Phillies put Josh Harrison on injured list; Noah Song moves up to double-A Reading

When the Phillies return to action Friday, the bench will have a slightly different look than when they dispersed for the All-Star break.

Utility infielder Josh Harrison is headed to the 10-day injured list with a bruised right wrist, the team announced Wednesday. The move is retroactive to last Sunday, leaving Harrison eligible to return on July 19.

The Phillies will make a corresponding roster move Friday. They have candidates at triple-A Lehigh Valley, including lefty-hitting Jake Cave and Kody Clemens, both of whom are on the 40-man roster. Cave, an outfielder, is batting .355/.437/.710 with 29 doubles and 16 homers in 54 games since being sent to triple A at the beginning of May.

But the Phillies may be seeking a right-handed hitter with more versatility to replace Harrison, who bats from the right side and plays both the infield and outfield.

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In that case, there are two non-40-man roster options worth watching: Scott Kingery and Weston Wilson. Kingery, the former top prospect, is batting .333/.400/.598 with six homers in his last 30 games for Lehigh Valley. Wilson is batting .287/.392/.546 with seven homers in his last 31 games. Both players have experience at multiple positions in the outfield and infield.

Harrison, a 36-year-old veteran, has played sparingly after signing a one-year, $2 million contract in the offseason. Despite making starts at four positions (third base, second base, left field, and right field), he has gotten only 106 plate appearances in 38 games and is batting .219/.274/.313 with two homers.

Noah Song will have his rehab assignment transferred to double-A Reading when the minor league season resumes Friday, a notable development given the looming deadline for the Phillies to reinstate the right-hander from the injured list or risk losing him.

As a Rule 5 draft pick, Song can’t be optioned to the minors when his 30-day assignment expires on July 28. Instead, the Phillies must add Song to the active roster or place him on waivers. If he cleared, they would then have to offer him back to the Red Sox, his former organization.

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Song’s situation is further complicated because he didn’t pitch competitively since 2019 due to a commitment to the Navy. But the former top prospect allowed one run on four hits and five walks while racking up seven strikeouts in 4⅔ innings over four appearances for low-A Clearwater.

It would be easier for the Phillies to carry Song as a long reliever if they weren’t contending for a wild-card spot. But if they believe he can get outs at the major league level, Song could be an option over seldom-used Dylan Covey.

Stanley C. Middleman received the requisite approval from Major League Baseball to become a limited partner in the Phillies’ ownership group. Middleman, a Philadelphia native and Temple graduate who founded a mortgage bank in New Jersey, owns a 16.25% share in the team. John Middleton remains the largest stakeholder (48.75%), followed by the Buck family (32.5%). Former general manager Pat Gillick and the family of late team chairman David Montgomery hold 1.5% and 1% stakes, respectively. ... Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez (0-2, 2.84 ERA) will start Friday night at Citizens Bank Park against Padres right-hander Yu Darvish (5-6, 4.87).