Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader left Sport 1 of the NLDS in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a sport they misplaced 5-3 on Saturday at Residents Financial institution Park. Supervisor Rob Thomson had Nick Castellanos pinch hit for him, and it was initially reported that Bader left the sport with hamstring tightness.
Nonetheless, Thomson later clarified that the difficulty concerned his left groin, which tightened whereas Bader was operating between first and second on a Bryson Stott single. Bader is scheduled to bear imaging to find out the extent of the damage.
Confronted with ambiguity over his standing, Bader expressed optimism about his capacity to return. Chatting with reporters, he stated he expects to play once more throughout the NLDS, although the imaging will present clearer steerage (h/t Ty Daubert of the Philies Nation). For Phillies followers, that is an encouraging replace given Bader’s impression since becoming a member of the crew.
Earlier than he suffered the damage, he drove in a run with a sacrifice fly within the backside of the second, serving to Philadelphia rating in opposition to four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani. Moments later, Bader’s defensive expertise shone as he made a diving catch within the fifth, stopping Andy Pages in his tracks.
Acquired from the Minnesota Twins on the commerce deadline in July, Bader has been a tour de pressure. In 50 video games with Philadelphia, he has posted a .305/.361/.463 batting line, hitting 5 residence runs, eleven doubles, and one triple throughout 194 plate appearances. Bader has continued to shine defensively, recording a +1 Fielding Run Worth in middle discipline regardless of primarily taking part in nook outfield spots in Minnesota.
Bader has been the glue holding Philadelphia collectively, significantly with Nick Castellanos, Max Kepler, and Johan Rojas struggling offensively. Alongside Brandon Marsh, Bader has offered stability and manufacturing on each side of the ball, making his availability on this NLDS matchup in opposition to the defending World Sequence champion Dodgers essential.
The Phillies face a difficult determination if Bader is unable to play. Brandon Marsh would doubtless take over middle discipline duties full-time, with Kepler or Weston Wilson as potential backups. Johan Rojas was not included on the NLDS roster attributable to a left quad damage, and Triple-A call-up Justin Crawford has not been an choice, given a current concussion.
If Bader have been to be pressured onto the injured checklist, he would miss the rest of the NLCS and would solely be eligible for a World Sequence return.