The positivity that Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson showed postgame Saturday regarding the status of All-Star candidate Ranger Suárez carried over to Sunday afternoon’s pregame meeting with the media.
“A lot better,” Thomson said when asked about Suárez. “The swelling is down. We still don’t know about his next start. He won’t pick up a ball until maybe tomorrow, probably the next day. But really, really encouraging.”
Suárez sustained a contusion on the area of the bottom of his left hand just below his thumb when hit by a line drive. It caused the 28-year-old lefty to depart his start after just two innings pitched.
Fortunately for the Phillies, X-Rays came back negative. Suárez declined postgame to show the media the swelling on his left hand or to speculate about whether he’ll make his next start, which is slated to come next Saturday in London against the New York Mets. But he was still in his typical positive mood postgame.
If Suárez — who is tied with teammate Zack Wheeler for the National League lead in WAR at 2.2 — is unable to make his next start, presumably Spencer Turnbull will pitch for him. Turnbull thrived over three innings out of the bullpen in Saturday’s win over the St. Louis Cardinals, striking out six batters and not allowing a hit. Turnbull is 3-0 with a 2.64 ERA over 44 1/3 innings pitched this season, the bulk of which came during his six starts while Taijuan Walker was on the injured list.
In addition to Suárez, trainers also checked on Phillies infielder Edmundo Sosa before the top of the ninth inning Saturday. Sosa’s left hamstring tightened up on him when he was on first base, a pitch was thrown in the dirt and he started to move towards second before realizing that Brandon Marsh — the runner on second base — wasn’t advancing, and he needed to retreat to first base.
Sosa isn’t in the lineup for a Sunday Night Baseball matchup with the Cardinals, but there doesn’t seem to be a ton of concern about the 28-year-old.
“He’s fine,” Thomson said. “This [Sosa not playing tonight] is precautionary. He’s had hamstring issues in the past, and I just want to make sure that we calm it down and nothing happens. We don’t need any more hamstrings hurt around here.”
Sosa, of course, has thrived in the absence of shortstop Trea Turner, who is out with a left hamstring strain he sustained on May 3. On the season, Sosa is slashing .304/.373/.576 with four triples, four home runs and a .949 OPS. Bryson Stott has shifted to shortstop in Sosa’s absence Sunday, with Kody Clemens starting at second base.
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