Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Monday that Realmuto (knee) could be ready to play by the start of the team's series against the Mets on Friday, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Realmuto will miss a third straight start Monday against the Rays while he deals with a left knee contusion. Thomson noted that the catcher is still dealing with swelling and fluid in the knee, which will prevent him from catching a bullpen session Monday as originally planned. The hope is that Realmuto will be able to test out the knee by catching a bullpen session Tuesday, but that doesn't seem to be a given, as the club monitors his status on a day-to-day basis. Garrett Stubbs will start at catcher for the Phillies on Monday, and he and Aramis Garcia will likely continue to spilt work behind the dish during the team's three-game series with Tampa Bay.