Injured Phillies Mickey Moniak and Didi Gregorius making progress toward returning, Joe Girardi says

LOS ANGELES — Center fielder Mickey Moniak is supposed to start taking batting practice Monday, Phillies manager Joe Girardi said Friday afternoon. Moniak broke a bone in his right hand when he was hit by a pitch in his last at-bat of spring training. He has been on the 10-day injured list since April 7 and doesn’t have a firm timetable for a return to play yet, but Girardi said that Moniak is feeling better and has been hitting recently.

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Moniak made the Phillies’ active roster out of spring training, after batting .378/.378/.973 through 15 games. Center fielder Odúbel Herrera has been getting the bulk of center field playing time in Moniak’s absence, and Girardi hasn’t ruled out the possibility that Herrera could hit his way into a full-time role there, but Moniak’s return could make that interesting.

Shortstop Didi Gregorius, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left knee sprain on May 7 (retroactive to May 5) will be eligible to return to play Tuesday, per Girardi. Girardi said this is contingent on how Gregorius feels; it’s not a certainty that he’ll be ready to go by then. Gregorius did some glove work, running, and hitting in the cage on Friday.

Second baseman Jean Segura, who is one of the Phillies’ hottest hitters, was out of the lineup ahead of Friday’s night game against the Dodgers. Segura has a 10-game hitting streak going, and after Thursday night’s game, is batting .565/.643/1.000 over his past seven games.

Girardi said he wanted to give Segura a day off, given his history of leg injuries. He said they have no injury concerns about Segura, and the move was purely precautionary. Segura will be available to pinch-hit on Friday night.