April 23, 2019
The Phillies, over the course of spring training and just 22 regular season games (of 162 to be played this season), have joined the ranks of other elite teams, like the Yankees (who are missing nearly half their team including Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton,. Gary Sanchez, Jacoby Ellsbury and others) with a ballooning injury list.
Since starting 5-1, the Phillies have come back to earth with a 7-9 record as middling injuries have forced them to rely on Aaron Altherr, Phil Gosselin, Mitch Walding and a few other unknowns as they falter here in late April.
Six important Phillies are currently hurt and on the IL, a list which allows the ball club to use replacements on the 25-man roster until such time as they are off the list and ready to return.
The problem, of course, is that the players the Phillies have called up, and others who are next in line to be called up represent a pretty big drop off from the juggernaut lineup that made a statement on Opening Day and the week after.
Here's an updated look at the infirmary ward and the expected return date (or at least the earliest date they will be eligible to return to the MLB club) for each of those players. Keep in mind that their stints on the IL can be renewed if the player is not healthy:
| Player | Injury | Return | Stats |
| David Robertson | Elbow | April 25 | 5.40 ERA in 6.2 IP |
| Odubel Herrera | Hamstring | April 28 | .270, HR, 7 RBI |
| Jean Segura | Hamstring | April 27 | .328, 5 2B, 10 RBI |
| Scott Kingery | Hamstring | April 30 | .406, 2 HR, 5 RBI |
| Victor Arano | Elbow | April 30 | 3.86 ERA in 4.2 IP |
| Tommy Hunter | Elbow | May 25 | Has not played |
Three of the Phillies' best five hitters, stat-wise, through the season's first three-plus weeks are on the IL. Robertson, who was expected to be among the team's ace reliever is also hurt.
The Phillies have a lot of talent but not a ton of depth. Getting the above players healthy and keeping other key players off of it (like Andrew McCutchen and Rhys Hoskins, who each just avoided the injury list last week) will be just as important this season as the performance of the team on the field.
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