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Phillies

Ryan Howard unlikely to play again this season

    by Matt Breen
    Published 

Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said that Ryan Howard is not likely to play again this season after the first baseman missed Wednesday's game because of a cold.

Howard has not played since Sept. 14 when he was hit in the left knee by a throw while covering first base. Mackanin said he "keeps asking him, 'Are you ready? Are you ready?' " Howard was in the dugout Tuesday night and Mackanin said Howard was available. The first baseman was at the ballpark on Wednesday afternoon and told Mackanin he did not feel well.

"It doesn't look good for him to play the rest of the year," Mackanin said. "Especially, we have a few lefties coming up. I don't know if it makes sense, but I'll see what he wants to do. If he wants to play a game, I'll throw him in there."

Howard has batted .229 with 23 home runs and 77 RBIs in 129 games this season. He has played 130 games just once in the last five seasons. Mackanin said Howard's performance was similar to last season's. "As far as analyzing his performance, it wasn't the best performance," Mackanin said. "It wasn't the greatest. He needs to get better."

Howard turns 36 in November. He is expected to return to the Phillies for the final season of a $125 million contract. He will earn $25 million next season and then receive a $10 million buyout for 2017. Howard will likely finish out his contract as a platoon player. He batted .130 this season against lefthanded pitching. He could play exclusively against righthanders next season.

"For me, numbers mean something," Mackanin said. "When I have a player in, say, Darin Ruf who is hitting [.374] against lefties and has the highest OPS in the majors against lefthanded pitching, that only leads me to believe that that's the guy we should be playing against lefties. I'll just leave it at that."

Mackanin said Howard's performance next season will depend on his legs. Howard has not been the same since he tore his left Achilles tendon in the final at-bat of the 2011 division series loss to St. Louis. The manager said Howard's legs have affected more than his hitting.

"Let's put it this way: He needs to improve defensively also," Mackanin said. "I'm concerned about his agility because of his legs. That makes it difficult. We need him to improve his agility and to have strong legs."