Vincent Velasquez Leaves Game with Elbow Injury

The Philadelphia Phillies had to remove starting pitcher Vincent Velasquez on Wednesday with what is being diagnosed as a right elbow flexor strain.

Velasquez was pulled in the second inning, with his fastball velocity dropping from 95 mph in the first inning to 88 mph.  He a served up a homer, a double, and a long flyout before leaving the game.

In 10 starts, Velasquez is 2-5 with a 5.58 ERA and 53 strikeouts. The 24-year-old, who had Tommy John surgery back in 2010, was acquired in a trade that shipped closer Ken Giles to the Houston Astros before last season.

After struggling for most of the season, Velasquez seem to be turning a corner in his last outing was sensational in his last outing Thursday, striking out seven while allowing one run over five innings allowing no runs.

With a trip to the DL coming, the Phillies will need to call up two starting pitchers. The team is already down a starting pitcher after sending Zach Eflin back to Triple-A.

Nick Pivetta and Ben Lively are the most likely alternatives to step into the Phillies struggling rotation.