The Philadelphia Phillies got some bad news as Brad Keller returns to IL with a right elbow UCL tear and is probably out for the remainder of the year. Seth Johnson has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to replace Keller on the 26-man roster. Keller in his first season with the Phillies after signing a two-year deal this past offseason has a 2-1 record with a 4.02 ERA and three saves with a 4.15 FIP in 32 appearances. To add to that Keller has a 1.34 WHIP and a 2.46 K/BB rate this season. Keller was on the injured list from June 16 to July 8 with right forearm tendinitis and pitched once in five games after being activated.
Phillies reliever Brad Keller has a torn UCL and is expected to miss the rest of the season. If he undergoes surgery on his right elbow, it would keep him out a significant portion, if not all, of 2027 as well. Keller signed a two-year, $22 million deal over the winter.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 16, 2026
Johnson has a 1-1 record with a 7.15 ERA and a 4.69 FIP in 11 major league outings this season. In addition to that Johnson has a 1.68 WHIP and a 1.40 K/BB rate in the majors this year. Johnson can give the Phillies some length out of the bullpen if needed and has one career major league start. With the Phillies opener question still not fully answered it is possible that Johnson could open for Alan Rangel. Johnson has been relatively effective in Triple-A this season with a 1-1 record and a 2.17 ERA and six saves with a 2.92 FIP in 26 outings. In the minors this season Johnson has a 1.10 WHIP and a 3.64 K/BB rate.
Keller Returns To IL, Probably Out For The Season
What Bullpen Role Adjustments Will Occur
Jonathan Bowlan and Orion Kerkering are now the primary right-handed setup pitchers as Keller returns to IL. All-Star closer Jhoan Duran has been one of the most reliable relief pitchers in baseball. However, the Phillies bullpen has collectively struggled to get outs when tasked to get the game to Duran after an early exit from a starter. Kerkering is probably going to handle the bulk of the setup opportunities compared to Bowlan at least for the time being. This is because Kerkering has more experience pitching in high leverage situations than Bowlan does.
Opportunity To Give Rising Prospect A Chance
As Keller returns to IL the door is open to give Alex McFarlane an extended look in the majors. McFarlane was added to the Phillies 40-man roster as part of Rule 5 Draft protection decisions last offseason. After moving from being a starting pitcher to a relief pitcher last year McFarlane has come into his own for Double-A Reading. McFarlane has a 1-1 record with a 2.12 ERA and 12 saves as well as a 3.38 FIP in 31 games this year. To add to that McFarlane has a 1.15 WHIP and a 2.5o K/BB rate in the minor leagues this season.
Trade Deadline Implications Of This Injury
With the Phillies bullpen at a crossroads in some regards this injury adds to the uncertainty about how much the unit can be trusted. As Keller returns to IL, adding a right-handed relief pitcher could become a trade deadline need. The team will at a minimum need to shore up the left-handed relief pitcher group. Kirby Yates of the Los Angeles Angels as well as JT Brubaker of the San Francisco Giants could make sense as trade options for this new need. Both Yates and Brubaker are scheduled to be free agents after the 2026 season.
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