Marsh (hamstring) exits rehab appearance early

CHICAGO -- Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh was removed from his fourth rehab game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday due to a cramp in his right hamstring, according to manager Rob Thomson.

Marsh hit twice (striking out both times) and started in center field for the IronPigs, but he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the sixth. It turned out he had cramping in the same hamstring he strained April 16, which landed him on the 10-day injured list on April 20 (retroactive to April 17).

Marsh will meet the team back in Philadelphia on Monday, when he’ll be reevaluated.

Prior to the cramping, Marsh had hit .182 and struck out six times in 11 Triple-A at-bats, though he did walk three times. Before the injury, he was hitting .095 in 17 games with the Phillies and had struck out 16 times in 42 at-bats. Getting the opportunity to find his rhythm at the plate away from the bright lights of the big leagues while on a Minor League rehab assignment could have been seen as a silver lining.

“I think it's good for him, sure, because you could see the sawdust coming out of his hands as he's at the plate,” Thomson said Friday. “He's just trying to do too much. It's a process, and it takes time.”

Marsh’s numbers didn’t quite show it, but the coaches felt he had made some progress.

“Everything that people were talking about seemed to be positive,” Thomson said before Sunday night’s series finale against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. “I watched his at-bats yesterday. It looked like his timing is OK, so we'll see. [Hitting coach Kevin] Long seemed to like the swings and the timing and the balance.”

Marsh was eligible to be activated Sunday, but Thomson had noted on Saturday that the rehab assignment could go on into the week. It appears the hamstring setback will delay Marsh's return, and it’s currently unclear when he’ll get back into game action.

“I'm not even sure if he's going to continue [on this rehab assignment] at this point,” Thomson said. “We got to make sure it's gone.”

Suárez closing in on season debut

Left-hander Ranger Suárez made his fourth rehab start Sunday afternoon with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The plan entering the outing was for him to throw around 80 pitches.

The 29-year-old tossed 4 2/3 innings for the IronPigs, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out eight. He was removed from his start before he could get through the fifth, but that was simply a result of his pitch count -- he had thrown 78 pitches at that point -- as opposed to any sort of setback.

“[If] he gets into a long at-bat, now either you have to take him out in the middle of an at-bat or he goes over his pitch count,” Thomson said. “Better safe than sorry.”

Suárez started the season on the 15-day injured list with lower back stiffness. Though he was eligible to come off the IL on April 8, Philadelphia hasn’t rushed him back and has instead let him progress at his own pace.

As for when Suárez will return, the team hasn’t announced its probable starters for the upcoming homestand beyond Tuesday, when right-hander Zack Wheeler will get the ball. It’s unclear if Suárez will make another rehab start, though Thomson did say Friday that “I'd like to get a guy to 90-95 pitches before he comes back here.”

Suárez will also meet the team in Philadelphia this week, and it’ll be determined Monday or Tuesday if he needs another turn on his rehab assignment, or if he’s ready to join the big league rotation. Regardless of when his first start comes, though, the Phillies will be happy to have a 2024 All-Star arm back in the rotation.

“If he's pitching like Ranger can pitch, and it looks like he has been, I think it's great,” Thomson said. “I think when he's good, he's one of the best in the league.”