Segura, Bruce exit early with leg injuries

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies might find themselves short in the field as they begin a four-city, 10-game road trip on Tuesday in Boston.

Jay Bruce left Sunday’s 6-2 victory over the Mets at Citizens Bank Park in the fifth inning because of a left quadriceps issue. Second baseman Jean Segura exited in the seventh because of a hamstring issue. Their departures followed news before the game that the Phillies had placed Roman Quinn on the injured list. Quinn called the team on Sunday morning complaining of an earache and a cough. Out of an abundance of caution during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Phillies told Quinn to stay home.

“Roman did the right thing,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. “He did some contact testing here. He passed three of them. They all came up negative, so that's encouraging. Hopefully we'll get Roman back as soon as we can. I think he has to pass some other tests, but he did the right thing and I give him a lot of credit.”

Quinn has not been placed on the 10-day injured list, so he could be back this week. In the meantime, the Phillies recalled outfielder Kyle Garlick to take his place on the roster. If Bruce’s and Segura’s leg issues linger, however, it likely means Scott Kingery will remain in center field and Phil Gosselin and Neil Walker will handle second base. Outfielder Adam Haseley is on the 10-day injured list because of a sprained left wrist.

“There’s always concerns,” Girardi said. “Whenever a guy has something like this, there’s always concerns. Jean’s had a history of it. Hopefully whatever it is, they're really mild, they go away and they're going to be OK.”

Bruce started four of the past seven games in left field as Andrew McCutchen has struggled in his return from ACL surgery last summer. McCutchen hit a two-run home run after replacing Bruce on Sunday, but he is hitting .192 with one double, one home run, seven RBIs and a .528 OPS in 58 plate appearances.

Can McCutchen play several games in a row in left field, if Bruce misses time?

“Yeah, I mean, we'll have to see,” Girardi said. “We'll just have to see where each guy's at. I think you have to make that evaluation every day, how he's doing. We've got a lot to mull over in the next couple days.”

If McCutchen is needed, though, he said he will handle it.

“It’s just a matter of the next guy up, you know. Jay swinging a hot bat and maybe he's the guy that needs to be out there at the time, but I'm going be ready,” McCutchen said. “I'm going to be prepared. I'm going to make the plays that need to be made. I don't feel like there's anything hindering me out there. I may look a little weird and awkward at times, but that comes with it. I don't feel like there's anything that can stop me from being myself.”

Robertson optimistic he will help in 2020

Phillies right-hander David Robertson is hopeful that he will rejoin the bullpen in a few weeks.

“I don’t have a definitive timeline,” he said Sunday morning. “I’m getting comfortable throwing all my pitches again and my arm strength is feeling really good. I just started to get that crisp feeling out of a lot of pitches that I have. I hate to put a timeline on it because the last time I put a timeline on it I feel like I just rushed myself and caused myself to have a mini setback mentally. I’m thinking at best maybe three weeks. But that’s not a hard date. I think if I could get comfortable, I could pitch at the big league level in three weeks.”

Robertson has not pitched since April 2019 because of an injured right elbow. He first tried to rehab it, but ultimately he had Tommy John surgery last August. His recovery has been a challenge. Robertson had been scheduled to throw off a mound for the first time in Clearwater, Fla., in June, but that same day the Phillies shut down their complex because of a COVID-19 outbreak.

Robertson and his family quarantined for about eight days before tests came back negative. Afterward, they drove to their farm in Alabama, where Robertson played catch with his brother and tried to keep some semblance of a throwing program.

“It kind of stung me for a little while, but I’m catching up and I’m feeling really good,” Robertson said.

Could he have been back by now, if not for the shutdown? Robertson estimates it might have cost him a month.

“I think I would be very, very close, if not ready,” he said. “I was feeling really good at the time of the shutdown. Everything was just going right for me.”

Robertson said his velocity hit 88 mph the last time he checked a couple weeks ago. Sometimes he thinks it could be 90 mph. Sometimes it is 85-86 mph. His cutter averaged 91.7 mph last season and 92.2 mph in 2018.

“It’s just part of the rehab process,” he said. “Some days you feel good, some days you don’t.”

Robertson will work out with the team’s 60-man player pool at its alternate site in Allentown, Pa. He will throw more bullpens, but he hopes sometime soon he can face hitters.

Does he see a light at the end of the tunnel?

“I am dying to get into that light,” he said. “I am ready to be back on the mound, watching guys play, watching this team. It’s heartbreaking not to be on it. I feel like I’m so close, I just have to get my body ready to do it, then I can be out there with those guys. I want to get back and help us make that push to get to the playoffs. I want to play more baseball. I want a chance at winning a ring.”