The Philadelphia Phillies have placed J.T. Realmuto on the 10-day injured list with right knee pain. Catcher Rafael Marchán will be coming up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, filling Realmuto’s spot on the 26-man roster. Realmuto, 33, will have right knee surgery on Wednesday in Philadelphia. The three-time All-Star is hitting .261/.309/.411 with a .720 OPS for the Phillies this season. His seven home runs are tied for the most among all National League catchers and ranks third in runs scored with 28.
The Phillies placed J.T. Realmuto on the 10-day IL (retro to 6/10) with right knee pain. To fill his spot on the 26-man roster, Rafael Marchán was recalled from Lehigh Valley (AAA).
Realmuto is scheduled to undergo right knee meniscectomy surgery tomorrow in Philadelphia.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 11, 2024
J.T. Realmuto Needs Surgery, Lands on IL
The Phillies did not offer an immediate timetable for his return, but meniscus surgery has a month or two of recovery, especially for a catcher. Realmuto was removed from Sunday’s game against the New York Mets in the ninth inning for a pitch runner. He was hitting .135 since May 25 and wasn’t diving for the ball much due to the knee injury. It is a huge blow to a Phillies team that expected to get Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh back from injuries this week.
Realmuto is a key factor in how the Phillies have succeeded on the mound. Defensively, Realmuto’s 2.84 catcher’s ERA is first among all NL catchers. Earlier this season, he posted a career-best 17-game hitting streak, the longest for a Phillie who played catcher since 1900.
“He’s the backbone of our team,” Nick Castellanos said last week.
How Will the Phillies Handle Catching Duties?
The Phillies will likely split catching duties between Garrett Stubbs and Marchán with Stubs figuring to be the team’s primary catcher moving forward. Marchán began the season on the 10-day IL due to lower back pain but is known as a strong defender. After his return from injury, Marchán went to Lehigh Valley on May 27. In 13 games between Single-A and Triple-A, he slashed .233/.382/.395 with two home runs, eight RBI and four runs scored. His one major league stint was with the Phillies this season. Marchán was the 27th player for the London Series but did not appear in any games.
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