Kyle Schwarber was set to hit leadoff for the Phillies on Tuesday night. Ten minutes before first pitch, that changed.
The slugger’s lower back tightened up suddenly, and Philadelphia scratched him from the lineup against the Nationals. Interim manager Don Mattingly played it cool after the game. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Mattingly said there was no larger concern here. Just a back that locked up at the worst possible time. They’ll check on him Wednesday.
Fans immediately worried because, well, Schwarber is having another monster season. But the Phillies offense didn’t exactly miss him Tuesday night.
Phillies Raked Without Their Home Run Leader
Philadelphia hung 14 runs on Washington and won 14-9. So the lineup managed just fine without the guy who leads the league in homers and slugging percentage. Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm both went deep. Nick Castellanos drove in three runs. It was one of those nights where every other guy in the order decided to pick up the slack.
Still, the Phillies obviously want Schwarber back soon. He’s not just a power bat. He’s one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball when he’s locked in.
The 33-year-old is slashing .252/.365/.594 with 29 home runs this season. That slugging percentage leads all of MLB. His 29 dingers do too. He finished second in NL MVP voting last year and he’s making another strong case this time around. The guy has been a wrecking ball at the plate.
What Happens Next With Schwarber
The Phillies improved to 43-36 with Tuesday’s win. They’re sitting second in the NL East, six games behind Atlanta. That gap is manageable but not comfortable. Every game matters. Every healthy bat matters.
The team hasn’t said whether Schwarber will be available for Wednesday’s game at 6:45 PM EST. They’ll see how he feels when he comes in. Lower back stuff can be tricky. Sometimes it loosens up overnight. Sometimes it doesn’t. The Phillies played it safe by pulling him before he even took an at-bat. That suggests they’re being cautious rather than panicking.
Updates will come when the team has something concrete. For now, the plan is wait, stretch, and see what Wednesday brings.
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