June 04, 2019
UPDATE [6:50 p.m.] — Unfortunately, this is not the update you were hoping for. The Phillies announced that Andrew McCutchen is out for the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. Read more on what that means moving forward, here.
When it rains, it pours. And right now, the Phillies are trying to wait out a monsoon.
Every day it seems like there's another Phillies player to add to the injured list, and the latest could have the biggest impact of them all. Already shorthanded in the outfield with Odubel Herrera on Administrative Leave, the Phillies suffered another blow on Monday night when they lost outfielder and leadoff hitter Andrew McCutchen to a freak, non-contact knee injury during a rundown in the first inning of their 8-2 loss to the Padres.
The loss was the Phillies' fifth straight, but the loss of their leadoff hitter could prove even more costly.
The severity of the injury is not yet known — McCutchen will go for an MRI on Tuesday — but after the game, the 32-year-old outfielder was seen on crutches and tweeted out a very ominous message.
Pray for me. Please
— andrew mccutchen (@TheCUTCH22) June 4, 2019
Should the injury be serious, McCutchen, who was slashing .256/.378/.457 (with 10 home runs, 29 RBI and 45 R), will be difficult to replace, both on the field and at the plate. An extended absence would likely mean a lot more Scott Kingery in center field and Jay Bruce in left. But the Phillies are also calling up some reinforcements — and no, not Nick Williams, who was recently sent back down to make room for Jay Bruce.
Andrew McCutchen will go for an MRI. Adam Haseley will join the Phillies in San Diego tomorrow.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) June 4, 2019
For Haseley, who has been a fast riser through the Phillies' system after he was the eighth-overall pick of the 2017 MLB Draft, this will be his first MLB action. He was hitting .275 between Double- and Triple-A, including .320 in 25 at-bats for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
As for how long the Phillies need him, that likely depends not only on how serious McCutchen's injury is, but also how well the 23-year-old outfielder adjusts to life at the major league level.
Stay tuned, we'll keep you updated on McCutchen.
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