Phillies minor-leaguer Daniel Brito ‘needs a lot of prayers’ after having surgery following scary incident

PITTSBURGH -- The Phillies -- and the rest of the baseball community -- are praying for Daniel Brito as the minor-league infielder remains hospitalized in Rochester, N.Y. after collapsing Saturday during triple-A Lehigh Valley’s game.

“He needs a lot of prayers. It’s scary,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said Sunday. “It just shows you how precious everything is.”

Brito, 23, underwent surgery on Saturday evening and the Phillies said Sunday that he is “undergoing further medical evaluation.” Brito was playing the field in the first inning on Saturday when he began to wobble following a medical emergency.

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The Democrat and Chronicle reported that Brito was on the ground for 20 minutes and was administered oxygen by a paramedic on the field before the ambulance arrived and transported him to Strong Memorial Hospital. The game was suspended and Sunday’s game was postponed.

“There was a kid yesterday in Lehigh Valley who went down,” Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Sunday. “I just want to give my thoughts and prayers to Daniel Brito and his family. I wish him well in his recovery and to the Phillies, you never want to see a kid like that or anybody go down like that. My thoughts and prayers are with all of them.”

Brito signed with the Phillies in 2014 out of Venezuela. He started the season with double-A Reading, where he hit .296 with an .820 OPS in 63 games before being promoted in July to triple A. Saturday was his ninth game with the IronPigs.

He won a minor-league Gold Glove Award in 2018 at second base and is one of the organization’s top defenders.

“Saw the news of Daniel Brito,” former Phillies pitcher Cole Irvin tweeted. “Please pray for him and his family. Know I am praying hard for your surgery and recovery. Great player, better teammate.”

Andrew McCutchen underwent an MRI on Sunday after leaving Saturday night’s game with stiffness in his left knee. The Phillies will have a better indication of the injury’s severity on Monday after the imaging is examined by the team doctors.

Girardi expects McCutchen to be out longer than Rhys Hoskins, who missed his third straight game on Sunday after suffering a groin injury on Thursday. Hoskins tested his groin in the morning at PNC Park and could play Monday in the series opener at Nationals Park.

McCutchen had his left knee surgically repaired in the summer of 2019 after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament during his first season with the Phillies. The Phillies replaced McCutchen in left field on Sunday with Odubel Herrera, who had two hits. But replacing McCutchen -- who has a .964 OPS since June 1 -- for a long stretch will be a challenge.

“He was sore today. He was sore obviously yesterday,” Girardi said. “So they’ll continue to treat and see what happens.”

Ranger Suarez will start Monday’s series opener against Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray. ... Ian Kennedy made his Phillies debut and allowed a two-run homer in the ninth inning of a blowout. The new closer had not pitched since July 27, so Girardi wanted to get him work. He should still be available to pitch Monday if the Phillies have a save situation. ... Travis Jankowski made a terrific sliding catch in the seventh inning to track down a deep fly ball in left-center. It was the last batter Kyle Gibson would face.