Categories: Phillies Beat with Destiny Lugardo

Brandon Marsh upbeat after scary play in Saturday’s game

Brandon Marsh (left knee contusion) is unlikely to play on Sunday. (Don Otto/Phillies Nation)

Brandon Marsh is feeling optimistic after a scary play at the wall in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against the Kansas City Royals.

On a fly ball to center field, Marsh charged forward, lifted his glove and ran into the wall. He missed the ball and fell to the ground. The batter Samad Taylor rounded the bases as Kyle Schwarber threw the ball to the cut-off man.

As soon as the ball left Schwarber’s hand, he turned back to Marsh, who was trying to put weight on his ailing left knee. A trainer and Rob Thomson jogged out to center field. The infield followed.

Marsh was able to get up and walk back to the dugout with the help of an athletic trainer. The Phillies announced later that he left the game with a left knee contusion. X-rays came back negative, according to Thomson postgame. He’s unlikely to play in Sunday’s series finale.

“Very happy with the results that we’ve gotten so far,” Marsh said after Saturday’s game. He’ll undergo more testing tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

Marsh said that the incident at the wall was different than the one that cost him 10 days in the middle of August last year. During a game against the Reds in Cincinnati, Marsh tried to make a leaping catch to rob a home run, but landed awkwardly and injured both his ankle and knee.

“Last year was just the landing,” Marsh said. “Kind of the knee caved in. This was solely just contact, knee on [metal] rod. We’re all good, just was scared at first.”

When asked about what tests he is supposed to get tomorrow, Marsh playfully said: “I don’t know. I just show up and I try to hit the ball and catch the ball. They have all the answers in there. I just know 9:30, I got an appointment.”

Marsh was still limping in the clubhouse, but he said he’s in a lot less pain.

“Got the swelling to go down a good bit and able to walk, so it feels a lot better than it did.”

Marsh is swinging a hot bat. He’s slashing .300/.394/.522 over his last 30 games. He’s arguably been the Phillies’ best hitter this season and his bat — and glove — would be missed in the outfield if he has to miss an extended amount of time.