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The Philadelphia Phillies have announced that their star catcher, J.T. Realmuto, will undergo knee surgery. They have placed the 33-year-old player on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 10.
The Injury
Realmuto has been dealing with right knee pain, which has led to this decision. The Phillies have not disclosed the exact nature of the injury but have confirmed that Realmuto will undergo right knee meniscectomy surgery. The surgery is scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Philadelphia.
The Impact
Realmuto’s absence will undoubtedly be felt by the Phillies. So far this season, he has slashed .261/.309/.411 with a .720 OPS over his 51 games. His seven home runs are tied for the most among all National League catchers, and he ranks third in runs scored (28) and fourth in extra-base hits (16). Defensively, Realmuto’s 2.84 catcher’s ERA is first among all NL backstops.
The Recovery
While the Phillies have yet to disclose any specific timeline for Realmuto’s recovery, general recovery periods for this type of surgery are typically around 6-8 weeks. This means that Realmuto could potentially return to the field in time for the latter part of the season.
The Replacement
To fill Realmuto’s spot on the 26-man roster, the Phillies have recalled catcher Rafael Marchán from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Marchán, 25, has had one major league stint with the Phillies this season. In 13 combined games between the IronPigs and single-A Clearwater, including eight rehab appearances, Marchán slashed .233/.382/.395 with one double, two home runs, eight RBI, 10 walks, and four runs scored.
Conclusion
The Phillies, who currently hold the best record in baseball at 45-20, will undoubtedly miss the presence of Realmuto both at the plate and behind it and they would surely want him to recover quickly from the knee surgery and come back stronger. However, they will be hoping that Marchán can step up in his absence and that Realmuto can make a full and speedy recovery.
