Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto needs surgery on his right knee and has been placed on the injured list.
The Phillies announced the news on Tuesday. He’s scheduled to undergo a meniscectomy on Wednesday to address lingering knee pain. A timeline for his recovery and return wasn’t initially clear. The Phillies didn’t reveal the extent of the damage to his meniscus.
The Phillies have called up catcher Rafael Marchán from triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his place on the roster.
A three-time All-Star, Realmuto is integral on offense and defense for a Phillies team that’s off to an NL-best 45-20 start. The Phillies are seeking their second World Series appearance in three season and are presumably hoping that Realmuto can undergo the procedure and recover to be healthy for the stretch run and the postseason.
A career .272/.329/.453 hitter, Realmuto’s slashing .261/.309/.411 with seven home runs, 20 RBI and 28 runs scored through 51 games. He’s sat 14 of Philadelphia’s 65 games as he’s dealt with knee pain.
Per the Athletic, Realmuto’s been dealing with knee pain since early May. He’s been slashing .135/.200/.189 in a nine-game stretch while playing through the pain.
