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Phillies Stars Stepping Up With Harper, Schwarber Hurt

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With Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber on the injured list since June 28, other stars have contributed for the Philadelphia Phillies in that time, showing the team’s depth. Both Harper and Schwarber are expected to return soon. During their absence, Nick Castellanos and Trea Turner have stepped up to fill the void in the Phillies lineup, leading the Phils to a 4-2 record since Harper and Schwarber went on the injured list. In those six games, the Phillies have scored 24 runs. Castellanos has been primarily batting in the cleanup spot during this stretch. Bryson Stott has been batting in the lead-off spot while Alec Bohm has been batting third in the order without Harper and Schwarber.

The earliest either Harper or Schwarber could return is July 9. The current expectation is that Schwarber will be activated on that day if things continue to go the way they are supposed to. Harper will likely not be ready by then, but he should return before the All-Star break. Meanwhile, J.T. Realmuto is expected to return sometime shortly after the All-Star break. Hopefully, the Phillies will be able to move on from the trend of recent injuries to key position players once they all return. Prior to these injuries, Turner and Brandon Marsh also spent time on the injured list.

Castellanos, Turner Step Up for Phillies in the Absence of Harper, Schwarber

Castellanos Having A Successful Stretch At The Plate

During the current six-game span without Harper and Schwarber, Castellanos has a .417/.440/.625 line with one home run and four RBI. He also has a 202 wRC+ and a .459 wOBA in those six games. Currently, Castellanos has a team-leading 1.065 OPS since Harper and Schwarber went on the injured list. In that stretch, Castellanos has recorded 10 hits and two runs scored as well as two stolen bases. He has an impressive .563 BABIP in their absence. This stretch has contributed to Castellanos heating up at the plate in recent weeks.

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In 29 games since the start of June, Castellanos has a .284/.333/.509 line with five home runs and 19 RBI, along with a 135 wRC+ and a .361 wOBA. The .811 OPS Castellanos had in 26 games in June is his best in a single month this season. For comparison, in 27 games in May he had a .706 OPS, while having a .501 OPS in 28 games in April. So far in July, Castellanos has a 1.144 OPS and a 218 wRC+ in three games. For the season Castellanos has a .236/.293/.397 line with 12 home runs and 43 RBI.

Turner Performing Well Since Returning From The Injured List

With Harper and Schwarber shelved, Turner has a .385/.385/.654 line with two home runs and six RBI, along with a 193 wRC+ and a .446 wOBA in six games. He also has a 1.038 OPS in that time, recording 10 hits and six runs scored as well as one stolen base. Turner has a .471 BABIP during this six-game span. Unlike other players in the Phillies lineup, Turner has remained in his position in the batting order, hitting second.

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Since returning from injury on June 17, Turner has a .333/.371/.530 line with three home runs and nine RBI. During that span, he has a 155 wRC+, a .390 wOBA, and a .373 BABIP in 15 games. For the month of June, Turner had a .785 OPS, and he has a 1.385 OPS in July so far. Overall this season, Turner has a .340/.385/.483 line with five home runs and 18 RBI. Turner will be the starting shortstop for the NL in the All-Star Game, beating Mookie Betts in the final round of fan voting.

 

Photo Credit: © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

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