Phillies scratch Schwarber from lineup but expect reinforcements Friday

Phillies scratch Schwarber from lineup but expect reinforcements Friday originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Initially in the lineup Wednesday, Kyle Schwarber was scratched the night after suffering an elbow contusion/hyperextension on a dive back to first base on a pickoff attempt.

Schwarber tried to hit in the cage and the injury was “still affecting his swing a little bit,” manager Rob Thomson said.

“He’s feeling better but it’s just a precaution, we took him out. He’ll be back Friday,” Thomson said.

Both Schwarber and catcher J.T. Realmuto are on track to the lineup Friday for the Phillies’ series opener against the Mets. Realmuto has been out since fouling a ball off his left knee last Friday in Miami.

Alec Bohm continues to progress slowly from a left hand strain. The Phillies tried to have him swing with a regular bat on Tuesday but he was still unable to do so without feeling pain.

“He can swing fine with a short bat,” Thomson said. “We’ll still try to get a regular bat in his hand today, but he’ll do all of his non-game activities, take groundballs, run, throw, hit in the cage.”

The Bohm injury will be a concern until he’s back and looking like himself at the plate. He’s such an important piece of the Phillies’ offense and the bottom hand is so important to a player’s swing. Bohm’s been out since August 29 and his IL stint is backdated to September 3, but he probably won’t be ready when first eligible to return Friday. The Phillies want to see him swing pain-free in the cage or in batting practice on consecutive days. With just 17 games left, there isn’t a ton of time for him to regain his midseason form at the plate.

Left fielder Austin Hays is still moving slowly and taking things one day at a time as he deals with a kidney infection. It’s an experience unlike any he’s had and fatigue has been a big factor. He figures to miss most, if not all of September.

Infielder Edmundo Sosa (back spasms) should be back on Monday in Milwaukee.

“No,” Thomson said Wednesday when asked if he was worried about the timing of these injuries with the NLDS beginning in 3½ weeks, “because I think J.T. will be back Friday, Schwarber will be back Friday, Sosa will just be the 10 days. So we’re getting healthy and I like where we’re at.”

The Phillies have rolled along despite it, winning 18 of their last 25 games. They entered Wednesday’s series finale against the Rays with the best record in baseball at 87-58, a game better than the Dodgers along with the tiebreaker, making it a de facto two-game lead.