Phillies Injury Updates: When will J.T. Realmuto return?

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The Latest Phillies Injury Updates

• Ranger Suárez (lower back spasms)
• Status: Won’t pitch in All-Star Game
• Suárez was replaced on the All-Star Game roster by Atlanta Braves lefty Max Fried. Suárez is dealing with lower backs spasms, according to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Suárez didn’t report any discomfort until after his Friday night start against the Oakland Athletics, in which he gave up six runs over six innings. “It’s not anything major,” Dombrowski added. The Phillies don’t expect he’ll miss his next start, but he may not pitch until the second series after the All-Star Break.
• Because he’s not pitching in the game, Suárez doesn’t plan to fly back and forth to Texas to be part of the pregame ceremonies. (Updated by Tim Kelly on July 13.)

• J.T. Realmuto (right knee surgery)
• Status: 10-day injured list; expected to return after the All-Star Break
• The Phillies announced on June 11 that Realmuto had been placed on the injured list with right knee pain. He underwent successful right knee meniscectomy surgery on June 12. At the time of his placement on the IL, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski estimated the team would be without Realmuto for “about a month” following the completion of his procedure.
• Realmuto said he initially suffered the tear during an early May rainy game against the Giants as he was rounding third. He played through the injury, but he was unable to tolerate the pain, making surgery a necessity.
• The plan is for Realmuto to go to Clearwater during the All-Star Break and continue to build up towards his return. While there hasn’t been a setback, Realmuto did miss some days of on-field rehab because of rain, which has backed him up a little bit. It’s unlikely he returns during the first series back after the All-Star Break against the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, he could “possibly” return against the Minnesota Twins during the series that will take place from July 22-24, according to manager Rob Thomson. (Updated by Tim Kelly on July 13)

• Zack Wheeler (back spasms)
• Status: Won’t make next start until Twins series
• Zack Wheeler was lifted early from his July 9 start against the Dodgers with left low back tightness. He had dealt with back issues in each of his last two starts, but the Phillies have been able to treat it and keep Wheeler on the mound.
• An MRI on Wheeler’s back revealed no structural damage, but the Phillies will be cautious with their All-Star righty. His injury does not require an injured list stint, but his next start will likely come during the Twins series (Updated by Destiny Lugardo on July 12)

• Luis Ortiz (Tommy John surgery)
• Status: 15-day injured list
• Ortiz underwent successful Tommy John surgery on July 11. (Updated by Destiny Lugardo on July 12)

• Michael Rucker (right hand arterial vasospasm)
• Status: 60-day injured list
• Rucker threw a bullpen session on May 14, and is set to throw another one on May 17.
• Rucker was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list on June 3.
• Rucker was at Citizens Bank Park on July 11, with the plan being for him to throw a bullpen session. If that goes well, he’ll make a rehab appearance at either Single-A Jersey Shore or Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make a rehab appearance on July 13. (Updated by Tim Kelly on July 11)

• Taijuan Walker (right index finger inflammation)
• Status: 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 22; out for remainder of first half
• Walker has inflammation in his right index finger and a blister on the inside (right) of it. RHP Michael Mercado was called up to take his spot on the 26-man roster.
• Walker threw a bullpen session on Wednesday, July 10. Thomson said his splitter looked good. He will either throw another bullpen or throw live batting practice on Saturday, July 13. Thomson is unsure of how many rehab starts Walker will need before returning. (Updated by Destiny Lugardo on July 10)

• Andrew Painter (Tommy John surgery)
• Status: Minor league 60-day injured list
• The No. 1 overall prospect in the Phillies’ minor league system underwent Tommy John surgery on July 25, 2023.
• Painter is throwing 25-pitch bullpens every Tuesday and Friday. He’s only throwing fastballs and changeups currently. Thomson didn’t rule out the 21-year-old pitching in simulated games — which are a controlled setting — before the end of the year. However, he doesn’t believe he’ll be pitching for an affiliate at any point in 2024. (Updated by Tim Kelly on June 29)

• Spencer Turnbull (right lat strain)
• Status: 15-day injured list, out 6-8 weeks
• Turnbull will be out until August with a right lat strain. He was lifted from his start against the Detroit Tigers after three innings on June 26 with right shoulder soreness. He expressed optimism about his status to reporters in Detroit after the game, but testing revealed a more significant injury.
• Turnbull will “probably” start playing catch next week. (Updated by Destiny Lugardo on July 12)

• Dylan Covey (right shoulder strain)
• Status: 60-day injured list
• Covey is still dealing with his shoulder strain, and was backed off of throwing. As he was doing some conditioning work, he also slightly pulled a hamstring. He was in Philadelphia on May 8 seeing team doctors, but was expected to head back to Clearwater on May 10.
• Covey was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list on June 1. (Updated by Bailey Digh on June 4)

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