PHILADELPHIA — There was tepid applause in the bottom of the ninth when the game paused so No. 19 could pinch hit for the Phillies. Then, they showed Buddy Kennedy’s name and photo on the giant scoreboard. That did not illicit loud cheers Monday night. But, within seconds, they started chanting for the kid who grew up a Phillies fan.
“Buddy! Buddy! Buddy!”
“Being on deck, hearing Buddy’s name was pretty surreal,” Kody Clemens said. “I was getting chills for him. It was awesome.”
Kennedy is here as an extra, someone to fill out the roster while the Phillies navigate various nagging injuries. This was his first at-bat at Citizens Bank Park. He drew a walk to load the bases.
“It was something very special,” Kennedy said. “And I’ll always remember that for the rest of my life.”
Clemens took the baton, then the fans serenaded him. “Kody! Kody! Kody!” Clemens smacked a game-winning single to right in a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Phillies’ magic number to win their first National League East crown in 13 years is 12.
Kody Clemens walks it off for the @Phillies 🔔 pic.twitter.com/262LW7140x
— MLB (@MLB) September 10, 2024
They are without their starting catcher, starting third baseman, presumed starting left fielder and best reserve infielder. None of the injuries are considered serious. The Phillies have the luxury of a sizeable division lead and sit in a decent position for a first-round bye.
They can be smart about it.
“It gives other people an opportunity to play and to do their thing,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It gives us an opportunity to see them and evaluate them. If we get (to the playoffs), we’ll figure it out.”
Clemens, who was not on the postseason roster in 2023 and has been back and forth in 2024, can state his case. Time is something the Phillies have this September, but it is not unlimited.
These injuries, specifically Austin Hays’ kidney infection, might come with certain roster ramifications. The Phillies traded for Hays, who profiled as a platoon partner for Brandon Marsh, then said they envisioned him as an everyday player in left field. But Hays has only played 19 games since joining the Phillies in late July. He has hit lefties; Hays is 7-for-16 with four extra-base hits. He has not hit righties, who have held him to a .501 OPS in 53 plate appearances. The sample sizes are small, but it’s all the Phillies have as they settle on the best outfield configuration for October.
Hays is feeling better. Doctors have found the proper medicine to treat his illness. But his legs still feel heavy. He’s lost strength.
“It’s probably going to be a few days still,” Thomson said. “I mean, I don’t know how many days. So, it’s going to be a while.”
That bodes well for Johan Rojas, who started again Monday in center field. He hasn’t been perfect. He has batted .258/.298/.355 since being recalled from the minors on June 28. No. 9 hitters in the National League are batting .227/.281/.337 this season.
Some in the Phillies organization have believed this was the best — and ultimate — path even after Hays entered the equation. Rojas has played a strong center field for the past two months. He almost made a game-saving catch in the ninth inning to rob a home run, but the ball popped out of his glove when his wrist banged on the fence.
“That,” Thomson said, “would have been an unbelievable catch.”
And, if the Phillies decide they need more offense during a postseason game, they’d have Hays or Marsh on the bench to pinch hit. Thomson, who has said he regretted not hitting for Rojas in Game 7 of the 2023 National League Championship Series, has a better bench for this October.
But Hays needs to return and regain some timing first. He is eligible to be activated on Friday. He appears to be the furthest from returning among the ailing players. Thomson indicated progress for J.T. Realmuto, who still has some swelling in his left knee from a foul ball but could play this weekend against the Mets. Edmundo Sosa can be activated on Sept. 17, and Thomson said Sosa will not need more than the minimum 10-day stay on the injured list.
Then, there’s Alec Bohm, who has been sidelined for 11 days with a strained left hand. Bohm can be activated on Friday, but that does not look likely. He could be back for next week’s pivotal series in Milwaukee.
Both team and player remain unconcerned about Bohm’s readiness for October.
“I’m not sure how much time it’s going to take,” Thomson said, “but I’m not concerned about having enough time — if we get to the postseason.”
If Bohm has 10-14 days of action to end the season, Thomson said, “He’d be fine.” Bohm had shown signs of fatigue in August before the hand injury; he saw a sharp dip in his rate of hard-hit balls. The Phillies were concerned about this. A longer-than-expected rest is not the worst thing, as far as the club sees it, but that is predicated on Bohm having enough time to find his swing later this month.
“At this point in the year,” Bohm said, “you’d rather take a couple of extra days and not have to deal with it the rest of the year. Instead of putting Band-Aids on it all year or grinding through it the rest of the year.”
Bohm’s absence has meant more at-bats for Clemens and Weston Wilson, who have had stretches of decent production. There would be room for only one of them on the October bench if the Phillies stick with a conventional roster arrangement in the postseason.
It’s also possible the Phillies go with only 12 pitchers in a five-game series, thus allowing them to have an extra hitter. The last few spots on a postseason roster tend not to factor into a series. Teams often carry as many pitchers as permitted to protect against something extreme — like a long extra-inning game.
But the Phillies do not have great choices for the 12th and 13th pitchers. They have 11 pitching locks for a postseason roster. They could pick two from a group including Max Lazar, Taijuan Walker, Kolby Allard and Yunior Marte to fill out the staff.
Maybe they decide the extra bat provides more value than a 13th pitcher. Kennedy had his moment Monday night so Clemens could have his.
That’s a good September feeling when injuries have tested the Phillies’ depth.
“Everybody’s going through it right now,” Thomson said. “A lot of people are going on the IL. Knock on wood, we’re not sending as many to IL as a lot of other teams. We’re trying to take care of these guys. I’m always concerned about it. Trust me.”
(Photo of Kody Clemens: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
