HOUSTON — Christian Paschet stepped into the visitor’s clubhouse at Minute Maid Park on Saturday morning. He was on crutches. The night before, he was injured after hitting an RBI double with Flamber Valdez in the fifth inning. He tried to take the lead to third base, but he slipped. His knees bent as he broke back towards second base.
Pache was removed from the game. He told manager Rob Thomson, “I’m fine,” but as the night went on, he felt more pain, initially thinking Pache would be out for a few weeks. However, an MRI revealed that the meniscus in his right knee was torn and would require surgery. It is unknown when he will return.
It was an unusual, non-contact injury and a tough break for a player who was starting to figure things out. He’s known to struggle hitting at the big league level. Such experiences do not inspire confidence in him.
But he was starting to build it here. After a slow start, Pasche continued to perform well. Over 18 games, he was batting .360/.360/.600 with a .960 OPS. Hitting his coach Kevin Long encouraged him to stop and keep his feet.
“I was playing the best baseball here in the Phillies,” he said in Spanish.
That made Friday night even more devastating. But on Saturday morning Paschet found a clubhouse that wanted to lift him. After receiving his diagnosis, Bryce Harper hugged him.
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“I’m sorry,” Harper said to him. “You will be back.”
Kyle Schwayber patted him on the back and said the team had his full support.
“We told him we were going to be here for him,” Schwalber said. “To keep his head up. Sometimes it feels like this thing will never end, but he’ll get better on the other side.
“Well done that kid. He was in a new team, making adjustments very quickly and getting paid for them. And it’s a shame that things like that happen. He’s me.” He’s been wagging his tail for us. Offense, defense, really good. The crazy little buckling when you try to hit him big and stop him in third place sucks.”
This was the kind of support Pasche had never felt in his previous organization.
“They told me to keep my head up,” Paschet said. “That’s what I want my teammates to do. You want them to feel supported. gives you
“I’m a little desperate because I want to go out on the field. But I can’t keep my head down. I need to stay strong.”
extra base
In a corresponding move, the Phillies added outfielder Dalton Guthrie to their 26-man roster. 278/. 380/. 481 and scored 10 runs in his 21 games played for Triple-A Lehigh in his Valley. …Sunday’s series his finale airs on ESPN at 7:10 p.m.