Gregorius to IL; Stott recalled as Phillies prepare for hectic week

As the Philadelphia Phillies head into perhaps the most hectic week on their 2022 schedule, they will be without their starting shortstop.

The team announced Saturday that Didi Gregorius has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left knee sprain. The move is retroactive to May 5. Bryson Stott has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Stott was the Opening Day third baseman, but lost at-bats as both Alec Bohm and Johan Camargo got off to hot starts. Stott was hitting just .133 in his first 30 MLB at-bats, though it’s hard to draw any sweeping conclusions from such a small sample size. Since being optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Stott has hit .333 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 36 at-bats.

Before Saturday’s game against the New York Mets was ultimately postponed, Stott — a natural shortstop — was penciled in as the starting shortstop. Camargo was listed as the starting first baseman.

It will be interesting to see how the Phillies proceed if Stott gets hot during Gregorius’ absence. For the time being, Jean Segura is entrenched at second base, and the aforementioned Bohm at third base. If things start to click with Stott, one would think the Phillies would want to get him as many at-bats as possible.

Gregorius is hitting .288 with seven RBIs thus far, but he already has -4 defensive runs saved at shortstop. Gregorius has just an 18% hard-hit percentage and a likely unsustainable .340 batting average on balls in play. The 32-year-old is making $14.5 million in 2022, the final year of a two-year/$28 million deal.

After back-to-back rainouts, the Phillies will have a pretty crazy week in Gregorius’ absence. They’ll play a double-header against the Mets Sunday, before flying to Seattle, where a three-game series against the Mariners will begin on Monday night. And then on Thursday, the Phillies will open a four-game set at Chavez Ravine against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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