PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies' bullpen took a surprise hit on Tuesday night when right-hander Brad Keller was placed on the injured list prior to the club's game against the Marlins.
Keller landed on the 15-day IL (retroactive to Sunday) due to right forearm tendinitis. Fellow righty Max Lazar was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill Keller's spot on the active roster.
With the announcement coming just 90 minutes before first pitch -- and after Keller had played catch on the field earlier in the day -- further details were not immediately available.
Keller's last appearance came on Saturday, when he grinded his way through a season-high 32-pitch eighth inning in the Phillies' 9-8 win over the Brewers in Milwaukee. Entering with a five-run lead, Keller allowed five of his first six batters to reach -- with the lone exception being a sacrifice fly. He allowed three hits and issued a pair of walks while also throwing a wild pitch that allowed a run to score.
Interim manager Don Mattingly ultimately stuck with Keller, who retired the seventh and eighth batters he faced to escape the inning with a one-run lead intact.
"It was close," Mattingly said when asked after that game if he considered pulling Keller during the inning. "... But he made some pitches. A little hectic before that, a little sporadic, but yeah, definitely I was thinking about it."
Keller's four-seam fastball velocity on Saturday was mostly in line with his season average of 97.0 mph. That's also similar to what it was last year with the Cubs (97.2 mph).
Keller has had an uneven debut season with the Phillies after signing a two-year, $22 million deal this offseason. He has a 4.15 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP over 31 appearances this season. He had a 2.07 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP -- both career bests -- in 68 appearances for the Cubs last year.
Keller's career year with Chicago came in his first season as a full-time reliever. He was primarily a starter for the Royals from 2018-23 before undergoing thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in October 2023. He struggled in just 16 appearances with the White Sox and Red Sox the following year before hitting his stride with the Cubs in 2025.
Despite the ups and downs, Keller has remained the primary setup man for a Phillies bullpen that has struggled to bridge the gap from its starter to elite closer Jhoan Duran.
Keller has pitched the eighth inning 12 times when the Phillies held a lead of three runs or fewer. The only other relievers to handle the eighth in those situations are José Alvarado (four times) and Jonathan Bowlan (once).
Orion Kerkering is perhaps the most likely candidate to step into a bigger role in Keller's absence.
Kerkering has a 2.03 ERA in 29 appearances this season, though his main role has been as the seventh-inning guy. He's made 11 appearances in the eighth or ninth inning, but all 11 have come with the Phillies either leading by at least four runs or trailing.
Even prior to Keller's injury, Mattingly had been asked recently about potentially using Kerkering in more high-leverage spots.
"He's been really good, and we look at him as really valuable with a lot of things he does," Mattingly said on Sunday. "... He's so valuable in that sixth, seventh area that it kind of gets you to the back guys to hold games in check. We've been able to use him kind of in the toughest parts of the order -- whether if it's a lefty mix or the top of the order, we feel good about him."