Don Mattingly Shares Positive Injury Update on Phillies Veteran

The Philadelphia Phillies suffered more than just a loss on the scoreboard in their series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Losing the game 9-1, which resulted in the Phillies dropping their third series out of their last four after winning the first six under interim manager Don Mattingly, was bad enough. On top of losing the game, the team also lost veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto.

He took a 97 mph fastball off the wrist from Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the top of the third inning. Realmuto attempted to tough it out for his teammates, but was removed from the game when Philadelphia went back out onto the field for the bottom of the fourth inning.

Fortunately, it sounds as if he has avoided any serious injury. Mattingly provided a very encouraging update post-game on the status of his injured wrist, with X-rays coming back negative.

J.T. Realmuto receives positive injury update

Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto reacts after being hit by a pitch in the third inning. — May 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) reacts after being hit by a pitch in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. | William Liang-Imagn Images

“He's gonna be OK,” Mattingly said, via Paul Casella of MLB.com. “Obviously sore, couldn't really squeeze, wasn't gonna be able to swing and actually had a little trouble catching, too. So sore enough to get him out of there.”

The Phillies will return to the field on June 2 against the San Diego Padres for the start of a six-game homestand at Citizens Bank Park. Fans will certainly be keeping an eye out for updates on Realmuto to see if he will be back in the lineup or not.

Like so many of his teammates, he has been struggling at the plate this year. The veteran catcher has a .220/.296/.299 slash line in 142 plate appearances, showing diminished power for the fourth straight year.

He has been struggling mightily when facing fastballs, as opponents continue to challenge him with velocity, and he cannot take advantage.

J.T. Realmuto is out of the game after getting hit by a pitch on the left wrist earlier.

It's been a brutal series behind the plate for Realmuto, who also took a foul ball off the mask last night and was hit by Ohtani's backswing. pic.twitter.com/TLRgFEhMwR
— Paul Casella (@Paul_CasellaMLB) May 31, 2026

Alas, while his performance at the plate leaves a lot to be desired, Realmuto remains elite defensively. He does a wonderful job working with the pitching staff when he is behind the plate, and any absence would have a negative impact on their performance on the mound.

Luckily, it doesn’t sound as if he is going to miss much time, if any at all. Once the soreness dissipates and he can grip a bat to swing and receive pitches without issue, he will be able to get back in the lineup.

Andrew Painter is certainly happy to hear about the Realmuto update. His performance has been night and day without the veteran catcher behind the plate this season, producing a 3.89 ERA with Realmuto and a 9.16 ERA with everyone else.

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