Phillies Without Four Unvaccinated; Realmuto Has…Interesting Response

After splitting a four game series with the St. Louis Cardinals that saw the Phillies drop the last two games, an already undermanned lineup will become even thinner. Because of Canada’s law that prohibits unvaccinated individuals from entering the country, Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, Aaron Nola, and Kyle Gibson will not be able to join their teammates for the Phils two game series in Toronto.

 

My first reaction to this was, honestly, I’m shocked it’s only four.

 

 

Truthfully, in some cases, I wish it was more than four players.

 

 

In terms of starting pitchers Nola and Gibson, their loss for this two game set won’t be felt at all. Neither were projected to start in this series anyway, and truth be told it’s likely more important for them to pitch against Miami than Toronto.

 

When it comes to third baseman Alec Bohm, he too was likely to miss these two games regardless of his vaccination status, after he dislocated his finger on second base Monday night. Luckily for the Phillies and for him, his finger isn’t broken like previously anticipated and it’s possible he only misses this week’s games before the all-star break. He will almost certainly be ready to go for the Phillies first game after the all-star break, on July 22.

 

I Don’t Care What Anyone Says, J.T. Realmuto Is A Clown

 

I know it’s not anyone’s place to tell someone else what they should or should not do with their body. It certainly isn’t my place to tell another grown adult, who happens to be a professional athlete, how to live his life. In that aspect, I can do nothing but respect J.T. Realmuto’s right as an American citizen to decide whether he gets the Covid-19 vaccine or not.

 

What I won’t do, however, is defend Realmuto’s extremely insensitive comments about the pay he’s forfeiting by not playing in Toronto. For those of you who missed what he said, here it is.

 

 

Let’s break this down. I’ll say that for about 93% of this one minute and nine second clip, everything Realmuto says is perfectly fine.

 

Not taking it just because you were told to? Great, I encourage everyone to do their own research, not just for the vaccine, but for any decision you make in your life.

 

Not letting Canada tell you what to put in your body? You don’t even live in Canada! Perfectly reasonable.

 

Saying that you’re a healthy 31-year-old professional athlete, you’ve had it before and had mild symptoms, therefore you don’t feel like you need it? I don’t really think that’s how that works, considering Coronavirus has killed a multitude of “perfectly healthy” individuals, but hey, everyone’s immune system is different! You do you kid.

 

But this…this is wack, “What’s money? I’m not going to let Canada tell me what I do and don’t put in my body, for a little bit of money, it’s just not worth it.”

 

I’m sorry, what? The $260,000 Realmuto is forfeiting is a LITTLE BIT OF MONEY?! My brother in Christ I’d chop off a toe or two on my right foot to not only have that money, but to consider it an easily relinquished chunk of change.

 

Philadelphia fans, largely made up on a blue-collar mentality, will likely look past that quote, right? Right, Jacob Tyler?

 

 

 

 

 

I’ll gladly take that $260,000, J.T! My venmo is @matt-szczypiorski. Yes, there are really that many consonants.

 

Okay, Back To Baseball

 

In terms of the actual baseball to be played in Toronto, both teams enter the series struggling. The Blue Jays are coming off of a 4-game series in Seattle where they got swept. The Phils, despite winning the first two of their 4-game set with St. Louis, have once again forgotten how to score runs. They scored just seven total runs in their four games in St. Louis, three of them provided by Bohm, who won’t be available in Toronto.

 

The Phillies lineup feels incredibly stale at the moment. Without the ever-frequent home runs from Kyle Schwarber, the Phils can’t record an extra-base hit to save their lives. It felt like every ball that didn’t sail over the wall in St. Louis was a measly single that would be stranded on base by the Phils.

 

Or, if you’re Nick Castellanos, you take care of that pesky base runner yourself by hitting a grounder to the right side that results in an easy double play. Only three players in baseball have grounded into more double plays than our $100 million man. He also has a lower OPS than the 42-year-old fossil that is Albert Pujols, which is just awesome. If you haven’t signed the petition below, please do.

 

 

With Tuesday night’s game being yet another bullpen game due to the injuries of Zach Eflin and Ranger Suarez, I automatically chalk that up as a fat loss against a potent Blue Jays lineup, despite their struggles. Wednesday night’s game will be the one the Phils need to win to salvage a split, with all-star snub Zack Wheeler on the mound (for what it’s worth, he’s likely going to make the team when other pitchers are inevitably ruled out).

 

I’m begging some veterans on this team to step up. The Phils can’t rely on Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins to account for all the run production. I’m looking at you, Castellanos. Would also be super cool if Didi Gregorius could hit just one home run. By the way, where the hell is Johan Camargo? I miss Bryce Harper.

 

See ya at 7:07 (sporting events will do anything but start exactly at the top of the hour).

 

 

By Matt Szczypiorski | July 12, 2022
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