Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Author: Lochlahn March

  • Phillies’ Johan Rojas to miss the rest of the season with an elbow injury

    Phillies’ Johan Rojas to miss the rest of the season with an elbow injury

    TORONTO — Johan Rojas will not play for the Phillies in 2026 after suffering an elbow injury.

    Rojas is serving an 80-game suspension without pay for testing positive for boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance. The 25-year-old outfielder was eligible to be reinstated on June 25, but while ramping up to return to baseball activities, Rojas reported discomfort in his right elbow.

    Imaging revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament, which will require surgery with an internal brace. The Phillies said Rojas’ surgery is scheduled in the coming weeks, and the plan is for him to return in time for spring training.

    Boyertown’s Trey Yesavage reflects on ‘insane journey’ from single A to the World Series with Blue Jays

    According to the terms of Rojas’ PED suspension, he already was ineligible to participate in the postseason.

    But his injury now removes a potential outfield depth option for the remainder of the regular season. Rojas is an elite defender with speed, though he hasn’t been a consistent producer at the plate in the majors. In 71 games in 2025, Rojas hit .224 with a .569 OPS.

    “Haven’t thought too much about the depth part of it, because he hasn’t been available all year,” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “We have some guys with experience in center field. But I feel bad for the kid, obviously. He’s had a rough year, as far as how everything went down, and now this. But as far as our depth, I think we’re pretty well covered.”

    Rookie Justin Crawford is the Phillies’ primary center fielder this season, though he often sits against left-handed starters, including Monday in Toronto against Patrick Corbin. Brandon Marsh can slide to center, and switch-hitter Steward Berroa is another center field option on the bench.

    Mattingly also pointed to Dylan Carlson as another depth center field option in triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies signed Carlson in May after he was released by the Iowa Cubs, Chicago’s triple-A affiliate. Carlson has slashed .161/.261/.297 in 33 minor league games this season.

    Carlson has made 12 starts in center field for the IronPigs and made 24 putouts in 25 chances.

    Left-handed reliever Kyle Backhus pitched a scoreless inning for triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday in his first appearance on his rehab assignment.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Backhus began rehab assignment

    Left-handed reliever Kyle Backhus (left elbow inflammation) pitched a scoreless inning for triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday in his first appearance on his rehab assignment. He allowed two hits and struck out two.

    It marked Backhus’ first game action since April 25. In 10 appearances for the Phillies this year, the sidearmer posted a 4.66 ERA.

    “We got him scheduled out a little bit, we got to get him built back up,” Mattingly said. “I think he missed five, six weeks, so he’s going to have a little bit of time. He threw a couple [live batting practice sessions] before he went out, so that’s his first kind of rehab and competition.”

    Back in Toronto as Phillies interim manager, Don Mattingly reflects on Blue Jays’ run to the World Series

    Mattingly said Backhus is next scheduled to throw on Friday and then Sunday for Lehigh Valley.

    “And then as we do that, then we start adding some one-pluses, coming into an inning,” Mattingly said. “Things like that to make sure he’s ready, possibly back to back in there somewhere, to make sure he’s ready to pitch at this level where we don’t have to protect him once he gets here.”

    Extra bases

    Following Thursday’s off day, right-hander Andrew Painter (1-7, 6.21 ERA) is scheduled to start the series opener in Milwaukee against Brewers’ right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (7-2, 1.50).

  • Boyertown’s Trey Yesavage reflects on ‘insane journey’ from single A to the World Series with Blue Jays

    TORONTO — Just over a year ago, Trey Yesavage threw his first pitch in double A.

    In the time since, the 22-year-old Boyertown native was called up by the Blue Jays, pitched in the American League Championship Series and the World Series, and has established himself as a key member of Toronto’s rotation.

    It’s still hard for him to wrap his head around how quickly it happened. Yesavage’s double-A debut for the Toronto affiliate New Hampshire Fisher Cats was on June 12, 2025. The game happened to be in Reading, less than 20 miles away from Yesavage’s hometown, and the stands were packed with his friends and family.

