The Phillies are getting healthier at the right time, with three key players making progress toward a return ahead of the postseason.
Manager Rob Thomson provided updates on Edmundo Sosa, Alec Bohm, and, most notably, Trea Turner.
Bohm and Sosa are currently traveling with the team in Los Angeles and appear to be the closest to rejoining the active roster. Sosa, sidelined recently with groin tightness but not placed on the injured list, could be available as early as Tuesday. Bohm, meanwhile, has been on the IL with a shoulder issue but is trending toward being activated this weekend when the Phillies head to Arizona.
He becomes eligible to return on Friday, though the move would likely require the team to part ways with Donovan Walton, offering him a handshake and thanks before hopefully welcoming him back during a ring ceremony next spring. Both Bohm and Sosa went through full pregame workouts on Monday, with the team planning to release a more formal update Tuesday.
As for Turner, the bigger storyline, he’s been ramping up activity in Philadelphia by taking ground balls and testing his hamstring strain, which he says is feeling strong. The Phillies remain optimistic he’ll be able to get at least a few regular-season reps before the playoffs begin—possibly during the final weekend series against Minnesota, which would serve as a tune-up before October baseball.
His eventual activation will also require a roster adjustment, but with more time before that decision is needed, the club can let the situation play out and see how things develop.
Travel Trouble
The Phillies just can’t seem to catch a break with their travel luck this season. The latest hiccup came on their trip to Los Angeles, where the team didn’t arrive until 2 a.m. Monday morning.
Their original plane out of Philadelphia International developed a mechanical issue and was unable to depart. That forced the team to wait for a replacement aircraft, get off the first one, re-board the new one, and then finally make the cross-country flight.
It’s just the latest chapter in what’s been a frustrating run of travel problems. And if the Phillies needed another reminder of why chasing down the Brewers for the No. 1 seed—and securing home field throughout the postseason—matters, this is it.
Not only would it give them a clear path at Citizens Bank Park, but it could also help them avoid unnecessary travel in a long seven-game series. Anything that limits the need for another chaotic flight could be crucial, especially given the way their luck has been trending.
