The Philly entered the season with an unexpected question mark at first base. Rhys Hoskins He went down with what was likely a season-ending ACL tear during the last week of spring training. push it Darrick Hall To the top of the depth chart, at least versus right-handed shooting.
Hall started five of Philadelphia’s first six games before suffering a thumb injury on Wednesday. The Phils announced this morning that the left-handed batter has torn a ligament in his right thumb and will require surgery. Matt Gelb the athlete He writes that Hall could be out for about two months, which would let the club drop further in the depth chart.
Looks like the first crack will fall into Cody Clemens. obtained side by side Gregory Soto In a deal with the Tigers during the offseason, Clemens was called up to make his first team debut this morning. He got a nod at first base against the Reds right Hunter Green. Manager Rob Thompson told reporters that the Phils plan to use the swinging Clemens as a starting first baseman against right-handed pitching (Link via Scott Lauper of The Philadelphia Inquirer). Against the south, it seems likely that the fils will slip Alec Boom over third base while switching to Edmundo Sosa or Josh Harrison in the hot corner. Unregistered player Scott Kingery He did well in spring training to put himself in the mix for a multi-position bench role as well.
Clemens, at 27, was primarily a second baseman. He is seen as a player to bat first, although most potential evaluators have suggested he is better suited to a utility role rather than an every-day bowler. Clemens made 57 big league appearances for Detroit last season, battling to hit the .145/.197/.308 streak in 127 trips to the plate. He fared much better with their larger affiliates in Toledo, where he had an above-average .274/.327/.535 slant with 13 home runs in 60 contests.
While Clemens has a solid track record on offense in the minors, he’s clearly a suboptimal situation for a team expected to struggle in what should be a tough game in the NL East. Gelb writes that Philadelphia explored potential trade possibilities in the immediate aftermath of Hoskins’ injury, but found no outside option available that they considered a big enough promotion over Hall. They will probably reexamine this market in the wake of Hall’s injury, although it is not usually an active time for trades. If the Phils were to exit the organization in the short term, it would likely be for a player in the back of the depth chart rather than gaining influence.
