The Philadelphia Phillies are making adjustments to cover the loss of All-Star left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who was placed on the 15-day injured list this week due to left shoulder inflammation.
The Phillies will opt for a bullpen game when they continue a four-game series against the host New York Mets on Friday night.
The plan likely will feature new addition Jose Urquidy (2-2, 5.28 ERA) working several innings. The 31-year-old right-hander was claimed off waivers on Thursday, two days after being designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox.
Urquidy last pitched on Sept. 8, when he threw 65 pitches over four innings in a no-decision against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He gave up two runs and five hits in Chicago’s 9-3 loss.
“I think missing (Luzardo’s) start puts you in a bullpen game in some fashion, and a bullpen game one inning at a time is a little different than having a bulk guy in there who can throw 70 to 75 pitches,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said. “So we’re in a little better shape now.”
Urquidy is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two career games (one start) vs. New York. He allowed one unearned run over one inning and earned the save against the Mets as a member of the Pirates on March 29.
Philadelphia (85-68) is tied with the Chicago Cubs (85-68) for the top wild-card spot in the National League after winning the series opener against the Mets 3-0 on Thursday.
The Phillies on Friday could be without right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan, who exited Thursday’s game in the eighth inning with right groin tightness.
New York (69-84) has lost five straight games and will start left-hander Zac Thornton (4-5, 3.44) on Friday. He bounced back after giving up four home runs in a loss to the San Francisco Giants with a solid outing against the New York Yankees last Saturday.
Thornton, 24, yielded two runs on five hits over seven innings in a 12-2 road win over the Yankees.
“It was great, fun to watch, especially after the last outing,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said. “Seeing somebody bounce back like that — I think we value resilience at an incredibly high level, and to see it show up in a stadium like this, in a game like that, it’s fun. He was on attack from the get-go and had some of the best velocity we’ve seen from him.”
Thornton will start vs. the Phillies for the second time in his career. He tossed six innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against them on June 26.
The Mets are monitoring the status of first baseman Jared Young, who was taken off the field on a stretcher after being kneed in the head by teammate Nolan McLean on a play at first base on Thursday.
The play occurred with two outs in the sixth inning when McLean, the Mets’ starting pitcher, moved toward first to cover the bag on a dribbler hit by the Phillies’ Justin Crawford. McLean was attempting to leap over Young when the collision occurred.
Young was down on the field for several minutes before being put on a stretcher. He gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as he was carted off the field.
The team soon posted on social media, “Jared Young is being taken to hospital for further examination. He has feeling in his extremities. Additional updates will be provided when possible.”
–Field Level Media
