ATLANTA _ Less than five months removed from major wrist surgery, outfielder Aaron Altherr returned to the Phillies on Thursday with an abbreviated chance to prove he belongs in the team's future plans.
The Phillies activated Altherr from the disabled list. He should be in the lineup Thursday night at Turner Field against the Braves. They cleared space by placing Peter Bourjos on the DL with a right shoulder injury, a transaction that will prevent the Phillies from trading the veteran outfielder before Monday's deadline.
Bourjos, however, could still be flipped in August as part of a waiver deal.
Altherr, 25, injured his left wrist while diving for a ball in a Grapefruit League game. He tore the tendon sheath in his wrist, a significant and uncommon injury in baseball. The team initially expected him to miss between four and six months.
They had expected Altherr to fill an everyday role in right field this season after his impressive 39-game tryout in 2015. The most promising part of Altherr's game was his power stroke _ he collected 20 extra-base hits in 137 at bats _ but hitters will often say that power is the last element to return to normal following a wrist injury. During his 13-game rehab tour through the minors, Altherr had three extra-base hits in 41 at bats.
Mark Teixeira, who suffered the same injury as Altherr _ a torn extensor carpi ulnaris retinaculum _ but as an older player, said doctors told him he would be 100 percent healed at six months. He consulted others who had similar ailments, like Jose Bautista and David Ortiz, and they agreed: You could play at six months, but it took considerable time to feel right at the plate again.
"It bothered me probably for 18 months," Teixeira said in a March interview. "At 18 months, I didn't feel it anymore. Now, you can play maybe at six months, but the kind of hitter I am, I really need my wrists. It's just the way it is. Yeah, you can swing and you can play, but it bothered me for a while."
Time is precious for Altherr. The Phillies have Nick Williams, a young outfielder who could earn a promotion sometime this season in preparation for a full-time role in 2017. Dylan Cozens has rocketed into the picture with his barrage of homers at double-A Reading. Roman Quinn, if he can ever remain healthy, is a touted outfield prospect.
For now, Altherr at least represents an immediate upgrade. The Phillies have received the lowest production in the National League from their right fielders (.653 on-base plus slugging percentage) and left fielders (.610 OPS).
But, in the larger picture, Altherr has two months to show he belongs.
