The Milwaukee Brewers are getting ready for the playoffs, likely without outfielder Sal Frelick, who hurt his hip when he crashed into the right-field wall on Friday against the New York Mets.
Frelick mentioned that an MRI showed no ligament damage, but he was using a crutch on Saturday when he spoke with reporters. He explained that he injured his gluteus medius, a muscle in the hip that helps keep the pelvis stable while standing or walking.
“That’s what took the full brunt of the hip, which is good because it did its job,” Frelick said. “But it’s pretty crushed, so there’s a pretty bad contusion, and that’s pretty much what’s not allowing me to walk. That’s the muscle that’s activated for holding yourself up.”
“It’s kind of just how fast can we get that muscle back working and activated because it’s just kind of shut off right now from the impact.”
Brewers manager Pat Murphy said the team isn’t completely ruling out Frelick’s return during the postseason. However, he noted that since Frelick isn’t walking on his own, it’s clear the outfielder won’t be back anytime soon.
The NL Central champion Brewers will begin the NL Wild Card Series on Tuesday in Milwaukee.
“It hurt my soul,” Murphy said about the injury.
Frelick got hurt while trying to catch a ball from Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez that went into foul territory during the third inning of the Brewers’ 8-4 win.
He collided with the sidewall, and his left side hit the metal chain link inside a window in that wall, which lacks protective padding. Murphy explained that the window allows the grounds crew to see the field.
“Obviously I know there’s a wall there, and I’ve seen that window before just from shagging balls out there,” Frelick said. “But I never thought twice (about it).”
Frelick, 24, stayed down for a few minutes while the Brewers medical staff checked on him. He eventually got up slowly and was helped back to the dugout before going into the clubhouse.
