The Phillies announced a series of roster moves today Brandon Marsh and infielder Cody Clemens On the 10-day injured list. Marsh has a right hamstring strain and Clemens has a lower back strain. The latter move back to May 31. In related activities, they chose the contract of foreign players. David Dahl And remember infielder/outfielder Weston Wilson. To get Dahl into the 40-man right-hander Michael Rucker He was transferred to the 60-day injury list.
Marsh was ruled out of last night’s game with a muscle strain and manager Rob Thomson said after the game that the 26-year-old was considered day-to-day. If it’s a borderline issue, he won’t be out long on IL, but it appears the club has decided to let Marsh take it easy for at least ten days to resolve the issue. The club has a good 41-19 record in the National League, perhaps affording them the luxury of caution. Clemens was first in last night’s lineup before being scratched due to spasms. It is not known how serious his condition is, but he will be sidelined for more than a week.
Losing two position players from Philadelphia’s roster leaves an opening for Dahl. The 30-year-old signed a minor league contract with the Phillies in the offseason and is playing for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year, where he has been pitching a full year. He has 12 home runs in 166 plate appearances and walks 11.4%. His .340/.416/.660 slash line leads to a ridiculous 171 wRC+.
It’s been a while since this was the case, but Dahl said in 2011 The No. 10 overall pick by the Rockies in 2012, he was once considered one of the sport’s all-around prospects. In his first 921 MLB plate appearances from 2016-19, he hit the ground running in the majors, posting a .315/.359/.500 slash as a starter and a .297/.346/.521 batting average in 63 games. Injuries have marred Dahl’s career, and for many years he has been a shell of the dynamic talent he once seemed to be.
Dahl suffered a ruptured spleen in an off-field collision and is so injured that he needs to have his entire body removed. He also struggled with stress fractures in his ribs, a broken leg, a high ankle sprain, a sprained shoulder, multiple back injuries and a quad strain throughout his big league career. It’s an eye-opening trauma story, highlighted by that splenectomy procedure — which took its toll on Dahl’s body. From 2020-23, he appeared in just 91 big league games and hit just .199/.235/.303 in that span. Even his Triple-A output didn’t stand out much along the way, but Dahl’s impressive production at Lehigh Valley this season marks his strongest minor league play since earning his first MLB call-up in 2016.
Whether Dahl can find a second act in his career after so many physical ailments, his return to the major leagues after so many setbacks is a testament to his perseverance and passion for the game. For now, it gives the Phils a short-term option to help cover for Marsh’s absence, but the addition of Triple-A power is certainly intriguing. If Dahl proves to be a big league-caliber bat again, he’ll dominate through the 2025 season, ideally making him an outfield/bench piece for the Phils for years to come.