Phillies welcome key reinforcements back to the lineup before Mets series

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets play each other seven times in the next 10 days, with the games having crucial playoff implications for both teams. The Mets are looking to keep surging past the Atlanta Braves, while the Phillies are hoping to close in on clinching the NL East and securing one of the top two seeds in the NL.

The Phillies have been banged up lately, with multiple regulars hitting the shelf over the last couple of weeks. Luckily for the Phillies, they're getting some reinforcements for this weekend's three-game series that begins Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are back for the Phillies' series with the Mets

On Friday afternoon, the Phillies announced, finally, that designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and catcher J.T. Realmuto are back in the lineup. Neither player was on the injured list, but the team has been without their services in recent games.

Schwarber left Tuesday's game after bruising and hyperextending his left elbow on a dive into first base on a pickoff attempt. The Phillies were never seriously concerned about it, but it affected his swing enough to keep him out of the lineup in Wednesday's series finale with the Rays.

Schwarber set the MLB single-season record for leadoff home runs with his 14th of the year before being forced out of the game. The Phillies slugger is batting .251/.372/.496 with 35 home runs, 95 RBI and 100 runs scored on the season.

Realmuto has been out since leaving last Friday's game against the Miami Marlins after fouling a ball off his left knee. The Phillies initially thought he would be out one or two days, but it took longer for the swelling to go down and the fluid to drain.

Realmuto has only played in 86 games this season after undergoing surgery on his right knee earlier in the year. He's batting .266/.322/.425 with 12 home runs, 40 RBI and 44 runs scored.