Phillies bring Aaron Altherr home

My god, they’ve done it. Modern science has repaired Aaron Altherr’s broken body and he has had his name written into tonight’s lineup by the wrinkled, leathery hand of the bearded ancient who is in charge of the Phillies’ dry erase board.

Just look at that; Odubel Herrera, Maikel Franco, Tommy Joseph, and Aaron Altherr, all right in a row. Astounding. Now if only all of them were hitting the ball consistently well. What a team that will be!

It was less than five months ago that we were all groaning in unison at the news that Aaron Altherr would miss most of the season due to surgery on his left wrist after tearing a tendon sheath in spring training. With him back, Peter Bourjos was placed on the disabled list following an injury his right shoulder.

In 39 games with the Phillies last year, the 25-year-old Alther slashed .241/.338/.489 with five home runs, four triples, and 11 doubles through 137 AB. The Phillies were eager to get a look at him this year until the wrist thing happened and it all went to crap. As he’s been rehabbing his way through the Phillies farm system, he’s put together a .341/.481/.463 slash line, with a home run and two doubles. No one player is going to make this team into a contender, but there’s a chance that Altherr, when he is adjusted to big league pitching, can contribute some power to this lineup that has withered and farted its way through most of the summer.

When the Phillies signed Bourjos this winter, it was believed that their outfield was set, with Altherr and Bourjos in the corners and Herrera occupying center. Altherr’s injury changed things, obviously, and has left to a couple of various Phillies taking over, like Cody Asche, Jimmy Paredes, and Tyler Goeddel, most of whom aren’t considered super-viable candidates (at least yet) to be a part of the future. It is okay for seeing Altherr back in the majors to bring a swell of joy to your day.

Baseball! It sure is wacky. And also, horribly painful to the human body. Almost as if we weren’t ever meant to play it.