SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Phillies don¡¯t have unlimited outfielders, so it was troubling on Sunday afternoon to see both left fielder Max Kepler and center fielder Brandon Marsh leave a Grapefruit League game at Ed Smith Stadium because of injuries.
Both said afterward they will be OK. The Phillies said both left the club¡¯s 12-1 win over the Orioles for precautionary reasons with Opening Day 11 days away.
Kepler ran into the short left-field wall in the first inning. He suffered a bruised lower back.
Marsh slipped on the warning track in left-center field in the first inning and landed hard on his left knee. He landed on the same knee again in third, making a catch in center. He suffered a bruise.
¡°I¡¯m all right,¡± Kepler said. ¡°At this point, it¡¯s just a bruise. That¡¯s what it feels like. Kind of like I got hit by a pitch.¡±
¡°It was ice out on the track, it felt like today,¡± Marsh said. ¡°The first step I took on the track, I just lost complete footing and just came down, and banged my knee pretty good. Nothing serious, just banged it pretty good on what felt like gravel out there. The one that [Cedric] Mullins hit [in the third], it should have been a routine play right to my left, but that wind just killed it. I did the side slide and just landed on the same knee again. Nothing big, nothing too major.¡±
Both Kepler and Marsh said they would have tried to stay in the game if it were the regular season.
¡°I would have tried to grind through that, yeah,¡± Kepler said.
¡°Most definitely,¡± Marsh said.
Still, neither will play against the Blue Jays on Monday as previously scheduled.
¡°I¡¯m not worried about it,¡± manager Rob Thomson said. ¡°They¡¯ve got plenty of at-bats. They¡¯ve had good at-bats. I don¡¯t want to do anything to mess up their rhythm or timing or swings.¡±
The Phillies are already without utility player Weston Wilson, who will be sidelined a few more weeks because of a strained oblique. Center fielder Johan Rojas has not played in the outfield this spring after injuring his right shoulder in winter ball. He will throw to bases on Monday. He could play in the field later this week.
The remaining players on the 40-man roster who can play the outfield -- not including Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber -- are Edmundo Sosa, Kody Clemens, Buddy Kennedy and Cal Stevenson. Outfielder Oscar Mercado is a non-roster invitee. Infielder Christian Arroyo is in camp as a non-roster invitee. He has played 17 games in the big leagues in right field. Arroyo replaced Kepler in left on Sunday, but Thomson said he needs more reps in the outfield.
Strahm throwing
Matt Strahm is pain-free in his left shoulder, which is good news for him and the Phillies¡¯ bullpen.
Strahm has not pitched since March 5 because of inflammation and a bone bruise in the shoulder. But he passed a strength test and threw to 75 feet on Saturday. He planned to throw to 90 feet on Sunday.
Strahm seems to be moving in the right direction, but he might not have enough time to be ready by Opening Day on March 27. If he opens the season on the 15-day injured list, it can be backdated three days from the beginning of the season. Theoretically, Strahm could be back on April 8 in Atlanta. In that scenario, he would miss the season¡¯s first nine games.
¡°I¡¯ll be ready,¡± Strahm said at BayCare Ballpark. ¡°But it¡¯s up to them. I think I¡¯m ready now and I¡¯ve only thrown 75 feet. I think I¡¯ll probably have a better feel for it in three, four days. I¡¯ve got to get to that mound.¡±
Left-handers Jos¨¦ Alvarado and Tanner Banks and right-handers Orion Kerkering, Jordan Romano, Joe Ross and Jos¨¦ Ruiz are locks to make the Phillies¡¯ eight-man bullpen. Taijuan Walker is in a very strong position to make the ¡®pen as a long man.
If Strahm opens the season on the IL, the Phils have a handful of options to replace him. Right-hander Nabil Crismatt is the only non-roster reliever still in camp. He has a 2.35 ERA in six appearances, striking out seven and walking one in 7 2/3 innings. He has made 114 appearances in his big league career, posting a 3.71 ERA.
¡°He¡¯s not afraid,¡± Thomson said.
Potential relievers on the 40-man roster include right-handers Michael Mercado (four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings), Tyler Phillips (eight earned runs in 7 2/3 innings), Devin Sweet (three earned runs in six innings) and Kyle Tyler (two unearned runs in 7 2/3 innings).
Tyler is a starter, but the Phils think he could pitch out of the bullpen, if needed.
¡°He¡¯s a strike thrower, his secondary pitches are good,¡± Thomson said. ¡°He¡¯s pretty effective. I don¡¯t think the hitters see his fastball very well.¡±
Phillips is out of options.