Categories: InjuriesPhillies Beat with Destiny Lugardo

J.T. Realmuto (knee) hopes to be back before All-Star break

J.T. Realmuto is on the injured list. (Grace Del Pizzo/Phillies Nation)

J.T. Realmuto is back around the Phillies after undergoing a procedure on his right knee last Monday.

The official timeline for return is four weeks, which means he could return to the lineup during the final homestand of the first half against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics.

The turnaround is expected to be quick. Realmuto’s procedure was a clean up and not a repair.

“There’s a small piece that they just cut out,” Realmuto said. “That’s why the recovery timeline isn’t too long because it’s a pretty simple procedure.”

Realmuto said it was the same procedure he underwent at the end of 2019. Manager Gabe Kapler at the time called it a “meniscus clean up.” He suffered that injury while running out a ground ball. The most recent injury came about after he slipped rounding third on a rainy day in May against the Giants. He later missed one game against the Marlins and two against the Mets before returning to the lineup on May 15.

“From the day I had that [first] procedure, I didn’t feel it again,” Realmuto said. “I expect this one to hopefully be the same where once I heal and once I get back on my feet, I shouldn’t feel that area, that pain again.”

Realmuto underwent tests that revealed a small tear in his right meniscus. He and the training staff agreed that he can play through the injury as long as the pain wasn’t too bothersome. He had to switch from a left-knee to right-knee down setup to manage the pain. Realmuto thought he could make it to the All-Star Break, but he opted to go under the knife when the Phillies returned home from London.

He batted .236 with a .624 OPS after suffering the tear.

“The pain kept persisting,” Realmuto said. “It kept getting a little worse. It was just affecting my play enough to where it felt like I needed to get it done. It didn’t necessarily take any convincing from me. It was a mutual decision.”

Realmuto, an 11-year veteran, is the one in charge of his rehab. If he feels good, don’t be surprised if he is back during the July 9-11 series against the Dodgers.

“I’m not gonna push it and kill myself to come back those five days before the break, but if I’m feeling good and the rehab is going well, my body feels right, I will go ahead and play that week before just to get the games in,” Realmuto said. “For me, I’d rather be able to play those few games before the break, but if my body’s not feeling right, I’m not going to push it. This is something that we want to take care of now and not feel it in two months.

“So for that reason, I’m going to give it the rest it needs,” Realmuto said. “But I envision that hopefully I’ll be back by then.”