The Philadelphia Phillies have recently been making frequent changes to their bullpen, largely due to a series of injuries affecting their right-handed relievers.
The first setback came with Jonathan Bowlan, who was placed on the injured list at the beginning of the series against the Chicago Cubs, leading to Seth Johnson’s promotion. Chase Shugart later stepped into the bullpen, and now another roster move has been made involving a right-hander.
According to the team, Zach Pop has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a calf strain, while left-handed pitcher Kyle Backhus has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill his spot for the remainder of the Cubs series.
The Phillies made the announcement ahead of Wednesday’s game against Chicago, following a tough 8-9 start to the season after a recent loss that dropped them below .500.
Pop had posted a 3.68 ERA over seven appearances and 7.1 innings this season before the injury, including a recent two-inning outing where he allowed three hits and one run as an opener.
In his place, Backhus returns to the major league bullpen after struggling early in the year, carrying a 9.00 ERA in four appearances across 3.0 innings, though he has shown improvement since his Opening Day outing.
With Pop sidelined, the Phillies will rely on Backhus for depth as they continue their series against the Cubs and try to stabilize a constantly shifting bullpen.
