As the Philadelphia Phillies approach the final stretch of the season, their top priority is to regain their health.
On Sunday, they made significant progress with Alec Bohm returning from the injured list after injuring his hand/wrist during an at-bat earlier this month. His return is a major boost for a lineup that has been missing one of its best hitters as they aim to secure their first NL East title since 2011.
However, two key players remain sidelined: Austin Hays and Edmundo Sosa, both working on their recoveries. Hays’s situation is particularly complicated due to a kidney infection, which requires him to regain his strength to avoid any long-term health issues. This makes his return timeline uncertain.
With the Triple-A season ending on September 22, if Hays isn’t ready to begin a rehab stint soon, it could jeopardize his ability to return this season. Although he could train at Clearwater to simulate game conditions, stepping back into an MLB game, especially during the playoffs, without having faced Major League pitching would be challenging.
There is hope for Hays’s recovery, but manager Rob Thomson remains cautious about when it might happen. He noted that Hays could suddenly feel better as the antibiotics take effect, but until then, he’s still experiencing fatigue and will need to rebuild his strength and weight after being inactive for a couple of weeks.
This situation will be closely watched. The Phillies were optimistic about adding Hays to their roster when they traded for him, as he was a 2023 All-Star known for his solid at-bats and defensive skills. They hope he can return quickly to contribute as expected.
