The Philadelphia Phillies arrived in Toronto riding high. A commanding 8–3 win in the series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays had put them within striking distance of the division-leading New York Mets, and J.T. Realmuto had begun to show signs of breaking out of a May slump. For a team with postseason ambitions, everything seemed to be trending in the right direction.

But, in Wednesday’s rematch at Rogers Centre, the Phillies dropped a tightly contested 2–1 game, and more concerningly, their veteran catcher exited late with an injury that immediately raised alarms in the dugout.

Realmuto took a direct hit while behind the plate in the ninth inning and had to leave the game in visible pain. While the immediate impact was felt on the field, the long-term implications for Philadelphia’

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