Scott Kingery was out of the Phillies’ starting lineup for the third straight game Friday night. Rookie Alec Bohm got his second straight start at third base and veteran Jean Segura stepped over to second, where Kingery had been the starter for 12 of the team’s first 13 games.
After opening the season with just four hits in his first 40 at-bats, Kingery is back in the super-functional role he completed in 2018 and 2019. He was sure to land in one spot this season, but his battle forced the Phillies to seek more misconduct, hence Bohm’s promotion and Segura’s move to second.
Kingery was hit hard by COVID-19 in June. He was cleared to play by doctors, but lasting effects may have played a role in his slow start.
In recent days, questions have been asked as to whether Kingery has been playing with an injury. Manager Joe Girardi dropped those questions on Friday afternoon, but Kingery did not do so later in the day.
“Uh, well … I mean … there was a shoulder thing and a back thing,” Kingery said. “The back thing led to the shoulder thing, which affected me a bit. Of course battle-wise that also plays a factor. But the back thing – I do not know if it’s related to COVID or if it was me missing 10 days of summer camp and jump right back into things. I might have adjusted a bit in the process to get back faster than normal. There was the back thing. Very tight. It caused a lot of pressure on my shoulder, so that’s pretty scary for me. But no “Nothing serious, nothing structural. Just some stuff that bugged me.”
Kingery said his left shoulder had bugged him. He may have scratched his shoulder Tuesday night to make a dive into the hole behind Zack Wheeler. Kingery landed hard on his outstretched arm / shoulder and could not make the play.
Girardi indicated that Kingery was out of the lineup not because he hurt, but because he was working on some things.
“I think he treated some of his symptoms, you know, fatigue at times,” Girardi said. “Is there anything that really worries him? No. He feels good, but we’re just trying to get some work done for him and get him back on track.”
According to sources, the Phillies were considering putting Kingery on the IL when Bohm was called Thursday. The Phils decided instead to put Adam Haseley on the IL with a wrist injury. With Haseley out, Kingery becomes the next man up in center field when Roman Quinn needs a hit. Kingery played 61 games on the midfield last week, but has only concentrated on second bases this season. He will need something to climb again.
Kingery hopes to play one position this season – his natural second base -. One never knows, he might come back at some point, but if Bohm hits third and Segura in second, well, then Kingery could be back in a useful role for a while.
“I was obviously very excited, eventually when I could play second base. Super excited,” Kingery said. “Of course the original spring training is over. I got COVID, came in late summer camp. We started the season and that was a bit off. And apparently I’m not performing as I would like, and it’s frustrating.
“I just think everything’s reinforced because there’s no time to figure things out this year. It’s a sprint. There’s really no time to waste, so I’m coming in and not performing for “The first 10 games, things change. And I fully understand that. With a season 162 game, you have a little more room to have a slow start, but I fully understand that this year is different.”
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