How Phillies reliever Connor Brogdon stayed busy during prolonged COVID-19 absence

Imagine spending eight days in San Diego but not being permitted to leave the hotel.

Torture, right?

“I was going crazy,” Phillies reliever Connor Brogdon said.

Brogdon finally rejoined the team Tuesday, but was not yet added back to the roster, after testing positive for COVID-19 on June 25 during a weekend series against the Padres. He said he was ill for only one night, but Major League Baseball’s health protocols required him to stay put until he tested negative.

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The Phillies had to leave Brogdon behind in a downtown hotel. He bided his time by watching television, playing video games, and throwing a baseball into a pillow to keep his arm in shape.

Brogdon, who grew up about a five-hour drive from San Diego in northern California, wasn’t even allowed to rent a car and go see his family. He cleared the protocols over the weekend, hopped a Fourth of July flight to Philadelphia, and played catch Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

“It was nice just to not be in a hotel,” Brogdon said.

It’s likely Brogdon will be reinstated from the COVID-19 list within the next few days. He threw a bullpen session before Tuesday night’s series opener with the Washington Nationals.

After taking longer than expected to build his arm strength during a shortened spring training, Brogdon got off to a poor start and was sent to triple A in the middle of April.

But he has been one of the Phillies’ best relievers over the last two months. In 16 appearances dating to May 8, Brogdon has allowed two earned runs, struck out 20 batters, and walked only five in 15⅔ innings.

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Like several Phillies relievers, Brogdon attributes his resurgence, in part, to a change in how he’s using his pitches.

Brogdon is throwing more cutters rather than fastballs to offset his change-up. Similarly, the Phillies have directed lefty José Alvarado to throw more cutters, which he’s able to command better than his sinker. They also have emphasized Andrew Bellatti’s slider, and he’s having a breakout season.

Didi Gregorius was out of the lineup for a third game in a row after getting an injection of gel in his sprained left knee last week. But the shortstop went through a full workout and appears unlikely to land back on the injured list.

“I don’t believe so, no,” interim manager Rob Thomson said. “Probably could have played today, I think, but I just want to make sure that he’s good to go. Hopefully tomorrow he’ll be ready.”

Gregorius missed 28 games in May and early June with the knee injury, which flared again Friday and has impacted his extreme pull-side power to right field. Because it’s his back leg, he has been unable to turn on the ball. The result: the second-longest homer drought of his career.

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One month after surgery, Jean Segura had the pins taken out of his broken right index finger and is starting range of motion exercises. The second baseman fielded grounders before the game without throwing.

The Phillies haven’t provided updates to their initial 10- to 12-week timetable for Segura’s return. In his absence, they have used five players at second base: Bryson Stott (18 games), Yairo Muñoz (seven games), Johan Camargo (two games), Nick Maton (two games), and Matt Vierling (two games, including Tuesday night).

Two days after landing on the 15-day injured list with back spasms, left-hander Ranger Suárez said he’s feeling better and aiming to be ready to start one of the games in Miami before the All-Star break. ... Rhys Hoskins was named NL Player of the Week after going 8-for-19 with four home runs and a 1.678 OPS in six games. ... The Phillies claimed lefty reliever Sam Clay off waivers from the Nationals and optioned him to triple-A Lehigh Valley. Clay, 29, has a 6.02 ERA in 64 major league appearances over the last two seasons. ... Aaron Nola (5-5, 3.13 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday night against Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (6-5, 4.22).