It looks as if Jhoan Duran and the Philadelphia Phillies have dodged a significant bullet after the nearer needed to be carted off the sector throughout Friday’s sport.
Duran was on the proper ankle by a Paul DeJong comebacker within the ninth inning of Friday’s 6-2 win over the Washington Nationals, leaving the reliever in some apparent discomfort as he briefly tried to stroll off the ache. The cart was summoned as a precautionary measure, and Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote Friday night time that Duran was capable of freely stroll via the clubhouse en path to the coach’s room.
The Phillies revealed that Duran’s X-rays had been adverse, and the nearer himself delivered one other optimistic replace to Lauber Saturday, saying he felt “one hundred pc.” Lauber famous that Duran wasn’t even strolling with a limp. It doesn’t look like an IL stint might be required, and the right-hander might not want greater than a day or two (if that) earlier than he’s capable of get again onto the mound.
Acquired from the Minnesota Twins on the commerce deadline, Duran got here at a excessive value, because the Phillies had to surrender massive league-ready starter Mick Abel and prime catching prospect Eduardo Tait. The Phils felt the associated fee was price it to land a controllable (although 2027) nearer, and the early returns have been stellar — Duran is an ideal 4-for-4 in save possibilities since becoming a member of the Phillies, and he has allowed solely two hits over 4 scoreless innings of labor. For the 2025 season as an entire, Duran has a 1.86 ERA, 25.5% strikeout fee, and eight.2% stroll fee throughout 53 1/3 mixed innings with Minnesota and Philadelphia.
If Duran has certainly prevented the harm bug, it units the stage for (knock on wooden) a wholesome weekend for the Phillies as two distinguished gamers are set to be activated from the injured record on Sunday. Supervisor Rob Thomson mentioned earlier this week that Aaron Nola can be getting back from the 60-day IL to begin Sunday’s sport, and the skipper advised The Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes and different reporters Saturday that Alec Bohm would even be activated from the 10-day IL to face Washington Sunday.
Bohm has missed 4 weeks coping with a fractured left rib. The harm was suffered every week earlier than Bohm’s IL placement when a pitch hit him, and after utilizing the All-Star break to try to heal up, Bohm reaggravated his rib drawback within the first sport of the second half. He began a Triple-A rehab project final Sunday and served as each a 3rd baseman and DH over 5 video games with Lehigh Valley.
Bohm has a 98 wRC+ and a modest .278/.324/.391 slash line over 383 plate appearances in 2025, as he’s nonetheless attempting to shake off a brutal begin to his season absolutely. After posting a .513 OPS in his first 126 PA, Bohm hit a way more palatable .309/.362/.455 over his subsequent 257 PA earlier than hitting the injured record. He’ll return to his ordinary third base place for the Phillies, which ought to push Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp again to their utility roles.
Nola might be making his first begin in over three months, as he was initially sidelined by a sprained ankle again in mid-Might. Nonetheless, it was revealed in June that Nola was additionally coping with a stress response in his proper rib cage, which quickly led to a transfer to the 60-day IL. This was solely Nola’s third IL stint of the final 9 seasons, and his prior two IL stints lasted solely round seven weeks mixed, talking to Nola’s sturdiness.
Attempting to pitch via his ankle harm proved problematic for Nola, who allowed 13 earned runs over his final 8 2/3 innings and two begins earlier than he succumbed to the injured record. This boosted his ERA as much as 6.16 over 49 2/3 frames, and the hope is that the lengthy layoff can permit Nola to look extra like his previous self down the stretch run.
The appropriate-hander’s return additionally has a bigger influence on the Phillies’ rotation as an entire. Thomson mentioned the staff will function with a six-man rotation for at the very least one week, as the remainder of the pitching employees (Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, Jesus Luzardo, and Taijuan Walker) has pitched so effectively that no one deserves a demotion to the bullpen. Whereas somebody should be moved to aid work ultimately, the Phillies will attempt to get inventive in preserving their starters’ arms contemporary for the playoffs, whether or not meaning further relaxation, skipped begins, or utilizing two starters without delay in a piggyback vogue.
