Following a disastrous start to the season, the Philadelphia Phillies have been reshuffling their bullpen in an effort to fix nearly every aspect of their game.
With star closer Jhoan Durán sidelined by an oblique injury, the team has rotated through fringe options such as Seth Johnson, Chase Shugart, and Kyle Backhus. Tuesday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs represented a new low for the pitching staff.
As Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia noted, “Phillies pitchers walked an absurd 10 batters (and hit two more) in a 7-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Over the last three games, their starters have contributed just 13 innings, and with a bullpen game (Kyle Backhus starting) scheduled for Wednesday night, Taijuan Walker is expected to handle the bulk of the relief work.”
One of the more unexpected disappointments for the Phillies this season has been the wide range of relief pitchers they’ve already used and the extent of their poor performances. After trading away Matt Strahm and bringing in Brad Keller, the team seemed to have assembled its most clearly defined bullpen in years.
Instead, the bullpen carousel will continue for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, the Phillies received an update on a longtime reliever who was recently cut by a division rival.
