Phillies expect Jean Segura to miss three weeks with strained groin

The Phillies are losing their leading hitter until at least July after Segura left Tuesday night's game in the ninth inning.

The Phillies' Jean Segura hitting against the New York Yankees on Saturday.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

by Matt Breen

Published June 16, 2021, 8:02 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES — The Phillies will have to navigate the remainder of a challenging month without their leading hitter after they placed Jean Segura on the injured list Wednesday with a strained left groin.

Phillies general manager Sam Fuld said the team expects Segura to miss about three weeks, which keeps him out until at least July. The Phillies travel this weekend to play the the National League-leading Giants and play four games next weekend in New York against the Mets, who lead the NL East.

They’ll have to do it without Segura, whose .332 batting average is the best among all second baseman and his 2.4 WAR — as calculated by Baseball Reference — is the best among Phillies’ position players.

Segura injured his groin in the ninth inning of Tuesday night’s 5-3 loss at Dodger Stadium. He sprinted to first base, beating out an infield grounder after Albert Pujols committed an error for what would have been the final out of the game. Segura immediately limped off the field and returned to the clubhouse.

The injury likely ends Segura’s bid to be an All Star, which Phillies manager Joe Girardi started campaigning for this week.

“It’s significant because Jean was playing at an extremely high level,” Girardi said. “He was doing everything. Getting on base, stealing bases, driving in runs, scoring runs, playing really good defense, and to me leading our infield. He was the veteran out there. It’s a substantial loss. We just need some guys to step up a little bit and perform.”

The Phillies are now without their starting second baseman and shortstop as Didi Gregorius is out until at least next week after being diagnosed with pseudogout. They will likely use rookie Luke Williams to cover Segura’s absence at second base but could also use Brad Miller and Nick Maton, who was promoted Wednesday to replace Segura on the roster.

“I’m sure he’ll have to step up and play a little bit more if Jean is out,” Hoskins said of Williams. “The rest of the lineup will have to step up, too. That’s what we did the last couple of weeks. That’s what we’ll have to do now and if it happens again that’s what we’ll have to do. Guys will have to step up and keep this thing afloat while guys get healthy.”