The Phillies added some much-needed outfield depth on Thursday, claiming Bradley Zimmer off waivers from the Blue Jays. The 29-year-old is a solid defender and figures to move right into the starting lineup with Brandon Marsh sidelined with a bone bruise in his left knee.
Zimmer, a former first-round pick in 2014, is hitting just .105 in 76 at-bats this season. He's a career .214 hitter with a .638 OPS.
Harper Update
The Phillies transferred Bryce Harper to the 60-day IL on Thursday, but that was a procedural move to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Zimmer. Harper took batting practice at Citizens Bank Park earlier this week and is expected to begin a rehab assignment within the next few days. Early September continues to be a realistic date for his return. Harper has been out of the lineup since late June with a fractured left thumb.
Schwarber Update
Kyle Schwarber is expected to return to the lineup on Friday when the Phillies open a four-game weekend set with the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Schwarber, who leads the National League with 34 dingers, suffered a left calf strain last Thursday and has been limited to a pinch-hitter role.
Marsh Update
The Phillies placed outfielder Brandon March on the 10-day IL with a bone bruise in his left knee and a left ankle sprain. Marsh suffered the injuries while trying to make an acrobatic catch on a homerun ball on Tuesday night in Cincinnati. There is no timetable for his return.
A Rowdy Weekend
The Mets come to Philadelphia to open a four-game set starting on Friday. The Phillies dropped two-of-three this past weekend in Flushing, meaning the Mets have won all five series' between the two clubs this year. The Phillies sit 10 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East but sit with the No. 2 wildcard spot, 2 1/2 games in front of Milwaukee.
Postseason Odds
FanGraphs lists the Phillies with a 77% percent chance to reach the postseason as a wildcard and 3% chance to win the World Series. FanGraphs projects the Phillies to carry a .545 winning percentage through the remainder of the regular season, leaving the club around 90 wins. The favorites to win the World Series, according to FanGraphs, are the Dodgers (18%) followed by the Mets (17%) and the Astros (16%).
Rest of the Schedule
The Phillies have 14 series remaining in the regular season and will face a team with a winning record six more times. The club opens an 11-game homestand with the Mets this weekend before welcoming Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. The club then heads west for a pair of series' with Arizona and San Francisco before returning to Citizens Bank Park in early September. There's a rough stretch in late September where the Phils face the Blue Jays three times and the Braves seven, but otherwise the schedule is quite favorable down the stretch.
