CLEARWATER, Fla. — Domonic Brown says his troublesome Achilles tendon is “feeling much better,” but he can’t yet say when he will return to game action, or if he’ll be able to avoid starting the season on the disabled list.
“I don’t think so,” he said of the possibility of needing to go on the disabled list. “My goal is to be ready for opening day.”
Brown hasn’t played since Thursday when he was forced to leave a game in Tampa with soreness in the area of his left Achilles tendon. An MRI the next day revealed moderate tendinitis.
“Before the MRI last week I was nervous because I was in a lot of pain,” Brown said. “I’m glad we made the right decision to shut it down because I’m feeling much better now.”
Brown has continued to play catch, but has not taken swings since he struck out twice before exiting Thursday’s game. He said he hoped to start taking swings soon, but wasn’t sure at what intensity level. He hopes to be playing in games next week, “but we haven’t put a date on it,” he said. “A lot depends on how I feel.”
Brown has 29 at-bats (7 hits) so far in camp. If he returns to the field early next week he could possibly get enough time to be ready for the season opener a week from Monday at Citizens Bank Park. But a short stint on the DL remains possible depending on how he feels and performs in the final week of camp.
Trips to the 15-day disabled list can be backdated as many as nine days before the season opener, so it’s possible Brown would only miss the first week of the season if he needed extra time.
MLB
Brown is projected to be the Phillies’ starting rightfielder, when healthy.
It’s looking more and more like Ben Revere will be shifted from center to left field, where his weak throwing arm will be less of a liability.
If Revere is moved, Odubel Herrera could get the call in center field.
The Phillies usually carry 12 pitchers — five starters and seven relievers — but could go with one fewer starter the first week of the season as they won’t need a fifth starter until April 12.
If they scale back one pitcher for the first five games, they could open the season with an extra position player, possibly a sixth outfielder.
With nine days to go in Florida, the Phils still have 10 outfielders in camp, including corner infielder/leftfielder Russ Canzler. Revere and Herrera are locks to make the club. Brown’s status for opening day is up in the air. That leaves seven other outfielders vying for three or four spots, depending on how many outfielders make the roster. Those seven are Brian Bogusevic, Jordan Danks, Jeff Francoeur, Darin Ruf, Grady Sizemore, Darin Mastroianni and Canzler.
Each player in that group has pluses and minuses. For instance, Danks can play all three outfield positions — he started in center on Tuesday — and that could be valuable. Ruf, Francoeur, Canzler and Mastroianni all hit from the right side on a team that is dominated by lefty bats. Ruf and Canzler can also play first base. Bogusevic has had a nice spring in the field and at the plate. Sizemore has had a quiet spring, but he’s a veteran with a résumé and his $2 million contract is guaranteed.
So there are a lot of ways the roster could shake out for the first week of the season.
And much of it depends on Domonic Brown’s status.