Phillies Injury Updates: Taijuan Walker to begin rehab assignment this week

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The Latest Phillies Injury Updates

Taijuan Walker (right index finger inflammation)
Status: 15-day injured list
Walker has inflammation in his right index finger and a blister on the inside (right) of it. RHP Michael Mercado was called up to take his spot on the 26-man roster.
Walker is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday in Double-A Reading, where he’ll throw around four innings. After that, he will go to Lehigh Valley the following Tuesday and pitch again. The Phillies hope to stretch him out to around six innings. The Phillies will reevaluate him after the Lehigh Valley outing. He could return during the next homestand.
“He says he feels like his body is moving freely and his arm is moving freely,” Thomson said about Walker. “Better than he has all year. Probably better than it was most of the time last year too. It’s really a good sign. I’m really happy with his progress.” (Last Updated by Destiny Lugardo on July 29)

Spencer Turnbull (right lat strain)
Status: 15-day injured list, out 6-8 weeks
Turnbull will be out until August with a right lat strain. He was lifted from his start against the Detroit Tigers after three innings on June 26 with right shoulder soreness. He expressed optimism about his status to reporters in Detroit after the game, but testing revealed a more significant injury.
Turnbull threw a 10-pitch bullpen on Monday, July 29.
The Phillies will try to stretch him out as a starter as he gets closer to returning, but there’s a chance he could come back as more of a multi-inning reliever if a need in the bullpen arises or the Phillies run out of time to properly stretch him out. “If there’s a need before he gets fully stretched out, maybe we pull the plug and go,” Thomson said during the Pirates series in Pittsburgh. (Updated by Destiny Lugardo on July 29)

Ranger Suárez (low back soreness)
Status: 15-day injured list
Suárez was placed on the 15-day injured list on July 27 with low back soreness, retroactive to July 24.
Manager Rob Thomson said that Suárez reported left lower back tightness on Friday. He thought he could pitch through it during his bullpen session, so the Phillies decided to proceed with caution and give him a break. They hope Suárez can make his next start during the Arizona series in August.
Suárez missed the All-Star Game with back spasms. Thomson said Suárez’s previous back issue was in his right side. This time, the discomfort is in his left side. The Phillies are optimistic that Suárez will benefit from this break during the stretch run. “I think over the course of a full season, guys typically need some time off,” Thomson said. “I see this as kind of a silver lining for Ranger’s year. I think he’ll come out of this stronger.”
As of Monday, July 29, Suárez is not scheduled to resume throwing off the mound. (Last Updated by Destiny Lugardo on July 29)

Dylan Covey (right shoulder strain)
Status: 60-day injured list
Covey began a rehab assignment with Single-A Clearwater on Sunday, July 28. (Last updated by Destiny Lugardo on July 29)

Luis Ortiz (Tommy John surgery)
Status: 15-day injured list
Ortiz underwent successful Tommy John surgery on July 11. (Updated by Destiny Lugardo on July 12)

Andrew Painter (Tommy John surgery)
Status: Minor league 60-day injured list
The No. 1 overall prospect in the Phillies’ minor league system underwent Tommy John surgery on July 25, 2023.
Painter is throwing 25-pitch bullpens every Tuesday and Friday. He’s only throwing fastballs and changeups currently. Thomson didn’t rule out the 21-year-old pitching in simulated games — which are a controlled setting — before the end of the year. However, he doesn’t believe he’ll be pitching for an affiliate at any point in 2024. (Updated by Tim Kelly on June 29)

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