    The latest stop on the rapid rise of Trey Yesavage? World Series starter at 22: ‘He’s one of a kind’

    It marked just one of four promotions for Yesavage last year as he ascended from single A to the majors in the span of six months.

    “It’s been an insane journey,” Yesavage said. “I’m just so blessed to be in this clubhouse every day with these guys.”

    Yesavage grew up a Phillies fan and maintains his Eagles fandom. He won’t pitch against his hometown team in this series, as Dylan Cease and Max Scherzer are both returning to Toronto’s rotation from the injured list this week.

    But Yesavage has the Blue Jays’ visit to Citizens Bank Park on Aug. 7-9 circled on his calendar, and he hopes that things will work out so that he can pitch there.

    “Being a Philly fan is different,” Yesavage said. “I’m still an Eagles fan, so I embrace the Philly energy and toxicity. So I kind of get it. But I’m just excited to play in front of those people.”

    Blue Jays’ pitcher Trey Yesavage, who pitched in the World Series last year, grew up attending minor league games in Reading as a kid, since it’s so close to Boyertown.David J. Phillip

    Yesavage said he grew up attending minor-league games in Reading, since it’s so close to Boyertown. Even though he’s never been a member of the Phillies organization, the Fightin’ Phils are honoring him on July 5 for Boyertown Day, distributing a bobblehead that depicts him as a Boyertown Bear.

    “It’s me in my high school jersey,” Yesavage said. “It’s weird that I’m with a different organization. I played there against those guys, and it’s cool, but it’s weird.”

    Yesavage graduated from Boyertown Area High School in 2021, and starred at East Carolina University before he was drafted in the first round by Toronto in 2024.

    His unusually high arm angle and signature splitter helped him fast track to the majors. After his whirlwind 2025, Yesavage started this season on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement. In his eight starts since being reinstated, he has a 3.16 ERA.

    Back in Toronto as Phillies interim manager, Don Mattingly reflects on Blue Jays’ run to the World Series

    Throughout it all, support back in his hometown has been constant.

    “Got a lot of energy, lot of support from those people, especially in the playoffs,” Yesavage said. “Some of the elementary schools were having Blue Jays Days, and wrote letters to me, and it’s really cool to see support from ages 5 and up who can actually understand baseball. So love those people, and they’re the reason why I’m here right now.”

    Extra bases

    Toronto moved the scuffling Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the leadoff spot for Tuesday’s game for the second time in his career. He was 1-for-4 through eight innings on Tuesday. “I’m sure [Toronto manager John Schneider] is trying to get something going, give Schneids a different feel for Vlad. I’m hoping it doesn’t really work — for a few days,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. … Left-handed reliever Kyle Backhus (left elbow inflammation) began a rehab assignment Tuesday with triple-A Lehigh Valley. … Jesús Luzardo (4-4, 4.56 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday’s series finale against Blue Jays right-hander Scherzer (1-3, 9.64). Scherzer will be making his first start since April 24, after which he was placed on the injured list with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.

  • Jhoan Duran blows his first save in Phillies’ 3-2 walk-off loss to the Blue Jays

    Jhoan Duran blows his first save in Phillies’ 3-2 walk-off loss to the Blue Jays

    TORONTO — Most times when Jhoan Duran makes the jog from the bullpen to the mound, the result of the game seems like a foregone conclusion.

    The Phillies closer had been perfect in his first 16 save opportunities of the season. But on Tuesday, the Blue Jays managed to end that streak, walking Duran off, 3-2, in the ninth inning.

    “You know it’s going to happen at some point,” said interim manager Don Mattingly.

    The first two batters Duran faced singled on ground-ball hits that found holes in the infield. The Jays used two pinch-runners, and a wild pitch brought the tying run home before Brandon Valenzuela hit an RBI single to end it.

