Brett Myers Injury Update

Yesterday, the word was that Phillies pitcher Brett Myers, who left Wednesday night’s game gingerly and with a noticeable limp, had a hip injury that could very well require surgery.

Myers has fraying and possible tearing in the labrum in his hip, similar to the problem Chase Utley had a year ago.

Myers is expected to miss his next scheduled start, but time will tell if he misses any more this season. He plans on getting a second opinion from Bryan Kelly, the doctor who performed Utley’s hip surgery in the offseason.

From what we know, Myers will definitely require surgery, but we don’t know when he will get it. If Kelly recommends action be taken sooner rather than later, Myers will elect to get the surgery done as soon as possible.

Losing Myers for the bulk of the remaining schedule (he wouldn’t come back until late September, or October, with the surgery’s required rehab work) would be a critical blow for the Phillies.

At a time when the starting rotation is up and down, both he and Cole Hamels were providing the most consistent efforts on the mound. Suddenly, the Phillies may be in a situation where they need to roll the dice with a Minor League pitcher  or make a roster move.

Immediately, the names that come to mind are Jake Peavy, Roy Oswalt, Roy Halladay, Brandon Webb, Chris Young, and a handful of other Major Leaguers. The problem the Phillies will have is being able to afford them.

While some of those contracts may be higher than the Phillies would initially want to add to their record payroll, the team will also likely have to part ways with some Minor League prospects.

With Myers being injured, the Phillies would also have little to no leverage in working a deal.

Among the Minor League options guys like Carlos Carrasco, Kyle Kendrick, and Drew Carpenter could be on the trade block.

I think it will be more likely that the Phillies call up one of those arms from Lehigh Valley. Carpenter has already been up for one game.

If the Phillies are making a long term move, then Kendrick may be the one they look to bring up.

Myers could always try and do what Utley did a year ago and play through the pain, but there is just something about that idea for a pitcher that doesn’t sit well with me.

Sure, a second baseman has to move more and is more prone to agitate his hip while batting. But any time there is the slightest chance that something could harm a pitcher’s delivery, I think you need to take as many precautions as possible.