Roman Quinn could be out for season
Baseball may not be the most high-impact sport, but the Major League Baseball schedule is one of the most grueling and demanding in all of professional sports. 162 games played before the playoffs even begin. Often, it is not the most talented team that wins but rather the team that manages to stay the healthiest and most consistent throughout the lengthy campaign.
On Saturday, the Philadelphia Phillies suffered a major blow when outfielder Roman Quinn went down with an Achilles injury against the Tampa Bay Rays. The 26-year-old was forced to leave the game, with many of his teammates and coaches fearing the worst.
On Sunday, the Phillies placed Quinn on the 60-day injured list with a left Achilles tendon injury. His manager confirmed that it doesn’t look as if the youngster will be able to play again this season.
“From the examination, there wasn’t anything that told us that he would be back,” Philadelphia manager Joe Girardi said after the Phillies lost 6-2 to Tampa Bay on Sunday, via ESPN.
Girardi knew that the MRI wasn’t going to bring any positive news. He told reporters after the Phillies’ loss on Saturday that he wasn’t expecting to hear any good news.
“I don’t expect to get any good news from the MRI,” said Girardi. “We’re pretty sure that it’s not good.”
The incident occurred in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game, when Quinn was rounding third base. He fell to the floor only to get up and start hopping on one leg. He had to be carried off the field by his manager.
“He’s been playing well for us,” Girardi said. “He gets a freak injury with the stitches in his finger and then he gets this. It’s really frustrating.”
Quinn is no stranger to injuries, but this may be the most devastating of them all. In 2013, he ruptured his right Achilles tendon during an offseason workout. He had also just returned to action from an injury after missing three weeks with a deep cut on his right index finger. He suffered the hand injury while attempting a bunt and required a total of nine stitches.
“A lot of injuries are going around, but this is a big one,” said Phillies’ pitcher Zack Wheeler, who went seven innings on Saturday. “It’s unfortunate and I just feel so bad for Roman. He’s a great guy and you just hate to see that.”
The Phillies were ultimately swept by Tampa Bay, losing all three games to them over the weekend. But the biggest loss is easily Quinn. Girardi admits it was hard for the team to stay focused on Saturday after seeing one of their players go down with such a serious injury.
“It changed the whole inning and the complexion of the game,” Girardi said.
Outfielder Travis Jankowski had his contract purchased from Triple-A Lehigh Valley as the club looks to fill the void left by Quinn. Jankowski has a plethora of MLB experience though, having played 350 games for the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds.
