Pence, Howard Remain Out With Injuries; Pence Gets MRI, Howard “A Week” Away

Early this afternoon, Ruben Amaro Jr. updated the statuses of both Hunter Pence and Ryan Howard. 

For starters, Pence will undergo a MRI on his left shoulder to determine the severity of his injury. The Phillies will know the results later tonight. At minimum, Hunter is unlikely to appear in the lineup until the Phillies return home to face the Cubs this weekend.

It was also determined that Ryan Howard would need at least another week for his wound to heal. Although there are signs of improvement, Howard remains unable to resume full baseball activities. 

The Phillies desperately need to get healthy before they fall too far behind in the standings. Unfortunately, it appears as though Howard, Utley, and possibly Pence could need plenty more time to heal.

Adam Gonsiewski is a contributer to Philliedelphia. Follow him on Twitter @TheGons45.