Luis Arraez gave the Phillies a scare at the worst possible point on the calendar Thursday night, suffering a left ankle sprain during a 1-1 game against the Brewers at Citizens Bank Park as Philadelphia chased a postseason clincher.
Key takeaways
- Arraez injured his left ankle in the bottom of the sixth inning after avoiding an errant throw at first base.
- He was ruled out for running outside the baseline, ending the inning’s first plate appearance.
- The Phillies said the infielder would undergo additional evaluation.
- Philadelphia had three regular-season games remaining before Tuesday’s Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.
- Arraez entered the night hitting .283 with two homers, 21 RBIs and a .690 OPS in 45 games for the Phillies.
A rough turn at first base
Arraez opened the Phillies’ sixth by chopping a grounder to Milwaukee shortstop Cooper Pratt. Pratt’s throw sailed high and away from first base, drawing Jake Bauers off the bag and setting up a split-second play in the baseline.
As Bauers moved to apply the tag, Arraez shifted to his right. His left ankle rolled during that move, and the first baseman’s defensive chance became a painful sequence for Philadelphia. Arraez was called out for leaving the baseline rather than being credited with reaching on the throwing error.
He remained down briefly before getting to his feet and leaving the field with assistance from an athletic trainer. From the dugout, Arraez yelled toward home-plate umpire Dan Merzel, insisting that he had been safe.
Postseason race meets an uncertain injury
The timing added weight to an already frustrating play. The Phillies began the evening needing a victory over Milwaukee and a loss by either San Diego or Arizona to lock up a fifth straight postseason berth.
Arraez has become a regular presence in the middle of Philadelphia’s order since arriving from the Giants on Aug. 3. He had been batting cleanup behind Bryce Harper, giving the club a contact-oriented left-handed hitter during the stretch run.
His 45-game Phillies line entering Thursday included a .283 average, two home runs, 21 RBIs and a .690 OPS. With the club nearing the finish line of the regular season and the Wild Card Series set to begin Tuesday, the forthcoming evaluation of that left ankle carries immediate importance.
