The Philadelphia Phillies have announced a decision to place pitcher Jonathan Bowlan is on the 15-day injured list. According to the team Bowlan has a right groin strain. Seth Johnson has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Bowlan has been part of a Phillies bullpen off to a promising start in 2026. This season Bowlan has a 1-0 record with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP as well as a 1.28 FIP in seven outings. Bowlan has a 8.00 K/BB rate this season. Opposing batters have a .286 average and a .400 BABIP against Bowlan this season. Bowlan was acquired by the Phillies this offseason in a trade that saw Matt Strahm go back to the Kansas City Royals.
Johnson has a 3.00 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP with two saves in six Triple-A outings this season. Furthermore this season Johnson has a 3.90 FIP and a 3.67 K/BB rate. Johnson also has a 1.50 HR/9 allowed rate. In 2025 Johnson recorded a 1-1 record along with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 10 major league outings. Johnson also had a 4.48 FIP in the majors last season. To add to that Johnson had a 2.13 HR/9 allowed rate at the big league level in 2025. Given his major league experience and ability go to multiple innings it makes sense that Johnson got the call. Chase Shugart or Nolan Hoffman could have gotten the call. Shugart pitched for Lehigh Valley on April 12. Meanwhile Hoffman has not pitched since April 10. Johnson last pitched on April 11.
Phillies Place Bowlan On Injured List With Groin Strain
Immediate Roster Effects
After Andrew Painter came out of the bullpen on April 12 following being scratched from his start the Phillies likely needed a fresh bullpen arm. Zach Pop started in place of Painter. With Zack Wheeler in line to return before Bowlan is eligible to come back from the injured list this may have been a partially strategic decision. It is reasonable to expect Johnson to be optioned when Wheeler is activated. Pop cannot be optioned to the minor leagues and this allows the Phillies to wait as long as possible before having to decided about the roster status of Pop. Additionally Pop is on a split contract which gives him an incentive to return to the Phillies. That is if no other teams trades or claims him off of waivers when he is eventuality designated for assignment.
What This Means For Bullpen Roles
Johnson will probably serve as the Phillies long relief pitcher for a few games. Pop will likely be unavailable for a few games after pitching two innings on April 12. With Taijuan Walker temporarily in the rotation having Johnson gives the Phillies a length option out of the bullpen. Bowlan can go multiple innings but cannot pitch as long as Johnson can. The return of Orion Kerkering from the injured list keeps this from hurting the Phillies high leverage options. Bowlan has two batters faced in a high leverage situation this season and did not record an out. Moreover five of the seven innings Bowlan has pitched this season have been in low leverage situations. Walker will move to the bullpen when Wheeler returns so this change is short term.
Credit Image: © Kim Hukari/ZUMA Press Wire
