The Phillies have dropped four games in a row, including a doubleheader sweep at the hands of the Nationals today. Big deal. Now here’s something to potentially worry about.
Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports that Hunter Pence has patellar tendinitis in his left knee and will undergo a precautionary MRI tomorrow.
Pence left the first game of today’s doubleheader in the sixth inning with the injury, which Charlie Manuel said was the result of “sliding or something.” He was held out of the lineup for the second game, but downplayed the situation in comments to Salisbury, saying that the knee was “a little tight” and that they were “just trying to be smart.” The Phillies have already clinched their division and home field advantage, so they can afford to play it safe here, but we’ll soon learn if there is legitimate reason for concern.
Pence is batting .317/.386/.541 with nine home runs, 28 RBI and a .927 OPS over 47 games since being acquired from the Astros at the trade deadline.
UPDATE: Pence tells Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he has played with the injury all season and that he doesn’t believe it’s serious.
