The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred Evan Phillips to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for the newly-acquired Alexis Díaz.
Phillips landed on the 15-day IL with right forearm discomfort on May 7 after appearing in just seven games. He also began the season on the injured list and missed 21 games because of the same right shoulder trouble that prevented him from missing the 2024 World Series.
He was originally placed on the IL on May 7, so with the move to the 60-day IL, he is now eligible to return on Sunday, July 6 at the earliest.
Even if Phillips were to begin ramping up his rehab process right now, it’s unlikely he’d even return by the time he’s eligible due to the amount of time he’d need to start throwing, move to bullpen sessions, begin face hitters in live batting practice, and then start on a rehab assignment.
The right-hander received a PRP injection earlier this month for the lingering pain, but he has not been able to resume baseball-related activities to this point. He was first expected to be out for a short amount of time, but there has been growing concern about his injury.
Phillips made his first appearance of the season on April 19 against the Texas Rangers, and had pitched in seven games to the tune of 5.2 scoreless innings. He also recorded two holds and a save as a welcomed fresh arm for a Dodgers bullpen that has been put through the wringer this season.
He holds a 0.00 ERA, 2.05 FIP, 9.53 strikeouts per nine, 3.18 walks per nine and 1.06 WHIP. The right-hander is in his fifth season with the Dodgers, posting a 2.22 ERA in 201 games.
Evan Phillips makes room for Alexis Díaz
Díaz held a 12.00 ERA in six innings for the Reds this year, but he was a National League All-Star in 2023, going 9-6 with a 3.07 ERA with 37 saves in a career-high 71 games.
The 28-year-old is in his fourth Major League season, and he is 75-for-86 in save opportunities with a 3.21 ERA in 196 games. He has 227 strikeouts in 193.1 innings and has held hitters to a .180 batting average against in four big league seasons.
After a strong start to his 2024 season, Díaz began to struggle and lost his job as the Reds’ closer. He was demoted to Triple-A this season.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
