The Philadelphia Phillies have turned things around after a slow start to the season, improving to 47-37 following a recent road victory over the New York Mets.
With their play trending upward, Philadelphia appears to be finding its rhythm as the postseason race begins to take shape.
One key piece still missing from the roster is starting pitcher Brad Keller, who has been sidelined with forearm tendinitis for much of the past month. However, the Phillies recently received encouraging news regarding his recovery.
According to MLB.com, imaging results showed no structural damage after Keller was placed on the injured list prior to the June 16 game.
He has already resumed playing catch and is expected to advance to bullpen sessions as the next step in his rehabilitation process.
The report added that Keller could be back in the Phillies’ rotation sometime in early July.
Before suffering the injury, the 30-year-old experienced an inconsistent campaign, but his return would provide valuable depth and stability to Philadelphia’s pitching staff as the club continues its push up the standings.
The Phillies have steadily gained ground in the NL East and now sit only three games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves, who have recently struggled.
With multiple head-to-head matchups against Atlanta still remaining on the schedule, Philadelphia has a prime opportunity to make up ground in the race for first place.
After capturing the division title last season but falling short against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs, the Phillies are hoping to build momentum at the right time and enter October in peak form.
Adding to the excitement, the club is approaching the final stretch before the All-Star break, with this year’s All-Star Game set to be hosted at their home ballpark in Philadelphia.
