CLEARWATER, Fla. - For six weeks at the end of last season, the Phillies watched a young outfielder impress, and it was enough to arouse curiosity. Was Aaron Altherr a middle-of-the-order bat, a fourth outfielder, or neither? That element of the unknown was enough for a rebuilding team to anoint Altherr as an everyday player in 2016.
Then, on the first play of a weekend Grapefruit League game, Altherr twisted his right wrist as he dove for a ball in right field. The damage was extensive. Altherr will undergo surgery on Wednesday in Philadelphia for a torn tendon sheath, and the Phillies said he will be sidelined for four to six months.