Arraez, Hill out of Phillies lineup for Cards finale
DIRECT ANSWER: Luis Arraez (lower-body cramping) and Derek Hill (neck stiffness) are out of the Philadelphia Phillies' starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals. Both exited Saturday's 12-3 win early, but interim manager Don Mattingly said neither injury appears serious as fans track the latest Phillies score and lineup updates.
Two injury scares clouded an otherwise dominant Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies battered St. Louis 12-3 behind rookie Andrew Painter's seven-inning gem. Now, with a potential series sweep on the line, Philadelphia is playing it safe with two key contributors acquired at or after the trade deadline.
Key Takeaways
- Luis Arraez and Derek Hill both exited Saturday's win and sat Sunday's finale against the Cardinals.
- Arraez left with lower-body cramping; Mattingly called it a recurring issue and said the club is being careful.
- Hill was removed for neck stiffness that may stem from an Aug. 5 outfield wall collision.
- Bryson Stott started at second base in Arraez's place for the series finale.
- The Phillies (72-58) open a nine-game West Coast trip Monday in Seattle.
What happened to Luis Arraez on Saturday?
Arraez departed the Phillies' 12-3 victory over the Cardinals in the fourth inning after the club announced he was dealing with lower-body cramping. The three-time batting champion went 1-for-2 with a single and scored on Bryan De La Cruz's two-run single in the third.
Earlier in that inning, one of Arraez's legs appeared to lock up while he took a big turn around second on an Alec Bohm single. He limped briefly but stayed in the game and eventually jogged home. Bryson Stott replaced him at second base to begin the top of the fourth with Philadelphia leading 7-0.
Mattingly said Sunday that cramping is not new for Arraez. "This is something that's been part of his history, where he feels the cramping, then he recovers and it's fine," he told reporters. MLB.com reported the Phillies are treating the issue cautiously rather than rushing him back.
Why is Derek Hill out of the lineup?
Center fielder Derek Hill was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the sixth due to neck stiffness and replaced by Justin Crawford. Hill went 1-for-2 with an RBI double before exiting, but the Phillies said he would be evaluated further.
Mattingly suggested the stiffness may be related to Hill crashing into the outfield wall on Aug. 5, though Hill has appeared in 11 games since that incident. "His neck just got tight," Mattingly said. "They still think it's remnants of hitting the wall a couple weeks ago."
How will the Phillies line up without Arraez and Hill?
Neither Arraez nor Hill was in the lineup for Sunday's series finale, though Mattingly was unsure whether either would be available off the bench. Stott started at second base as Philadelphia looked to complete a sweep before heading west.
Arraez has been a major pickup since arriving from the Giants on Aug. 3, hitting .315 in 17 games and extending his hitting streak to nine games Saturday. Hill, acquired from the White Sox on June 11, is hitting .261 with five homers in 45 games with Philadelphia.
The Good Phight noted the club was likely just being cautious with Arraez. For viewers following every Streaming & TV Alerts update, the absences are worth monitoring ahead of Monday's opener in Seattle—the start of a nine-game West Coast swing.
What should Phillies fans watch for next?
Mattingly said Saturday he would see how Arraez felt on Sunday, echoing comments from Phillies Nation that the second baseman has a history of cramping since joining the club. Arraez leads the majors with a .323 batting average this season and has posted an .800 OPS while hitting .315 as Philadelphia's cleanup hitter.
With Painter delivering the longest outing of his young career Saturday—seven innings, one run, eight strikeouts—the pitching staff gave the offense room to breathe. Keeping Arraez and Hill healthy for the West Coast trip matters more than forcing them into one August afternoon game.