Brandon Marsh exits early from rehab game with a hamstring cramp; Phillies pitching update

Brandon Marsh, who was on the cusp of returning from his hamstring strain, was pulled after six innings Sunday in his fourth rehab game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley after experiencing a cramp in the same hamstring that put him on the injured list in the first place.

More Bad News for Brandon Marsh

Brandon Marsh was eligible to return to the Phillies’ roster Sunday, but the team wanted him to get a few more reps at the plate before bringing him back. Good idea, in theory. Now, the plan is up in the air again.

Brandon Marsh exited today’s game at AAA with a cramp in his right hamstring. The Phillies will check on him tomorrow back home.

— Corey Seidman (@CSeidmanNBCS) April 27, 2025

Brandon Marsh played six innings in center before leaving. Meanwhile, Otto Kemp stayed hot with his 7th HR, is hitting .313 with a .415 OBP.

The Phillies will evaluate Brandon Marsh back in Philadelphia on Monday, but you can bet they’re going to take it slow. No sense rushing him back when he was already hitting .095 (4-for-42) before the injury.

In Brandon Marsh’s absence, Johan Rojas will continue to start in center field, with Cal Stevenson backing him up. Edmundo Sosa has also shown he can fake it in the outfield if needed, but he’s more of a “daytime emergency” option.

Pitching Update: Good News for Ranger, Optimism for Sanchez

Ranger Suárez dominated Sunday in what could be his final rehab start. He tossed 4⅔ innings, with 8 strikeouts on 78 pitches. First-pitch strikes to 18 of 20 hitters.

Ranger Suarez made it to the 5th inning in his rehab start today, lowering his ERA to 0.93 this season!

4.2 IP | 4 H | 1 ER | 2 BB | 8 K | 78 Pitches pic.twitter.com/DAS4ym0jsY

— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) April 27, 2025

Suárez has been nails during his entire minor-league rehab stint, and it’s looking more and more like he’ll rejoin the Phillies rotation sometime this week.

Rob Thomson didn’t hide his excitement:

“When he’s good, he’s one of the best in the league.”

The decision now is whether to ramp him up one more outing to hit the 90-95 pitch mark or just roll him into the big-league rotation. Considering how taxed the Phillies’ pitching has been, it wouldn’t be shocking if he’s fast-tracked.

Meanwhile, Cristopher Sanchez also checked an important box.

• Threw a bullpen session Sunday at Wrigley Field.
• No pain or discomfort after leaving his last start with left forearm tightness.

Sanchez will be reevaluated Monday morning. If all checks out, he could slide back into the rotation later this week.

Zack Wheeler is officially set to start Tuesday against the Nationals. Beyond that? It depends on how healthy Sanchez and Suarez are feeling.

Cristopher Sanchez won’t start on Tuesday, Phillies remain optimistic moving forward

Phillies Injury Notes:

• Marsh’s timing and swing needed the rehab games, but now the hamstring is again the bigger concern. Brutal.
• If Suárez is right, adding him back into the rotation could stabilize everything after a shaky few weeks.
• The Phillies’ pitching staff could look a whole lot different — and a whole lot better — by next weekend if both Suárez and Sanchez are back.

Next Up: The Phillies get a much-needed off-day Monday before hosting the Nationals for a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park starting Tuesday.

Phillies grind out a series win against the Cubs thanks to a 10th inning sac fly from Bohm

Join The Chase