Yelich sits again; status remains uncertain

PHILADELPHIA -- There was no official word needed on Christian Yelich's status for Wednesday night's game against the Phillies. The 23-year old Marlins left fielder sat at a table in the front of the visitors' clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park and looked over a newspaper. Down the hall in the batting cage, his teammates prepared for the game -- something Yelich would not be a part of due to a tight back.

What the next few days hold for Yelich is a mystery, and that is possibly the most frustrating part of the situation for the left fielder. Yelich, who was not in the starting lineup for the second straight game after he was scratched before a 7-3 series-opening loss to the Phillies, has no answers and admitted that while there are plenty of theories, the exact nature of the injury is up in the air.

"I think it's still kind of the same and he's day to day," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "We'll evaluate him accordingly tomorrow. Other than he's not going to play today, I don't have anything."

Yelich's injury is of deeper concern, since he spent time on the disabled list last season with a similar ailment. It's unclear how much his back has played a part in his slow start at the plate -- Yelich is hitting .200 on the young season -- but the Marlins need his presence in the lineup as they work to dig out of a 3-11 hole.

For now, the Marlins will play wait and see, and hopefully treatment with the medical staff is effective.

"[He could get an MRI] depending on how he feels over the next day or so," Redmond said. "But I don't know and don't want to say if he can play tomorrow just yet."