Phillies infielder Jean Segura (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
In the middle of a position switch, Jean Segura might have another problem on his hands
It’s safe to say the Jean Segura trade has worked out for the Phillies thus far, even though they had to part ways with 2013 first-round pick JP Crawford. Segura brought offensive consistency to the Philadelphia infield in 2019, with a .280/.323/.420 slash line paired with 12 home runs and 60 RBIs.
Segura is embarking on a position switch from his native shortstop to third base, though the Phillies are extremely confident he’ll be able to do so without a hitch. Of course, that’s provided he stays healthy. In the Phillies exhibition game against the New York Yankees on Monday, Segura was hit with a pitch on the hand by Yankees prospect Deivi Garcia.
Jean Segura left the Phillies game against the Yankees with a hand injury
The Phillies have yet to announce any details about Segura’s injury, but given his season’s already been shortened thanks to COVID-19, we can only hope it’s minor. Opening Day is just days away.
Segura got off to a blazing start last April in just his first month in Philly, but quickly came back down to Earth before stabilizing by the end of the summer. He’s a model of consistency around the likes of Andrew McCutchen, Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins and JT Realmuto.
Segura’s fielding has been called into question, and for good reason, as he committed 20 errors at shortstop last season. That’s a headache the Phillies cannot afford in a crowded NL East division. The switch to third base should help matters, and given this hand injury isn’t a significant setback, Segura looks to be a key contributor once again in 2020.