The Philadelphia Phillies extended their winning run on Saturday, cruising to a 12-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Rookie right-hander Andrew Painter delivered what may have been his strongest major-league outing yet, while 10 different Phillies recorded at least one hit.
The dominant performance has renewed excitement around Philadelphia’s chances heading into the postseason. However, some concern emerged when two important members of the rotation were forced to leave the game because of injuries.
Luis Arraez, acquired by the Phillies shortly before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, exited in the fourth inning. The infielder appeared to experience an issue with one of his legs while advancing toward second base the previous inning. Despite the discomfort, Arraez managed to reach third and later scored when Bryan De La Cruz delivered a two-run single.
According to MLB.com, the Phillies indicated that Arraez was dealing with lower-body cramping, suggesting the issue may not be particularly serious.
Luis Arraez, Derek Hill both exit Phillies win against Cardainls with injury
“The Phillies quickly announced that Arraez had departed due to ‘lower body cramping,'” wrote Paul Casella. “He was replaced by Bryson Stott — who was not in the starting lineup — at second base to begin the top of the fourth.”
Later on, Derek Hill left the game as well and didn’t return.
“Just a few innings later, outfielder Derek Hill was lifted for a pinch-hitter due to neck stiffness. It was unclear when he sustained the injury, but he was replaced by Justin Crawford in the bottom of the sixth. The Phillies said Hill will be evaluated further.”
Luis Arraez, Derek Hill would be major losses for Phillies
If Arraez is forced to miss an extended period, it would be a major setback for a Phillies club that has recently found its rhythm after dropping 15 of its first 25 games coming out of the MLB All-Star break. Philadelphia now sits at 72-58 and has closed the gap to just three games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East.
Arraez has made an immediate impact since joining Philadelphia, batting .315 with 11 RBIs across 17 games. He’s been especially productive lately, hitting an impressive .429 over his past seven games while driving in five runs. During Friday’s thrilling 7-6, 10-inning win, he went 3-for-5 at the plate.
Hill has also provided solid production for the Phillies this season. Through 45 games, he’s hitting .261 with a .767 OPS, along with five home runs and 17 RBIs. His performance in Philadelphia has been considerably stronger than his earlier stint with the Chicago White Sox, who dealt him to the Phillies on June 11.
