J.T. Realmuto not expected to be out long; Phillies to go with bullpen game in Zack Wheeler’s absence

TORONTO — There were audible groans from the Rogers Centre crowd when replays showed where J.T. Realmuto had been hit by a foul ball in the ninth inning against the Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Realmuto doubled over in pain and had to be helped off the field after Bo Bichette fouled a ball into his groin area. But the Phillies catcher said Thursday that scans had come back clear and he was hoping to be back within a few days.

“I got nauseous,” Realmuto said. “My head started sweating. It felt like I was going to throw up.”

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Realmuto, who was replaced in the starting lineup by Rafael Marchán on Thursday, has not tried to swing a bat yet. But he did say he would be available to play in an emergency situation.

“We’ll see how it feels [Friday], but it’s definitely sore today. We’ll ice it a lot. It’s definitely not going to be a lengthy absence,” Realmuto said.

In the event that both Realmuto and Marchán were unavailable, the team’s third catcher likely would be Weston Wilson, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.

The Phillies have no update on when Zack Wheeler, who is on the paternity list, will return to the rotation and make his next start. Instead, they will opt for a bullpen game for Friday’s series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Joe Ross will be the opener, Thomson said. Ranger Suárez will start on Saturday, and Cristopher Sánchez is lined up for Sunday.

Thomson said Mick Abel, who held Toronto to just three hits and one run on Wednesday, will remain in the majors for at least another turn through the rotation.

“He’s sticking around,” Thomson said.

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Aaron Nola (right ankle sprain) was still shut down from throwing after feeling stiffness in his right side a few days before, though Thomson said he was feeling a bit better on Thursday. Nola also has been dealing with illness.

“He’s been sick and he’s been coughing, and [the trainers think] it might come from that,” Thomson said.

Phillies prospect Andrew Painter pitched four innings for triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday and allowed six hits, four walks, and four runs against Charlotte. He struck out five.

“He got in all his pitches, which was good,” Thomson said. “Didn’t get the ups, but got his pitches in, threw more breaking balls than normal, and sprayed the ball around a little bit more than normal. But the velocity was good. They said the stuff was good. It was just command.”

The plan is for Painter to pitch on Tuesday and Sunday next week. The Phillies are trying to transition him to pitching on regular rest, which he has not done before in his career.

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José Rodriguez was reinstated from the restricted list on Thursday and was nontendered by the Phillies. Rodriguez, who last played for double-A Reading in 2024, served a one-year suspension for violating MLB’s betting rules and policy. … Abel and Buddy Kennedy were named International League pitcher and player of the month, respectively, for May. … Ryan Degges, who has a 0.81 ERA with single-A Clearwater, was named Florida State League pitcher of the month.