Phillies put Edmundo Sosa on injured list; Cristopher Sánchez will be Game 1 playoff starter

LOS ANGELES — The Phillies had initially hoped Edmundo Sosa would be ready to return to the lineup Tuesday to face Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

But after going through a full workout Monday, Sosa said he was still feeling the groin tightness that sidelined him for three games. So as a precaution, the Phillies placed Sosa on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Saturday. They expect Sosa to return as soon as he is eligible, on Sept. 23.

“It’s just a mild, mild strain,” said manager Rob Thomson.

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To fill Sosa’s spot on the 28-man roster, the Phillies recalled infielder Rafael Lantigua from triple-A Lehigh Valley. Lantigua, who is poised to make his major league debut at 27, is batting .232 with seven home runs in 124 games in triple A. He mostly split his time between second base and third base, while also making six starts at shortstop and four starts in left field.

Part of the reason the Phillies are being cautious with Sosa is the upcoming trip to Arizona and the hard turf at Chase Field. Thomson said he is always concerned about the turf’s effect on players, and expects to give each outfielder a day off against the Diamondbacks.

“We just thought it would be best to just shut this thing down, get [Sosa] right, get him back in the last couple games of the regular season,” Thomson said.

It was already a foregone conclusion, but now it’s official: Cristopher Sánchez will be the Phillies’ Game 1 starter when the postseason rolls around.

Beyond that, Thomson said the rest of the rotation will depend on the lineup they face. He said he will not rule out using three lefties (Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, and Jesús Luzardo) in a series. Thomson also remains confident that righty Aaron Nola, who has had extended struggles this season, will be able to step up in the playoffs.

Alec Bohm (shoulder inflammation) completed a full workout for the second straight day on Tuesday and is scheduled to do so again Wednesday. Barring any setbacks, he will be activated Friday for the series opener against Arizona.

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Back in Philadelphia, Trea Turner (hamstring strain) fielded ground balls and took batting practice in the cage. He is not running at 100% yet, but has plans to continue jogging on Wednesday. The Phillies still expect him to be ready before the regular season ends Sept. 28.

It was not a typical “hangover lineup” for the Phillies a day after they celebrated clinching the National League East title. Of the healthy everyday players, only J.T. Realmuto sat Tuesday, with backup Rafael Marchán taking over catching duties. The Phillies are still chasing a first-round bye and the top seed in the National League. “They all wanted to play,” Thomson said. … Luzardo (14-6, 4.03 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday against Dodgers lefty Blake Snell (4-4, 2.79).