Roster Moves: Another starting pitcher heads to IL as the Phillies try to keep pace in Wild Card hunt
A quick roster update for the Phillies that you might have missed over the weekend. Ranger Suarez was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sunday night with lower back spasms.
Suarez will be retroactive to June 30th, meaning that he will be eligible to return to the Phillies on July 15th against the Miami Marlins. It would be the final series before the All-Star Break.
On the season, Suarez is 6-5 with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP.
The Phillies are already without Zach Eflin, who went on the IL with a right knee bruise. Eflin’s trip to the IL was on June 26th, so he will be eligible to return to the rotation on July 11th in St. Louis.
Needless to say, the Phillies are having some rotational depth issues.Â
Bailey Falter pitched for Eflin last Friday, throwing four innings and allowing three runs on a total of 66 pitches. Tonight, the Phillies will send Cristopher Sanchez to the mound tonight in the series opener against the Nationals.
Read More: Phillies and Nationals take the field tonight, Cristopher Sanchez on the mound >>
For those keeping track, the Phillies are now down two of their starting pitchers, Bryce Harper, and Jean Segura. Not exactly ideal when you’re still fighting to break a decade-long playoff drought.
Phillies Hunt for Red October
On the year, the Phillies are 42-38 and in third place in the National League East. They are eight games behind the East-leading New York Mets.
In the Wild Card, the Phillies are very much in the hunt after winning a series against the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend. They are just one game back of the final Wild Card, held by the St. Louis. The Braves, Padres, and Cardinals currently hold the three available NL Wild Card spots as we inch closer to the All-Star break.Â
