As if making an out to end your team’s season (for the second year in a row) wasn’t bad enough, Ryan Howard also likely injured his Achilles leaving the batter’s box. The Phillies first baseman was helped off the field after grounding out to end Game 5 against the Cardinals. He was also seen using crutches to get around the clubhouse after the game. Speaking following his team’s loss, Howard seemed certain he had torn his Achilles tendon.
“I was trying to run and just felt this pop,” Howard said, describing the injury. “It felt like the whole thing went numb, like it was on fire, and I just tried to keep going and I went down. It literally felt like I was on a flat tire. I tried to get up, just couldn’t do it.”
Howard told reporters he thought he tore his Achilles. He’ll have an MRI to confirm the extent of the injury.
Can you think of a worse way for a season to end? You’re the top team in the NL in the regular season and you get shutout in a decisive Game 5. Your cleanup hitter makes an out to end the game, he likely tears his Achilles, and oh yeah, the team that beat you gets to celebrate on your home field. Just about everything that could have gone wrong for the Phillies went wrong. I’m surprised Roy Halladay’s arm is still intact.