    Boyertown’s Trey Yesavage reflects on ‘insane journey’ from single A to the World Series with Blue Jays

    “They just kind of got us in a bind at that point,” Mattingly said. “They run [Daulton] Varsho, and it’s hard to throw anybody out, really, with those guys. So, yeah, it’s one of those games.”

    Duran entered the game after Bryson Stott drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth against Louis Varland. The Blue Jays pitching staff confounded the Phillies’ offense for most of the game, as they struck out 15 times. But with two out in the ninth, Stott punched an opposite-field double to break the 1-1 stalemate.

    It marked just the second earned run that Varland has given up this season.

    The Phillies’ only other run came in the first inning when they strung together doubles from Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh to take a 1-0 lead against starter Dylan Cease. The ball only left Turner’s bat at 64.4 mph, but he was aggressive against Toronto’s rookie right fielder Yohendrick Piñango and wound up on second. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored easily when Marsh laced a slider to right field.

    After that, though, the Phillies couldn’t generate much against Cease. He only allowed one more hit — a single — and walked one while striking out 11. Cease generated 29 swings-and-misses from Phillies hitters, including 10 on his fastball.

    “Just the way his hand is, he hides the ball well,” Stott said. “So you have a split second to see kind of what pitch it is. Usually when they’re not kind of cupping their hand, you can see the pitcher’s fingers or whatever it is, so you kind of have an idea of what’s coming the whole way. But with him, it feels like halfway there, you pick it up, and then he’s throwing 99 [mph]. So it makes a lot of guys late, and his pitches are moving all over the place.”

    Zack Wheeler held Toronto to one run over six innings. He gave up some hard contact early, but managed to escape a few jams. Wheeler allowed a leadoff single in the second inning, but immediately erased the runner with a double play. Kazuma Okamoto followed that up with a double and Wheeler then hit Andrés Giménez with a fastball to put two on. But he stranded both runners with a strikeout.

    Back in Toronto as Phillies interim manager, Don Mattingly reflects on Blue Jays’ run to the World Series

    “It wasn’t the best, wasn’t the sharpest,” Wheeler said of his outing.

    Wheeler said he found the mound tough and wasn’t able to push off like he normally does, so he had to rely on his upper body more.

    “I think that’s kind of why it wasn’t as sharp,” Wheeler said. “Velo’s down just a tick. So we kind of take those games and throw them out right away.”

    Still, he held Toronto off the scoreboard until the sixth inning, when Wheeler’s cutter to Jesús Sánchez didn’t get high enough above the zone. Sánchez — who had also doubled in the third — sent it into the Phillies’ bullpen in right field for a solo shot that tied the game at 1.

    J.T. Realmuto (left) loses the ball as the Blue Jays’ Brandon Valenzuela (59) waves Myles Straw in to score on a wild pitch during the ninth inning.Sammy Kogan

    “Cease was really good; I thought Zack was good,” Mattingly said. “Obviously, it was one of those games that’s just not going to be a bunch of runs going up, with a guy like Cease and Wheels. … I thought the at-bats were OK. He’s just one of those guys that you’re going to have your hands full when you start the game.”

    Although Cease was cruising, since he was making his first start after being reinstated from the injured list, Toronto manager John Schneider lifted him after six innings and 93 pitches. Former Phillie Jeff Hoffman pitched a scoreless seventh and Mason Fluharty retired the side in order in the eighth, before Stott came through against Varland.

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Larry Bowa on Philly’s 1976 All-Star Game, a Trea Turner rebound, and more

    The Phillies finished with five total hits. Bryce Harper drew their only two walks.

    “You always want to score, especially when you get guys on base,” Stott said. “But felt like when [Cease] needed a pitch, he got it, and sometimes you just run into guys who have that stuff that day, and he kept us off-balance.”

    Orion Kerkering took over for Wheeler in the seventh and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. He returned for the eighth to face Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and induced a line out. José Alvarado retired the next two batters before Duran entered in the ninth.

