Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to the Dodgers was a particularly tough night for the Phillies, due to injuries to both Bryce Harper and Jean Segura. Harper left the game in the fourth inning due to lower back tightness, while Segura came up limping after beating out a grounder to first base in the ninth. Segura was replaced for pinch-runner Andrew Knapp, as the backup catcher was the last man remaining on Philadelphia’s bench after Harper’s injury and other in-game substitutions.
Segura’s injury was labeled a left groin strain, and manager Joe Girardi told reporters (including MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki) after the game that “I’m not so confident that’s day to day,” so a trip to the 10-day injured list certainly looks to be in the cards for the infielder. This would Segura’s second IL stint of the season, after a right squad strain sidelined for 15 games in late April and early May.
Despite the missed time, Segura has still been one of the Phillies’ best hitters this season, and he has been on pace for the best numbers of his 10-year career. Segura has hit .332/.379/.465 over 203 plate appearances (133 wRC+, 136 OPS+), cracking three homers and scoring 24 runs. While Segura has benefited from a sky-high .378 BABIP and his .365 wOBA far outpaces his .321 xwOBA, he has also been one of the league’s harder player to strike out. Now in his second year as the Phils’ starting second baseman, Segura is also delivering above-average glovework, as per the Outs Above Average (+4) and Defensive Runs Saved (+4) metrics, though UZR/150 (-7.4) isn’t a fan of his defense at the keystone.
Nick Maton would be the likeliest Triple-A call-up if Segura did hit the injured list, as Maton has the second-most innings at second base of any Phillies player this season. The rookie got off to a hot start in his first MLB season, but an 0-for-20 slump resulted in Maton being sent to Triple-A last week. Ronald Torreyes and Brad Miller are second-base options on the active roster, though Torreyes has been starting at shortstop in the wake of Maton’s slump and Miller’s utility man skills might be required in the outfield with Harper hurting.
In the bigger picture, however, there’s really no ideal way for the Phillies to replace Segura and Harper if both miss a substantial amount of time. Philadelphia is in second place in the NL East but with only a 32-33 record, and the team sits five games back of both the division lead and the second NL wild-card berth. If the Phillies continue to hover around the .500 mark and can’t gain any ground in either playoff race, it remains to be seen how aggressive the team might be at the trade deadline (or, if they might pivot to selling some players).
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