To say the 2026 season has not gone well for Philadelphia Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering is an understatement. The right-hander surrendered a three-run home run to Juan Soto that sealed the Phillies’ 6-3 loss to the New York Mets.
“Just a rough couple of months,” said Kerkering on NBC Sports Philadelphia’s postgame coverage. “I think tonight was a lot better executing, besides one pitch to Soto.”
It’s been a rough ride for Kerkering of late. Soto’s home run marked the seventh time in his last eight appearances that the right-hander has surrendered a run. His ERA has gone from 3.70 to 4.42 in that stretch.
In his last eight appearances, he’s walked six, struck out eight, and surrendered two home runs. Kerkering said it was “all of the above” when considering pitch mix and mechanics contributing to his struggles.
“Not using pitches in the right situations, walking guys, not attacking hitters. Felt a lot better tonight attacking guys. It’s really a mix of everything.”
Phillies Face Postseason Decision With Orion Kerkering
Once considered a key part of the bullpen, there are questions about whether Orion Kerkering should be included on the Phillies’ postseason roster at all. He’s already battling through a minor injury right now.
The right-hander has a 4.42 ERA in 61 appearances. His walk rate has surged to a career-worst 12.4%. Against Soto, it was poor sweeper command that bit him. He left one right at the top of the zone, which the Mets All-Star did not miss.
The Phillies don’t have many choices with their bullpen when it comes to their postseason roster. Brad Keller and Caleb Kilian are out for the foreseeable future. Kilian is out until the National League Championship Series with an oblique strain. Keller will be out until next season after undergoing elbow surgery.
Further complicating the issue is Jonathan Bowlan’s health. The 29-year-old suffered a groin injury in the Mets series opener. He’s still on the active roster, as a stint on the injured list would knock him out of the Wild Card Series.
Barring injury, the 25-year-old should be on the Phillies’ Wild Card roster. But they may need to rely on rookies such as Andrew Painter and Alex McFarlane for big outs in the series.
Phillies Right Now
With the Chicago Cubs losing and the San Diego Padres winning, there is now a three-way tie for the three National League Wild Card spots. In that current configuration, it would be Cubs, Phillies, and Padres.
At 85-69, the Phillies still control their destiny somewhat regarding hosting the Wild Card Series. However, it appears the club is sputtering to the finish line. In the month of September, Philadelphia is 7-9.
For the third game of the series, they’ll send right-hander Andrew Painter to the mound. First pitch at Citi Field will be at 4:10 p.m. MST.
Phillies Reliever Orion Kerkering Gets Honest About Recent Struggles