Pitcher Spencer Turnbull was placed on the injured list with a right lat strain, the Phillies announced on Thursday. He exited his start against the Tigers on Wednesday in Detroit after 36 pitches.
Turnbull was moved out of the bullpen to fill in for starter Taijuan Walker, who was placed on the injured list on Sunday with right index finger inflammation. The next in line after Turnbull would be rookie Michael Mercado, who was recently called up, and was used both out of the rotation and out of the bullpen in triple A this season. He had a 1.98 ERA in 10 starts for Lehigh Valley.
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“He’s not that far away from his last start, so he’s still stretched out,” manager Rob Thomson said after the Phillies’ 6-2 win on Wednesday. “I’m pretty confident in that.”
Turnbull described his pain on Wednesday as “a little grab in the back of my triceps, shoulder area” and underwent testing on Thursday morning.
As a corresponding move, reliever Yunior Marte was recalled from Lehigh Valley.
Behind Mercado, the Phillies don’t have much starting pitching depth. After a rough stretch at triple A, Kolby Allard has found his groove. Tyler Phillips has a 5.02 ERA at Lehigh Valley through 14 starts.
