Phillies activate Brandon Marsh from the 10-day injured list
Marsh has been rehabbing a hamstring injury that he sustained while making a play in the outfield on April 16. Outfielder Cal Stevenson was optioned to Lehigh Valley to make room on the roster.
Before Brandon Marsh tweaked his right leg making a play in the outfield on April 16, he was hitless in his last 31 at-bats.
The injury, which started as a knee problem and developed into a mild hamstring strain, ultimately landed him on the 10-day injured list when it continued to linger. After completing a six-game rehab assignment in triple-A Lehigh Valley, Marsh was reinstated Saturday and back in the Phillies’ lineup against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“I was just down there having fun, making sure the hamstring was good. We’re all good,” Marsh said. “I’m just excited to play baseball again.”
To clear space on the 26-man roster for Marsh’s return, outfielder Cal Stevenson was optioned to Lehigh Valley. Stevenson hit .250 in eight at-bats during his stint with the Phillies.
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Marsh’s focus while with the IronPigs — where he went 6-for-20 with one home run — was his health. He was removed from one game as a precaution when his hamstring cramped, but he said it was nothing major.
“It was a good week,” Marsh said. “It was a good time in Rochester. The boys are playing really well down there, and the vibes are up. So it was a whole lot of fun.”
The rehab assignment had the dual benefit as a mental reset for Marsh, whose batting average had fallen to .095.
“The last two games were really good. He was staying through the ball,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “Got an opposite-field home run. I thought the at-bats were a lot better.”
While Marsh was on the injured list, Johan Rojas played the bulk of the innings in center field. Rojas is hitting .300 with nine RBIs and four stolen bases this season. He also made a stellar defensive play in the outfield on Friday night, robbing Arizona’s Lourdes Gurriel Jr. of extra bases while colliding with the center-field wall.
“I think he’s just little banged up, running into the wall,” Thomson said. “But came out of it fine. Said he feels good [Saturday].”
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Thomson expects Rojas to return to the lineup on Sunday, with the Diamondbacks scheduled to start left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez.
Thomson said it’s possible that Marsh will get opportunities against left-handed pitching going forward, but with Rojas swinging the bat well, he wants to get him in when he can.
“Rojas is incredible,” Marsh said. “And I’m not just saying this because he’s sitting next to me. Rojas is a phenomenal outfielder, player. So we expect nothing less from him.”