Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips expected to appear in Saturday’s game – MLB News
The Cincinnati Reds' manager Dusty Baker on Friday, August 3, said that Brandon Phillips may have a start in Saturday’s game; as the second baseman was kept out of the team in Friday’s encounter. Phillips has not played since Tuesday when he was pulled out of the game early due to strain in his left calf.
Phillips was expected to make an appearance in Friday’s series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the team decided to postpone it for another day. The apparent reason was to avoid taking any risk at this point in time especially when the team All-Star Joey Votto is out of the line-up due to knee surgery.
Manager Dusty Baker thought not playing Phillips was a right decision.
“We had to make a decision," Baker said. "It's a situation where I had to do what I thought was best for Brandon. He's not real pleased about it because he wanted to play. With the way it's going this season, it's best I give him one more day."
Phillips has performed outstandingly well lately, especially after the fitness problems that resulted in Joey Votto’s going into disabled list for a month. Phillips was expected to play Friday’s anticipated game against the Pirates.
Nonetheless, the team could weigh using Phillips as pinch hitter if need be. Dusty Baker, however, sees wisdom in waiting for another day to have a fully fit Phillips in the line-up.
"More than likely in a two-out situation, so he doesn't really have to bust it to beat out a double play or something," Baker said. "You've got to use what you think is best. It's just that I can't take a chance right now. With the improvement he's made from two days ago to yesterday and today, it's worth me waiting."
Phillips hitting average stands at .296 this season with 13 homers coupled 62 RBIs to his credit. While the Cincinnati Reds defence and offence combination has remained thoroughly strong – bolstering the team further, it is Brandon Phillips who undeniably has played a vitally important role in emboldening the Cincinnati Reds.
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