  • Cristopher Sánchez strikes out 10 as the Phillies top the Blue Jays

    TORONTO — Cristopher Sánchez glanced toward the Phillies dugout and signaled, one more.

    He was already at 101 pitches in the seventh inning, and Orion Kerkering had already warmed up in the bullpen. The Blue Jays had just brought switch-hitting catcher Brandon Valenzuela in the game as a pinch-hitter with two runners on.

    But interim manager Don Mattingly nodded, deciding to grant Sánchez’s request. Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham headed out for a mound visit to check in and discuss how to attack Valenzuela, but the ball stayed in Sánchez’s hand.

    “Sánchy’s easy to trust,” Mattingly said.

    And the Phillies lefty made sure that trust wasn’t misplaced. Like he had all night in the 5-2 win over the Blue Jays, Sánchez rebounded from adversity to induce a groundout from Valenzuela to end the inning.

    Back in Toronto as Phillies interim manager, Don Mattingly reflects on Blue Jays’ run to the World Series

    “I don’t like leaving guys on base,” Sánchez said through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “I felt great today. … Obviously a big thank-you to the manager for trusting me with that. And I told him that after the game.”

    An early offensive outburst was just enough for the Phillies to take the first game of the series. Sánchez gave up two runs, including his first homer allowed since April 23.

    He had cruised early in his start, retiring the first six Blue Jays he faced. But after a long top of the third while the Phillies worked long at-bats against lefty Patrick Corbin, Sánchez’s command initially wasn’t as sharp.

    He allowed his first hit of the day, a leadoff double to Myles Straw, and then fell behind in the count to Tyler Heineman. But he battled back to induce consecutive groundouts, conceding one run, and then struck out George Springer.

    Ernie Clement led off fifth inning with a homer — the first Sánchez had allowed since April 23 — but he responded right away by retiring the next three Blue Jays. He helped himself out with a strong defensive play on a grounder hit back to him. Sánchez bobbled the ball, but recovered, barehanded it, and fired it to Harper who picked it for the out.

    “I’m laughing a little bit because [Alec Bohm] at the time told me, ‘Don’t throw it, don’t throw it.’ I threw it anyway,” Sánchez said.

    Sánchez also picked up right fielder Adolis García in the sixth inning. Yohendrick Piñango, the Blue Jays’ nine-hole hitter, doubled and then advanced to third when García misplayed the ball off the wall. The ball deflected off García’s foot, and he was charged with his third error of the season.

    “I talked to him after the inning, right away, and he told me just to stay calm because he was there for us,” García said. “I think it’s really important for us to have that type of communication because it allows us to be aggressive and just go after the ball.”

    Sánchez struck out the top of the Blue Jays order — Springer, Nathan Lukes, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — to leave Piñango at third base.

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Larry Bowa on Philly’s 1976 All-Star Game, a Trea Turner rebound, and more

    “I think the sixth is huge. It kind of shows who he is, right?” Mattingly said.

    Sánchez struck out 10, five of which came in the sixth and seventh inning as he seemed to get sharper as his outing progressed.

    The Phillies had seven hits and drew five walks. They jumped out to an early lead in the second inning. Bryson Stott won a nine-pitch battle against Corbin with a double to center field and García blasted his third homer in the last five games to put the Phillies up, 2-0.

    García has continued to hit early before each game with the hitting coaches. He said he focuses on getting his timing down in those extra sessions. It’s paying off: After posting a .125 average and .182 slugging percentage in May, he is hitting .269 and slugging .654 in June.

    “I feel good, and I feel comfortable at the plate. I think it’s about making the adjustments,” García said.

    Patience against Corbin paid off for the Phillies in the third. After Kyle Schwarber flew out to center field to start the inning, the next seven Phillies reached base — walk, walk, hit by pitch, single, single, walk, and fielder’s choice — and they scored three more runs.

    What if the Phillies’ most impactful addition was a resurgent Trea Turner? He’s working to make it happen.

