The Philadelphia Phillies scratched Kyle Schwarber minutes before their game against the Washington Nationals with lower back tightness. Despite losing their best power bat, the Phillies stunned the Nationals with eight runs in the ninth inning for a 14-9 win.
After the game, interim manager Don Mattingly gave reporters, including Matt Gelb of The Athletic, an update on Schwarber. The Phillies’ star slugger’s back tightened up just seven minutes before first pitch, but Mattingly has no larger concern.
“Just got tight, tried to swing and couldn’t, and that was it for that,” Mattingly said on NBC Sports Philadelphia’s postgame coverage.
Phillies Manager Don Mattingly Provides Kyle Schwarber Update
Kyle Schwarber’s exit from the lineup was more precautionary than anything else.
“He said he was feeling better already. Listening to (head athletic trainer) Paul (Buchheit), this has kind of happened before. I think Kyle’s probably smart enough to know that take care of it, stop right away, and don’t try to keep going. So that’s a good thing.”
The Phillies will wait until the next day to see how well Schwarber’s back responds. Since he’s the most potent bat in their lineup, the club can ill-afford an extended absence.
Schwarber is on track for the best season of his career, slashing .252/.365/.594 with an MLB-leading 29 home runs. His offense rates as 60% more productive than the average hitter, with FanGraphs crediting him with a 160 wRC+.
Edmundo Sosa Excels in Relief of Kyle Schwarber
GettyEdmundo Sosa was a late addition to the lineup, but he more than adequately made up for the loss of Kyle Schwarber.
Kyle Schwarber was in the Phillies’ starting lineup as the designated hitter. However, his scratch meant that Edmundo Sosa started at DH instead.
Despite being a late addition to the lineup, the utility infielder stepped up for the Phillies. Sosa had two extra-base hits, including a home run, and drove in five runs. That ended up being the club’s margin of victory for the game.
With Philadelphia trailing 5-0, Sosa drove in the team’s first three runs to get it close. He homered in the fifth off Zack Littell, then legged out a potential double play in the seventh. He added a two-run double in the ninth inning to blow the game open.
Sosa ended up taking the field in the final two innings. Mattingly pinch-ran for third baseman Bohm, who represented the tying run at the time. Pinch-runner Garrett Stubbs later scored on J.T. Realmuto’s bases-clearing double that gave Philadelphia a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth.
With Bohm out of the game and a bench already missing Schwarber, the Phillies sacrificed the designated hitter. Sosa ended up finishing the game at third base.
This hasn’t been a great season for Sosa. He entered this game hitting just .231 with a .649 OPS. His lack of production at the plate has hurt the Phillies against left-handers this season.
But perhaps this game is what the veteran infielder needs to start a hot streak. The club would certainly welcome it, given its 12-18 record against left-handed starters this season.
Phillies Manager Provides Kyle Schwarber Injury Update After Nationals Win