Phillies' Domonic Brown out with a concussion
BOSTON - The final image of Domonic Brown's season - if not his tenure with the Phillies - could turn out to be Wednesday night's gaffe that caused him to tumble into the Citi Field stands, turning a Mets single into an inside-the-park home run.
BOSTON - The final image of Domonic Brown's season - if not his tenure with the Phillies - could turn out to be Wednesday night's gaffe that caused him to tumble into the Citi Field stands, turning a Mets single into an inside-the-park home run.
The Phillies announced on Friday that Brown's crash caused him to suffer a concussion. He did not travel with the team for the weekend's three-game series at Fenway Park. He will have to pass concussion tests before rejoining the Phillies. It is the second concussion of Brown's career.
"It's going to be difficult, I think, for him to get back into action," interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We're going to have to wait and see how mild or severe it is. Whatever the status is. The fact is that we have other guys to see as well."
Brown, 28, is batting just .228 in 63 games. He started the season on the disabled list and then was stuck at triple A until June. The outfielder batted .235 last season. He is batting just .239 since his appearance in the 2013 All-Star Game. The Phillies will have to decide before Dec. 2 if they are willing to re-sign their former No. 1 prospect.
Brown's future with the team is murky. Aaron Altherr and Darnell Sweeney will possess the corner outfield positions for the rest of the season. Odubel Herrera has adjusted well to center field and will likely start there next season. Nick Williams and Roman Quinn are two legitimate outfield prospects that could reach the Phillies within the next two seasons. There appears to be little room for Brown.
Altherr is batting .227 with a .500 slugging percentage since being promoted in August. He plays good defense and has a "rightfielder's arm," Mackanin said. Sweeney was acquired from Los Angeles as part of the Cole Hamels trade. He is batting .250 with three homers in his first 24 major-league at-bats.
The two players' development and Maikel Franco's place on the disabled list caused Mackanin to slot Cody Asche from left field to third base. Friday was Asche's first game at third base since May 11. Mackanin said playing Asche at third will allow him to play almost every day. He is another player, the manager said, that the team needs to see in the season's final month.
"I think everybody wants to be in the lineup, no matter what position they're playing," Asche said. "I'll take it, as long as my name's on the lineup card."