    They couldn’t get much going against the Jays bullpen, which took over in the fourth, but the early cushion was enough with Sánchez on the mound for seven.

    “Whenever we have him on the mound, the type of pitcher that he is, it’s almost a sure win if we get him run support,” García said.

    Brad Keller took over in the eighth and sidestepped a walk and a single for a scoreless frame, while Jhoan Duran picked up his 16th save of the season in the ninth to seal the win.

  • Back in Toronto as Phillies interim manager, Don Mattingly reflects on Blue Jays’ run to the World Series

    Back in Toronto as Phillies interim manager, Don Mattingly reflects on Blue Jays’ run to the World Series

    TORONTO — Moments after the Blue Jays’ World Series hopes dwindled away in Game 7 against the Dodgers last November, Don Mattingly sat in Toronto’s dugout and looked out at the field at Rogers Centre.

    Bo Bichette, who departed the Jays for the Mets in free agency a few months later, shared a hug with his bench coach before they disappeared into the clubhouse.

    “I was just kind of watching the end of it, and taking it in,” Mattingly said. “I usually get out of the dugout after a game, but that one I just kind of watched, took it in, and then Bo came over.”

    On Monday, Mattingly was sitting at that ballpark but in the opposite dugout, now as the Phillies’ interim manager. It marked his first visit to the Rogers Centre since the 11-inning, 5-4 loss that cemented the Dodgers as back-to-back champions.

    Over his more than four decades in baseball as a player, manager, and coach, 2025 was Mattingly’s first time being involved in a World Series.

    “What I learned: It’s hard to get there; it’s hard to move through each round,” he said. “Just emotional, right? If you’re the team that doesn’t get the last out, it’s a crash. No matter if it’s at that level or it’s the first round. That feeling is the same.

    “But once you get away from that, from last year’s standpoint, you really are proud of the team, right? What they were able to accomplish, the guys that are in there, and you feel for those guys, and they kind of laid their hearts out there.”

    Don Mattingly has plenty of familiarity with the Blue Jays’ roster.Lynne Sladky

    Mattingly spent three years as bench coach for Blue Jays manager John Schneider. He stepped down after the World Series, as he felt like he had accomplished his goal of helping Schneider, a younger manager, establish himself.

    He couldn’t have predicted that five months later, he would be managing again. Mattingly initially planned to retire but changed his mind after he was approached by the Phillies in the offseason for their open bench coach job. And after Rob Thomson was fired following the Phillies’ slow start, Mattingly was back at the helm.

    He said he’s taken many lessons from his previous stops into his position.

    “I think a lot, the way Schneids does things, and the way Toronto actually does things,” Mattingly said. “But I can say the same from everywhere. From Miami, I can say the same from LA, I could say the same from being around Joe Torre with his staff. So you’re always taking. I always try to take from everyone, good or bad. Take the bad, and know that that’s not what you want to do, right? So I’m taking all the time.”

    Don’t blame Rob Thomson for the Phillies’ flawed roster | Marcus Hayes

    With this series against Toronto, Mattingly’s familiarity also gives him a leg up with game-planning.

    “It’s a little less having to totally go through a club you don’t know anything about,” he said. “Like a lot of the White Sox guys we just got done playing, there was a lot of new faces that I hadn’t seen play before. It makes me more comfortable. I don’t know if it makes it easier, but I definitely kind of know who these guys are, in a sense, and how they use them. But you still got to get outs, and make plays, and all that kind of thing.”

    Brandon Marsh slid over to center field on Monday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Extra bases

    Justin Crawford sat against Blue Jays left-hander Patrick Corbin on Monday, with Edmundo Sosa drawing into the lineup at left field and Brandon Marsh sliding to center. … Zack Wheeler (5-1, 2.31 ERA) is scheduled to start against Blue Jays righty Dylan Cease (3-3, 3.05) on Tuesday. Cease will be making his first start since he was placed on the injured list on May 25 with a left hamstring strain.