The Philadelphia Phillies, losers of seven straight and owners of the worst run differential in MLB, will be without their starting catcher for at least 10 days.
J.T. Realmuto has been placed on the injured list Wednesday with a lower back injury. Realmuto had missed two games but played Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs, only for the injury to be too restrictive. Garrett Stubbs was promoted from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and will split time behind the plate with Rafael Marchán.
It’s just another blow to a Phillies team that has dug itself a sizable hole. Realmuto has played through nagging back and foot injuries in the first few weeks of this season, but he’s been one of the few right-handed hitters on the roster with a pulse. He has batted .259/.344/.352 in 61 plate appearances.
This is only the third time in Realmuto’s eight years with the Phillies that he’ll be on the injured list. He missed 10 days in 2021 with a bruised hand and almost six weeks in 2024 with a torn meniscus.
Marchán, pressed into more action than expected this month, has begun the season 2-for-31 (.065) with a homer and seven strikeouts. Stubbs hit .289/.413/.632 in 46 plate appearances with Lehigh Valley this season. To make room for Stubbs on the 40-man roster, the Phillies transferred right-hander Max Lazar to the 60-day injured list.
