In what may be the Phillies last chance of winning the NL East, they are facing a bullpen game for Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Braves. Jesus Luzardo is working through what is being termed “shoulder stiffness” and won’t be available for the Braves series. Instead, Saturday’s game will be a bullpen game with the opener to be announced.
In his last start, Luzardo threw a complete game shutout against the Braves, throwing 109 pitches, matching a season-high that he had set in 6.2 innings against Minnesota earlier in the season.
Interim manager Don Mattingly believes this is just a bump in the road and that Luzardo had trouble getting loose in a bullpen session, but will not require a stint on the IL.
“As we worked through it the last couple of days, we thought he’s going to be able to make the start. Still not quite there,” Mattingly told reporters. “We feel like it’s safer to be careful with him and don’t want this to linger. So it’s one of the things we want to try to take care of and just go from there.”
The bullpen game comes on the heels of an 11-inning loss to Atlanta Friday night when the Phillies used five relievers and ruined another solid start from Aaron Nola, who threw 6.1 innings and allowed just two earned runs. Three Phillies pitchers – Jonathan Bowlan, Chase Shugart, and Brooks Raley – were charged with blown saves in the loss. Jhoan Duran, who had pitched in two straight non-save situations was not available.
Kerkering and his boot
The situation is not helped by the fact reliever Orion Kerkering was walking around the clubhouse in a walking boot after Friday’s game. Kerkering has been diagnosed with turf toe and has not pitched in over a week. Again, Mattingly was optimistic about Kerkering’s condition and suggested he was available Friday night. However, he also admitted that he went to Shugart in the 10th when he would have normally opted for Kerkering.
“He’s actually been throwing. We feel like he (Kerkering) can pitch,” Mattingly said. “It’s just like it’s just one of those things.”
Shugart threw 1.1 innings and did not allow a hit or a walk, but was charged with two unearned runs when the runner placed on second to start the 10th and 11th innings scored. In the 10th, Shugart got a groundball that allowed the runner to move to third and then gave up a sacrifice fly. In the 11th, Shugart got an out on a groundball and the runner scored on a single by Ha-Seong Kim that was given up by Brooks Raley. Kim then scored the winning run on a double by Drake Baldwin.
Banking on a potential move
The Phillies have held Tanner Banks on his rehab assignment with Lehigh Valley longer than it was thought that they might in order to stretch him out to throw multiple innings. It’s possible, maybe even likely, that the Phillies will activate Banks and send a pitcher like Grant Holman back to Lehigh Valley. Holman was recalled by the Phillies on September 1, but has not appeared in a game.
Banks has thrown 13.1 innings – 8 hits, 7 runs, 4 earned runs, 4 walks, 20 strikeouts – in nine outings with Lehigh Valley on his rehab. He last pitched on Tuesday when he threw 36 pitches in 2.1 innings with the IronPigs.
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