Oh boy, Philly fans, have you heard? Brandon Marsh just had a bit of a tune-up on his left knee. Yep, arthroscopic debridement surgery was the name of the game last Friday morning. The Phillies are optimistic, saying he’ll be back on the field in 3-4 weeks. Just in time for Opening Day.
Marsh, 26, wasn’t just good last season; he was sneaky great. Picture this: a .277/.372/.458 slash line with 12 homers. And his defense? Top-notch, especially in center field, though he dabbled in left field too. Against righties, the guy was a beast, boasting a .292/.387/.477 slash line. For someone batting lower in the lineup, that’s nothing short of impressive.
Now, here’s the rub. Marsh’s surgery is kinda like a wrench thrown into the Phillies’ outfield plans. They were all set with him in left, Johan Rojas in center, and Nick Castellanos in right. But, life happens. So, with Marsh on the mend, the benchwarmers and Triple-A vets might need to step up. We’re talking Jake Cave, Cristian Pache, and the journeymen duo of Kody Clemens and Cal Stevenson.
And then there’s the Bryce Harper shuffle. With Marsh out, could Harper end up back in the outfield? It’s a possibility. That would likely shuffle Alec Bohm to first base and Edmundo Sosa to third. Or maybe Darick Hall or Clemens gets a shot at first. Harper, by the way, was planning to cozy up to first base full-time this year after his Tommy John surgery rehab.
Let’s not forget the bigger picture. The Phillies had a decent run last year, finishing 90-72 and making it to the NL Championship Series again. But this offseason? Pretty quiet, except for bringing Aaron Nola back into the fold. And with Rhys Hoskins saying goodbye as a free agent, things are definitely getting interesting.
So, what’s next for our Phillies? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: it’s never dull in Philadelphia.