Phillies put Alec Bohm on injured list; he could be sidelined for a while

MIAMI — When Alec Bohm swings a bat lately, it feels like ... well, let him explain it in his own words.

“Like someone’s got a hammer,” he said, “and when I swing, they hit my hand with a hammer.”

It has been that way for eight days, with only minimal improvement. So, rather than continuing to play with a shorthanded bench, the Phillies finally put Bohm on the 10-day injured list Friday with a strained left hand and recalled infielder Buddy Kennedy from triple-A Lehigh Valley.

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The move is retroactive to Tuesday (Bohm hasn’t played since Aug. 29, but injured list placements can’t be backdated more than three days), leaving the third baseman eligible to return on Sept. 13 at home against the Mets.

But that may be wishful thinking.

“It’s probably going to be longer than that,” said manager Rob Thomson, noting that Bohm will need to go through a hitting progression that could include a brief triple-A assignment.

Initially, the Phillies thought Bohm would be able to return this weekend and resisted taking him off the active roster. But after he tested his hand Thursday by taking swings in the cage without hitting a ball, a trip to the injured list began to seem unavoidable.

“We want to make sure that we’re taking our time and we’re not rushing him back,” Thomson said. “It just wasn’t progressing as quickly as we thought. So, we’ll do the right thing and make sure he’s good to go.”

Bohm, 28, injured his hand on a swing in the first inning Aug. 29 against the Braves. At first, it appeared that he might have damaged the hamate bone. But diagnostic testing ruled out broken bones, torn tendons, and other potential structural damage.

The Phillies have characterized the injury as a “strain.” Regardless, it interrupted a breakout season in which he’s batting .290 with 13 homers and an .804 OPS and leading the majors with 44 doubles. Bohm played in the All-Star Game in July and competed in the Home Run Derby.

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“Nobody wants to not be able to play,” Bohm said before the Phillies continued their series against the Marlins. “I don’t want to be hurting everybody and not be able to play, and now we’re a man light on the bench in case god forbid something crazy happens and we’re out of guys. It’s obviously not what you want.

“Just at the end of the day, get healthy for the home stretch.”

In 2021, Bohm endured a similar injury after he was demoted to triple A. He was unable to swing a bat without pain for more than a week. It took 16 days before he returned to the lineup for Lehigh Valley.

Based on that timeline, Bohm would return next weekend.

“It kind of got to a point where I wasn’t able to swing,” Bohm said. “Obviously they can’t DH for me in the field, so I’m pretty useless at that point until I can hit. Once we got to that point where I still wasn’t able to swing, we kind of just figured it’s going to be around that same time [as in 2021]. No harm, no foul. Just be ready to be back for the Mets series.”

Sans Bohm, the Phillies have used Edmundo Sosa, Weston Wilson, and lefty-hitting Kody Clemens at third base. Clemens started his third consecutive game Friday night against Marlins righty Edward Cabrera. Although the Phillies will face two more righties in this series, Thomson suggested he would use Sosa or Wilson on Saturday.

Kennedy, a native of Millville, N.J., could be an option, too, though he might be more of a bench option. The Phillies acquired him from the Tigers in June. He’s batting .295 with 10 homers and a .910 OPS at Lehigh Valley.

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It was overshadowed by Ranger Suárez’s five scoreless innings (despite a dip in velocity), but Bryson Stott kick-started the Phillies offense Thursday night with an RBI single in the first inning and a solo homer in the sixth.

Of note: The single went to left field, while the home run banged off the upper deck in right.

“Felt really good,” Stott said. “I feel like I’m in a good spot right now.”

Stott has struggled at the plate for much of the season. But he seems to be finding his stroke lately, with two hits in three of his last six games.

“It’s less about a feeling to me. It’s more about where the ball is going,” Stott said. “If I’m using the whole field, hitting line drives to left, I think that’s when I’m at my best. Obviously you like to pull balls. But when I have that left-field single, it’s pretty good for me.”

In his last 20 games entering Friday night, Stott was 20-for-66 (.303) with four doubles, three homers, and an .873 OPS, mostly from the No. 5 spot in the batting order.

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Righty reliever Michael Rucker was claimed by the Nationals after being designated for assignment by the Phillies last week. ... In his first three games in double A, top prospect Aidan Miller was 3-for-12 with two RBIs. ... Aaron Nola (12-6, 3.29 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday against Marlins righty Darren McCaughan (0-0, 8.24).