Arraez injury clouds Phillies' playoff push with wild card lead down to one
The short version
- The Phillies have lost nine of their last 14 games and lead Arizona by one game for an NL wild card with three to play.
- Friday's loss to Tampa Bay delayed a potential playoff clinch; Philadelphia will throw a bullpen game Saturday.
- Luis Arraez, acquired from San Francisco at the trade deadline, was hurt avoiding a tag at first base Thursday against Milwaukee.
- Interim manager Don Mattingly said the update was not great; pinch-hitting may be Arraez's best-case role, with an IL move possible.
- The playoffs are scheduled to begin Tuesday.
Philadelphia lost a third straight game Friday, and interim manager Don Mattingly offered a discouraging update on Luis Arraez ahead of a possible Tuesday playoff start.
The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to reach the postseason for the fifth consecutive year, but their late-season form has raised serious doubts. The club has dropped nine of its last 14 games heading into the final days of the regular season.
On Friday, Philadelphia fell to the Tampa Bay Rays, a loss that tightened the National League wild card race. According to ESPN, the Phillies began the day leading the Arizona Diamondbacks by two games for a wild card spot with three games remaining, and a win combined with an Arizona loss to San Diego would have secured a playoff berth.
Instead, the defeat was the Phillies' third in a row, and it put a potential clinch on hold. ESPN noted that Philadelphia would try again Saturday, when the team is scheduled to use a bullpen game against the Rays.
Arizona is now just one game behind the Phillies, meaning Philadelphia's place in the postseason is far from assured with only a handful of games left on the schedule.
The team's problems extend beyond the standings. Luis Arraez, acquired from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline, was injured in Thursday night's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers while trying to avoid a tag at first base. ESPN reported that Arraez remained down as trainers attended to him before leaving the field with assistance, hobbling as he went.
Interim manager Don Mattingly addressed the situation Friday, and the news was not encouraging. Speaking to MLB.com's Todd Zelecki, Mattingly described the update as "kind of not a great one," saying the team hopes Arraez might improve enough to pinch-hit at some point. Zelecki reported that a move to the injured list is possible if the infielder does not improve.
With the playoffs set to begin Tuesday, the timing of the injury compounds Philadelphia's struggles. If the Phillies do advance, Arraez does not appear likely to be available as a starter, and his status will be worth monitoring in the coming days.
The Rays and Phillies meet again Saturday, September 26 at 7:15 PM EDT at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The game airs on FOX and streams on MLB.TV.
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