Phillies’ Seranthony Domínguez learning not to dwell on getting injured again

A year ago this month, Seranthony Domínguez went on the injured list with a strained right triceps. When he returned 24 days later, he wasn’t the same dominant late-inning presence for the Phillies.

But he did heed a lesson: Don’t be scared of getting injured again.

“What I learned was, if you’re healthy, you’re healthy,” Domínguez said before Monday’s game got postponed by heavy rain. (The Phillies and Nationals will play a single-admission doubleheader beginning at 4:05 p.m. Tuesday.) “Sometimes you come from the injured list — it happened to me last year — I was thinking it was going to be hurting again.”

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Domínguez is trying not to think that way again. He returned two weeks ago after missing a month with a strained oblique muscle in his side and is still ironing out the rough spots.

Four of Domínguez’s five appearances have been scoreless. Yet he gave up two runs in one-third of an inning July 30 in Pittsburgh. His velocity, especially on his sinker, is returning to its upper-90s form. But his command has wavered. He walked two batters Saturday against the Royals.

“It’s not like I want,” said Domínguez, who has a 4.31 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and 14 walks in 37 appearances overall. “When you’re off the mound for a little bit, it’s like you shut down everything and you’ve got to start again. Every time you start again, you’ve got to focus on the little things.”

The Phillies need Domínguez — and hard-throwing lefty José Alvarado, too, when he gets back from a second stint on the injured list with elbow inflammation — to regain their dominance down the stretch.

With Domínguez and Alvarado missing time, and with the Phillies playing mostly close games (14 of their last 22 wins have been by two runs or less), manager Rob Thomson has leaned heavily on lefty Gregory Soto and closer Craig Kimbrel. Both are on pace to make more than 70 appearances. Kimbrel hasn’t appeared in 70 games in a season since 2011.

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Domínguez is hoping he will be fresher in August and September, especially since he didn’t miss time with an arm injury. It might also help his peace of mind to cut his pitches loose without fear.

“Now I know, because I feel good, I’ve got to go,” Domínguez said. “Just don’t think about if you’re feeling anything. Because if something is wrong, it’s going to be wrong anyway. You’ve got to be ready to get back.”

J.T. Realmuto missed two games last week with a gash on his right hand and got a day off Sunday.

And he still has played more than any catcher in baseball.

Realmuto has caught 806 innings, 60 more — or the equivalent of nearly seven games — than Nationals backstop Keibert Ruiz entering the week. He has started 92 of 111 games, putting him on pace to make 134 starts. Last year, he started 130 games behind the plate.

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Thomson said the Phillies have seen evidence that Realmuto benefits from additional rest. To wit: Realmuto went 4-for-11 with a home run in three games last week after the back-to-back days off for his hand.

“He’s a little bit fresher, yeah,” Thomson said.

Will it prompt the Phillies to give the iron man catcher additional rest?

“Typically I like to go four or five in a row and that’s it,” Thomson said. “Give him a day.”

Tickets for Monday’s postponed game aren’t valid for either game Tuesday, the Phillies announced.

Instead, fans who purchased tickets from the Phillies (via the team website, MLB Ballpark App, or by phone) will receive a credit that may be used for any remaining home game this season.

Alvarado is on track to go on a minor league assignment Thursday, according to Thomson, after facing Rodolfo Castro and Weston Wilson in one simulated inning. Alvarado hasn’t pitched since July 6 and likely will need two or three tune-ups, Thomson said, pushing his return to the Phillies’ bullpen into next week. ... The Phillies are 30-21 at home, the third-best mark in the NL, with 30 of their last 50 games set to be played at Citizens Bank Park. ... Zack Wheeler (8-5, 3.71 ERA) is scheduled to start the first game Tuesday against Nationals righty Trevor Williams (5-6, 4.72); Ranger Suárez (2-5, 4.01) is slated to start the nightcap against Nationals righty Josiah Gray (7-9, 3.54).