Rise and Phight: 9/5/2022

Depth was always going to be an issue with the Phillies this season, but it looked like they had addressed it as best they could. In past seasons, if a player went down, the depth simply didn’t exist enough to let the team stay in the pennant race. This year, they’ve addressed that depth by adding players all over the diamond to help sustain things throughout the year. When Bryce Harper went down, they maintained a winning record.

Now though, the injuries are starting to mount and some players are going to have to step up. So far, we’ve seen Bailey Falter do so on the mound in place of Zack Wheeler, but the bullpen needs to be better. The outfield bats need to be better with Nick Castellanos now down. Though the schedule isn’t the most daunting, they have to win those games.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Nick Castellanos heads to the injured list with an oblique injury. Dalton Guthrie gets called up in his place.
• Rob Thomson has made a huge difference in the clubhouse with this team.
• Zack Wheeler isn’t ready to return, but maybe Griff McGarry is? He’s got a new role in the minor leagues now.
• With the injuries mounting, it is time for someone on this pitching staff to step up and play a bigger role ($).

MLB news:

• Since the trade deadline, there have been some players who have paid off and other who have....not.
• The Red Sox, needing some kind of positive news, promoted their top hitting prospect this weekend.
• The Yankees’ nightmare few weeks just got worse as Andrew Benintendi needs surgery on his hand.