The Philadelphia Phillies have revealed that outfielder Brandon Marsh exited Tuesday night’s 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres with a sprained right middle finger, according to reporter Ty Daubert. Marsh injured the finger during the first inning at Petco Park while diving back into first base on a pickoff attempt.
Catcher Freddy Fermin threw behind him, and first baseman Ty France applied a tag that bent Marsh’s fingers backward. Despite the injury, Marsh stayed in the game for his second at-bat in the third inning, singling to help set up a run that extended Philadelphia’s lead to 4-0.
He finished the night 2-for-2 before leaving in the bottom of the fourth inning. Adolis García replaced him in right field after Marsh experienced trouble throwing the ball. After the game, Marsh said the injury only hyperextended the finger and described the situation as day-to-day.
The Phillies also expressed confidence that the injury would not keep him out long term. Interim manager Don Mattingly said the team could manage the situation in the short term and did not expect a lengthy absence.
Philadelphia cannot afford to lose Marsh for any significant period as he has been one of the club’s most reliable hitters this season. The 27-year-old entered Wednesday batting .326 with five home runs, 24 RBIs, and an .837 OPS across 49 games.
Marsh’s breakout season has given the Phillies stability in the outfield and extra production behind stars Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. He started 21 of Philadelphia’s last 22 games and moved far beyond the platoon role he held during previous seasons.
His batting average ranked among the best in Major League Baseball, and his 2-for-2 performance raised his season average to .326. Only Miami’s Otto Lopez, who entered Tuesday batting .330, carried a higher average among qualified hitters.
The Phillies opened the season trying several different combinations in left field before Marsh fully established himself. Otto Kemp and Felix Reyes both spent time rotating through the position earlier in the year, but neither provided consistent offense. Philadelphia’s current outfield depth remains thin behind Marsh.
García and rookie Justin Crawford are currently the only other natural outfielders on the active roster. Edmundo Sosa has also played some left field recently, while Garrett Stubbs provides emergency depth despite primarily serving as a catcher. Tuesday’s win improved Philadelphia to 33-21 on the season as the club continued battling near the top of the National League East standings.
Zack Wheeler earned the win after allowing three runs across six innings while striking out seven batters. Schwarber also stayed hot at the plate with his 18th home run of the season.
