Ryan Howard listed as day-to-day with ankle injury
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Ryan Howard listed as day-to-day with ankle injury
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Updated -- 6 p.m.
The Phillies say Ryan Howard is day-to-day with a badly sprained ankle. They are hoping to avoid a disabled list situation.
The Phillies are off Monday before opening a three-game road trip in New York against the Mets.
“He's going to be OK,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “I don't expect him to miss very much time. If anything, he might miss a day or two. We're off tomorrow. He might miss Tuesday or Wednesday, but he could very well be in the lineup on Tuesday. It's going to be a short period.”
Howard said after the game he was still in a considerable amount of pain.
“Right now it's just swollen,” Howard said. “It's tight, it's sore. Other than that, it's not too, too bad.”
Updated - 3:01 p.m.
Word from the clubhouse is that X-Rays on Howard's sprained left ankle were negative, meaning there was no fracture, which is obviously good news. That being said, Jimmy Rollins missed three weeks with a sprained ankle in 2008.
Howard also had X-Rays on his right elbow, where John Lannan hit him with a pitch to put him on base. Those were also negative.
No word on whether Howard is day-to-day or whether a trip to the DL will be in order.
Howard's only DL stint in his career came in May of 2007, when he missed 15 days with a left quad strain.
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The last thing the Phillies needed was to see Ryan Howard limping slowly off the field while supported by manager Charlie Manuel and athletic trainer Mark Andersen. But that was the sight in the first inning of today's game against the Washington Nationals after the star first baseman landed awkwardly on second base and fell to the dirt in obvious pain.
The official diagnosis was a left ankle sprain, although there is no indication as to the severity. Howard had the ankle X-Rayed, but there is no immediate word on the results.
Ben Francisco had dropped a single into right field, scoring Jayson Werth from second base. Howard rounded second, but scrambled back to narrowly beat the throw.
Cody Ransom replaced Howard at second base after he was helped off the field. Ransom later scored on a single by Domonic Brown.
Howard, back in the line-up after a day off, reached base after being hit by Nationals lefty John Lannan. Howard is 0-for-13 in his last three games and 5-for-31 since pushing his batting average to .303 on July 22. From June 17 to July 22 he hit .347/.400/.719 with 11 home runs.
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Raul Ibanez was scratched from today's lineup with a sore left wrist, although the Phillies say the injury is not serious and that precautionary X-Rays revealed no structural damage.
Ibanez landed awkwardly on the wrist while attempting to make a diving catch last night. He was originally in the line-up for this afternoon's game against the Nationals, but was scratched and replaced by rookie Domonic Brown.
Ibanez is hitting .352/.456/.557 with a .992 OPS, 4 home runs, 15 RBI and 18 runs in his last 24 games.
Quitter.— Nailz
On more important issues than an idiot, this team is a disgrace this week and especially today. Howard gets hit. They throw at Ruiz' head. They dig in on Phillies pitchers with no fear. They should have thrown at Dunn or Zimmerman by now to protect their players, but Hamels et al do nothing. Injuries aside it's difficult not to look at the manager as a problem right now.— Bob1- Youre right outraged. Halladay didn't want to play second fiddle to Cliff Lee. BTW, Lee has pitched like 26 innings his last 3 starts, giving up like 3 ER.— Leron
curtains.- It's time David Montgomery & Associates to clean out the entire front office starting with Reuben, the field manager & all his coaches. Do it now. Show everyone you know how to panic.— sonnybuoy01
- I would have preferred that Hamels remain in the game than having Greg Dobbs pinch hit....— TripleOption
Gload or Dobbs at first, and PRAY!!!!- bad news is he now has radiation poisoning from all the x-rays...— bmoney17
- tonka is an idiot.— z03mbm
- I said this two days ago, unfortunately; this team can withstand any injury, except to Howard, but he needed a blow and should have been rested all weekend. When players, particularly of his size, are tired, they are more prone to injury. Also, I agree that at some point Phillies pitchers need to stick a few in the ears of their opponents. Utley and Howard get hit far too often.— chuckw
- Tonka does it to get a rise. He desperately needs attention and since he cannot get any by thinking through his experience, he resorts to attacking others. Then he can get noticed. People will take the bait, but it is sad that he is feels so small that he must attacks others to engage in human intercourse.— IDme
- Utley gets hit because he won't move. I keep waiting for an ump to refuse to give him the base because he doesn't get out of the way. As for Howard, I never noticed him getting hit much until Utley went on the DL.— kmon
- J. Happ is pitching better than Hamels or Oswalt this season.— Freedom Fries
- Someone please explain to me why the other bags aren't like home plate...flush to the ground? And why can't you run through the other bags like you can run through 1st base? If you run through 2nd & 3rd and bear right you would be safe. If you head toward the other bag, you are in play. It would save a lot of DL time for the players.— TKB
- Fat, drunk, and stupid - sounds like Tonka
