Just Brutal: Rhys Hoskins Likely Done For Season, Zach Eflin Scratched
Rhys Hoskins’ return to action lasted less than a week.
The Phillies announced prior to the start of their four-game set with the Diamondbacks that Hoskins will return to the injured list because of a lingering groin injury.
Asked before the game if Hoskins could miss the remainder of the season, manager Joe Girardi acknowledged the possibility.
“It’s possible, yeah,” he said.
Girardi noted the team is still going through information on his status and will know more in a couple days.
Hoskins, who revealed he has been dealing with a lower abdomen injury for months, was more direct, telling reporters he expects to have surgery and miss the remainder of the season.
Rhys Hoskins does not think he will play again the rest of this year and thinks he will have surgery soon
“It stinks” pic.twitter.com/50jPwYdoWt
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 26, 2021
“I know surgery soon is an option. It’s being talked about,” Hoskins said. “I don’t think I’ll be playing at all for the rest of the year.”
Despite playing in just 107 games this season, Hoskins leads the Phillies with 27 homers. He returned last Sunday against the Padres, going deep twice in a series-clinching win.
After a pinch-hit appearance Tuesday and a start last night in which he was clearly limited, the Phillies decided to shut him down again.
“He’s really sore, so we met, he had another MRI, and we knew it was going to be tricky — that we would have to manage it,” Girardi said. “We talked about maybe playing every other day and at least playing against left-handers.
“And you can see that hitting he seems to do O.K., but it’s everything else. I think that play yesterday really aggravated it. We almost took him out right there, so we IL’d him.”
https://twitter.com/BrodesMedia/status/1430683800233730048?s=20
Hoskins’ absence looms large for a struggling offense that remains in the midst of a prolonged two-week slump. In their previous 11 games without Hoskins in the starting lineup, the Phillies have averaged just 2.64 runs per contest.
Brad Miller, who has mostly started in place of Hoskins, is hitting just .154 in 52 August at-bats.
While he figures to remain in the mix for playing time at first base, Girardi hinted the team may try some alternative approaches.
“Those are things that we’re working through, too,” he said. “We have some different ideas. I’m not quite ready to share yet because we haven’t talked to everyone with the ideas, but [there are] some different things that we’re thinking about.”
What could those “different things” possibly look like?
Miller, who starts tonight, figures to receive more playing time, but perhaps Alec Bohm returns after a short stint at Lehigh Valley and sees some time.
If the Phillies want to get weird and mix things up, they could elect to recall Rafael Marchan to catch and work in J.T. Realmuto at first. They could also move Freddy Galvis across the diamond.
Stay tuned.
Zach Eflin Scratched
The Hoskins update wasn’t the extent of tough injury news for the Phillies.
Zach Eflin, who was slated to start tonight for the first time since July 16, was scratched earlier this afternoon.
Girardi indicated Eflin’s knee tendinitis “flared up” earlier in the day. For the time being, Eflin won’t return to the injured list, but Matt Moore will again start in his place.
“It’s been quite the day,” Girardi said.