The Philadelphia Phillies were hit with bad news on Thursday, ahead of the start of the second half of the 2026 season. The Phillies placed right-hander Brad Keller on the 15-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to Monday, with a torn UCL in his right elbow.
Keller signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Phillies over the winter after a resurgent 2025 season with the Chicago Cubs, when he posted a 2.07 earned run average across 68 appearances with 75 strikeouts. Philadelphia brought him in to serve as the primary setup man for closer Jhoan Duran, and he even picked up saves during a stretch when Duran was sidelined with an oblique injury.
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Keller's season had already been interrupted once, when he missed close to a month with right elbow tendinitis before returning July 8 against the Cincinnati Reds. That outing will now stand as his last of the year. Keller ends 2026 with 32 appearances with a 4.02 ERA and 14 earned runs allowed in 31 1/3 innings.
A UCL tear will end his season, with an expected recovery time of 12-14 months if Keller opts for surgery that would sideline him for a significant chunk of the 2027 season.
To fill Keller’s spot on the 26-man roster, the Phillies recalled right-hander Seth Johnson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Johnson is a 2019 first-round pick who converted from shortstop to pitcher at Campbell University.
Johnson has bounced between the rotation and bullpen since Philadelphia acquired him from the Baltimore Orioles in 2024.
With Keller done for the year, the Phillies' bullpen depth will be tested as they try to hold their ground in the National League playoff picture.
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