PITTSBURGH — Day 1 out of the All-Star break did not go well for the Phillies, who blew a pair of three-run leads, stranded 11 baserunners and lost via walk-off to the Pirates on Friday night.
Day 2 started much better. The Phillies activated J.T. Realmuto from the injured list after he missed 32 games recovering from a meniscectomy on his right knee. He was back in the lineup Saturday, batting fifth.
Realmuto played through a meniscus injury for over a month and was having his weakest offensive season as a Phillie when he underwent surgery on June 12, but he still poses a threat to opposing pitchers and elongates the Phils' lineup by a spot because they're replacing a bottom-of-the-order hitter with a middle-of-the-order bat.
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Rafael Marchan was optioned to Triple A to make room on the roster for Realmuto. Marchan played very well in his month-plus in the bigs, going 15-for-51 (.294) with four doubles and three home runs.
Garrett Stubbs will remain the backup catcher.
"He played really well. He showed us everything we needed to see. He's a big-leaguer," manager Rob Thomson said of the 25-year-old Marchan. "But he needs to play, he needs to be able to play every day and we just thought that was the smartest thing to do. Stubby's done a great job as well, been with us for a couple of years, we know how important Stubby is in the clubhouse. But Marchan needs to play and that's the No. 1 factor."
Ranger Suarez and Zack Wheeler will return to the Phillies' rotation in Minnesota. Suarez will start against the Twins on Monday night with Wheeler going on Tuesday. Both dealt with minor back injuries leading into the All-Star break. Wheeler's cost him his final start before the break and Suarez' kept him from participating in the All-Star Game.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies will handle their starters with care in the second half. This season is about winning it all, not placing multiple pitchers atop the innings leaderboard. The Phils had Aaron Nola on a 90-to-95 pitch limit Friday night and it sounds like they'll use a similar approach with the rest of their rotation this first cycle through.
Wheeler might not reach that many pitches in his return. He threw 76 on July 9 and will have had two full weeks between starts when he steps on the mound at Target Field. Suarez will be working on nine days' rest.