The Philadelphia Phillies have gotten a key reliever back from injury. The club activated right-hander Brad Keller from the 15-day injured list. Keller had missed three weeks with forearm tendinitis.
The Phillies delayed the right-hander’s activation by a day. Interim manager Don Mattingly told reporters, including Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia, that they wanted to add an extra rest day. Keller’s last rehab appearance was Sunday, July 5.
Keller wasn’t the only transaction the Phillies made ahead of their second game against the Reds. Lou Trivino has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right thoracic muscle spasms and Seth Johnson has been optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Alan Rangel has been called up from Triple-A.
Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports that Rangel will start the game for the Phillies. While he was optioned on July 3, he’s eligible for a recall since he’s replacing an injured player.
Phillies Welcome Back Brad Keller After IL Stint
The Phillies signed Brad Keller to a two-year, $20 million deal in the offseason. The plan was to form a strong bridge ahead of All-Star closer Jhoan Duran.
The club’s bullpen plan hasn’t quite produced the results they intended. Keller hasn’t been quite a shutdown reliever, with a 4.15 ERA in 31 appearances.
From a lead-holding standpoint, Keller has more or less done his job. 17 of his outings were in a save situation, with 13 holds and three saves on the season. A 94% conversion rate looks good on the surface, but at the same time, he’s not as sharp as last season.
But from a win probability standpoint, he’s regressed a bit from his 2025 form. He had 29 shutdowns compared to six meltdowns with the Chicago Cubs. This year, it’s only 11 shutdowns and five meltdowns.
However, the Phillies will welcome back Keller and hope that he pitches better with the forearm issue in the rearview mirror.
Phillies Activate $20 Million Reliever From IL Amid Series of Roster Moves Before Reds Game