Phillies reliever Brad Keller is expected to miss the rest of this season, and potentially all of 2027, after a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow landed him on the 15-day injured list. This is just brutal news, man, for a guy signed to be a key piece for Philly's bullpen.
The $22 Million Question: What Even Happened?
Keller himself is seeking a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister, a top specialist, to decide on surgery, but if he needs Tommy John, that 2027 season is pretty much gone too. Can you imagine? The Phillies shelled out a massive $22 million for a two-year deal last December, bringing him in as their primary setup guy for All-Star closer Jhoan Duran. "It sucks, for sure," Keller said, and you have to feel for the dude. He thought he was good! He felt strong through his forearm rehab, had a solid outing in Cincinnati, and then just woke up sore the next day. No pop, no specific pitch he recalls, just stiffness. Seriously, what kind of messed up luck is that? An MRI back in June didn't even show a tear! "Pretty surprising news," Keller said about the diagnosis.One Outing, Then Done: The Mattingly Take
This is a huge gut punch, especially after he just came back from three weeks on the IL for right forearm tendinitis. He only made one appearance, on July 8 against the Reds, pitching a scoreless inning, no hits, one walk, one strikeout. It looked like he was back! Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly even said they "felt like something was kind of up" because Keller was so good on his return. They thought he might have pushed it "a little harder" during rehab, expecting him to be ready the next day, but that soreness just stuck around. "It was not good" when he came in after playing catch, Mattingly said, and that's when they found the tear. Keller turns 31 this month, and his season stats are 2-1 with a 4.02 ERA and three saves across 32 games, 31 1/3 innings, 32 strikeouts, and 13 walks. Not bad, right, for a setup guy? And now, nothing. The Phillies put Keller on the IL retroactive to July 13, bringing up Seth Johnson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. This is absolutely massive for Philadelphia, who are currently sitting in second place. They were already planning on beefing up their bullpen before the August 3 trade deadline, and now, without Keller, getting some serious relief help has to be their number one, top priority. They've gotta move, and move fast, to plug this hole.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.