Phillies manager Charlie Manuel suggested to the Philadelphia Daily News it might be beneficial for first baseman Ryan Howard, who is recovering from July knee surgery, to sit out the rest of the season.
"If he's not 100 percent healthy when he comes back," Manuel said Sunday, "it'll defeat the purpose of what we're trying to do.
"I'd say there's a 50/50 chance he'll be back by late September. That's what I would say. I'm not saying he will be back this year or that he won't be back, but if he's going to play, it'd be mid-September [at best]. But even if he doesn't play, as long as he's healthy -- I think it's about getting him healthy first, and then if he's healthy, getting him in top-notch shape, that's second."