García likely done for 2026; prospect Rincones, newcomer Hill to fill void

MILWAUKEE -- The Phillies' outfield underwent a major shakeup prior to Friday's series opener against the Brewers at American Family Field.

Two days after exiting Wednesday's series finale in Toronto, right fielder Adolis García was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right latissimus dorsi tear -- an injury that may prematurely end his debut season in Philadelphia. (The latissimus dorsi is a muscle in the back that stretches up behind the shoulder.)

“I mean, it sounds like that's a good possibility," said interim manager Don Mattingly when asked if it's a season-ending injury. "I know they're waiting on one final opinion, but it obviously is not good. Put him on the [60-day IL] right away. Yeah, it doesn't look good.”

To fill García's spot in right field, the Phillies added a pair of potential replacements to the roster: newcomer Derek Hill and prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. (The second roster vacancy was created by fellow outfielder Steward Berroa being placed on the paternity list.)

"Kind of those two trying to fill one spot," Mattingly said. "I mean, that's our original thought, is basically those two guys."

Rincones got the first call on Friday night, making his MLB debut in right field and batting seventh in Milwaukee.

“I’m just trying to keep everything even keel and tell myself it’s still the same game," Rincones said. "But yeah, I’ve had a smile on my face all day today. It kind of hit me yesterday a little bit, but I don’t think it’s fully set in yet.”

It likely won't take long to set in once he steps in the box against Brewers flame-throwing phenom Jacob Misiorowski.

"Kind of throwing him to the wolves tonight a little bit, but we'll see what happens," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said before the game. "They don't all have arms like this. But yeah, I'm excited to see him. It's good to see a young guy get an opportunity, and I think he'll do well.”

Rincones, Philadelphia's No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has been limited to 22 Minor League games this season following offseason leg issues. The 25-year-old left-handed hitter slashed .240/.370/.430 (.800 OPS) with 18 home runs for Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season, but he did nearly all of his damage against right-handed pitchers.

Not only did all 18 of his home runs come against righties, but he also hit .261 with an .873 OPS over 441 plate appearances in those matchups. He hit just .107 (6-for-56) with zero extra-base hits against lefties.

"I just want him to be a player," Mattingly said. "He's not here to be the savior, he's not here to hit in the middle of the order and save us. He's here to be a player and contribute.”

Given those extreme splits, Rincones may pair well with the right-handed-hitting Hill as a platoon of sorts in right field.

Acquired from the White Sox on Thursday, the 30-year-old Hill is hitting .245 with a .789 OPS against left-handers this year, and he has a .780 OPS against southpaws for his career.

"Derek coming in, really the same type of role he played in Chicago is the same type of role he'll play here," Mattingly said. "You know, a guy that gives us all three outfield spots, gives us speed off the bench, gives us a guy against left-handed pitching. Kind of fits our club perfectly.”

Hill also could see time in center field with Brandon Marsh playing every day in left. Phillies rookie center fielder Justin Crawford is batting .232 with a .623 OPS, but he is batting .143 with a .356 OPS since May 16.

"There's been ups and there's been downs," Dombrowski said of Crawford's first few months in the big leagues. " ... From an offensive perspective, he has somewhat of an unusual swing -- we knew that all along -- where he kind of sprays the ball all over the place. He's working through it. He started off a little bit quickly, but you know, lately it's been a little bit more of a struggle. But he keeps working, and we think he'll work his way through it.”

The injury to García comes at a tough time for both him and the Phillies. Signed to a one-year, $10 million deal this offseason, García had gotten off to a difficult start offensively.

He hit just .195 with seven home runs and a .599 OPS, though three of those homers had come in the week prior to his injury. Despite his offensive struggles, García had continued to play solid defense in right field while showcasing his elite arm strength.

“It's tough," Dombrowski said. "We felt good about the strides he was making. He worked very hard, so really tough news for him. Injuries unfortunately happen in our game, and we have to deal with that. But yeah, very tough for him and for us.”

Prior to acquiring Hill, Philadelphia's only healthy outfielders on the 40-man roster were Rincones, Otto Kemp and Felix Reyes. The latter two have struggled in part-time roles this season, prompting the Phillies to keep them at Triple-A where they can get everyday reps.

García's injury also came on the same day that it was announced that outfielder Johan Rojas -- who was nearing the end of his 80-game suspension for PEDs -- will soon undergo season-ending UCL surgery on his right elbow.

Phillies outfielders as a whole are slashing .240/.292/.377 (.669 OPS) this season. But nearly all of that production has come from Brandon Marsh (.326/.361/.504). If you remove him, those numbers drop to .202/.264/.321 (.585 OPS).

So how do they feel about this revamped unit?

“Well, it's just starting out, so it's really hard for me to answer that question, because we’re just getting the guys," Dombrowski said. "Marsh has been tremendous, competing for an All-Star bid. Crawford, we talked about. The other two are here now, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”