Phillies outfield shortage should lead to more playing time for Adam Haseley
The Phillies placed outfielders Roman Quinn and Jay Bruce on the injured list Sunday, which will lead to more playing time for Adam Haseley.
The Phillies, as expected, placed Roman Quinn and Jay Bruce on the injured list before Sunday’s game, leaving them with an outfield shortage as they enter a stretch in which they’ll play nine games, including three doubleheaders, in the next seven days.
“It’s a little challenging right now,” manager Joe Girardi said after Sunday’s 14-1 loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field. “Hopefully we can get some guys back fairly quickly. But right now the only true center fielder we have is [Adam] Haseley and we’re going to see some lefties, so it’s a little bit challenging right now.”
The Phillies will face lefty David Peterson on Monday in their series finale with the Mets and lefty Martin Perez in the first game of their doubleheader against Boston on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park.
After batting .212 (11-for-52) with no home runs and a .531 OPS against left-handers last season, the left-handed-hitting Haseley has barely seen the field against southpaws this season. He is hitless in three at-bats against left-handed pitching.
“That’s just the way it has been going this year,” Haseley said. “Throughout my career, I’ve played against lefties and righties and I know in the minors they’re trying to develop you, but I’ve felt confident at the plate whether it’s left or right. I’ve always had good preparation and felt like I could compete against a lefty or righty out there.”
Quinn, who has battled injuries his entire career, was placed on the injured list for the second time this season after suffering a concussion while crashing into the center-field wall in the sixth inning of Saturday night’s game against the Mets.
“It’s a seven-day thing, so we know we won’t have him for at least seven days and hopefully that’s it,” Girardi said.
Quinn will not be eligible to return until Sunday’s doubleheader in Miami. Scott Kingery, out since Aug. 31 with back spasms, is eligible to return Thursday when the Phillies open a seven-game series in Miami.
Bruce, who has averaged a home run every 12 at-bats since joining the Phillies last June, was placed on the injured list for the fourth time since coming to Philadelphia. He strained his left quad during Friday night’s game against the Mets and he will not be eligible to return until Sept. 15.
Despite the shortage of outfielders, the Phillies have opted against adding Odubel Herrera to their alternate site in Allentown.
Extra bases
Outfielder Kyle Garlick and reliever Mauricio Llovera were added to the roster to replace Quinn and Bruce. Garlick made a pinch-hit appearance in the ninth inning Sunday and got his first hit as a Phillie. Llovera made his major-league debut and pitched out of trouble for a scoreless seventh inning, but failed to get an out while being charged with four runs in the eighth. … Blake Parker’s string of 9 2/3 scoreless innings came to an end when he allowed three runs during New York’s seven-run eighth inning. … The Phillies added three players to their alternate training site, including former Holy Cross High School and Rutgers-Camden pitcher Jeff Singer. The other two additions were catcher Henri Lartigue and infielder Luke Williams.