Phillies Reinstate Orion Kerkering; Option Kyle Backhus to Triple-A

The Philadelphia Phillies are set to reinstate pitcher Orion Kerkering from the 15-day injured list ahead of Tuesday’s game against the San Francisco Giants.  

He last pitched for the Phillies against the Colorado Rockies on April 5.

Orion Kerkering’s Road to Recovery

Kerkering has been working his way back from a hamstring strain, pitching in four games at Lehigh Valley with a 2.25 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, striking out five in four innings.

The 25-year-old last pitched with the Phillies in the National League Division Series game against the Dodgers, where he struggled, throwing the ball away on the game's final play, ending the Phillies season.

He had a 3.30 ERA in 69 games last season, striking out 65 in 60 innings.

Impact on the Phillies Bullpen Depth

His return gives the Phillies another high-level arm at the back-end of the Phillies bullpen that already features Johan Duran. Brand Keller, Jose Alvarado, and Tanner Banks.  Tim Mayza, Jonatahn Bowlan, and Zach Pop are also part of the team's bullpen, which is one of the better units in MLB.

Phillies’ next game

After winning game one of the series on Monday night, the Phillies will look to take the series by winning game two.  The Phillies are just 7-23 in their last 30 games at Oracle Park.

Christopher Sánchez, who enters the game with a 0.79 ERA, will take the mound for Philadelphia, while lefty Robbie Ray, the 2021 AL Cy Young winner, will start for the Giants. First pitch is at 9:45 p.m.