedly said Realmuto could play on Friday, per The Philadelphia Inquirer's Scott Lauber.
J.T. Realmuto could play by the start of the Mets series on Friday, Rob Thomson said. Still some swelling and fluid in his bruised left knee. #Phillies hoped that he could test it by catching a bullpen session today, but that will wait until at least tomorrow.
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) September 9, 2024
When Bohm first sat down after his hand injury, the team reassured us that it wouldn't require a stint on the Injured List and he merely needed a few days off. Six games later, Bohm's hand wasn't getting better, which forced him to the IL.
Now Realmuto has a similar road to return, which began at a "day or two," with a bullpen session scheduled on Monday to see where he was at and has now turned to a potential return during the New York Mets series on Friday. If Realmuto returns on Friday, it will be a week after he originally hurt his knee.
The Phillies and their longtime catcher did catch one break in all of this, however. Luckily, the ball was fouled off his left knee, not his surgically repaired right knee that was just attended to in June.
While it is important for the Phillies to go into the postseason completely healthy and firing on all cylinders, there is still a race for the top two seeds in the National League bracket. Missing one of the best catchers in baseball will certainly affect the outlook for the rest of the season, depending on when the perennial All-Star will actually be able to get back behind the plate.