As the Phillies begin their six-game road trip in Chicago and Atlanta, Corey Seidman provides a positive injury update on J.T. Realmuto, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber
CHICAGO — The Phillies will play all six games of their road trip to Chicago and Atlanta without Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, but the entire trio is making progress.
Harper (hamstring strain) and Schwarber (groin strain) hit in the batting cages Tuesday at Wrigley Field.
Realmuto did receiving drills and hit on the field for the first time since undergoing a right knee meniscectomy on June 12. He had hit indoors in the cage the last few days.
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All three of them jogged.
"They're coming along," manager Rob Thomson said of Harper and Schwarber. "I don't think they're too far away. I don't know a date yet but we'll know in the next couple of days I would think."
Harper and Schwarber were placed on the injured list Friday and both felt their injuries were minor. They are first eligible for activation on July 9 when the Phillies open a six-game homestand against the Dodgers and Athletics that leads into the All-Star break.
Realmuto shouldn't be too far behind.
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"It's probably post-All-Star but we'll see," Thomson said. "He's a quick healer."
The Phillies are 10-9 in the games Realmuto has missed and won two of the three games without Harper and Schwarber over the weekend. This has been the Phils' worst 20-game stretch all season (10-10) yet they've lost only one game of ground to the Braves, entering Tuesday night with an eight-game division lead.
Nick Castellanos went 4-for-5 with three RBI on Sunday and Trea Turner delivered the game-winning two-run single. Their production over the next week to 10 days will be crucial for the Phillies' short-handed lineup.
