Phillies Place Eflin on 15-Day IL

The injury bug continues to plague the Philadelphia Phillies as Major League Baseball swiftly approaches the conclusion of the first-half of the season.

The Phillies announced on Tuesday that pitcher Zach Eflin was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right knee bruise.

Eflin heading to the IL does not come as much of a surprise, as he has been dealing with prolonged knee issues over his last three starts. 

Of course, the right-hander's 2021 season ended in July due to knee issues, which he eventually received surgery for.

In a corresponding move, Philadelphia added newcomer outfielder Oscar Mercado to the 26-man roster. He will wear #35, the first player to do so since Cole Hamels.

Eflin joins Bryce Harper and Jean Segura on the injured list, but hopefully, his injury is not as dire and he can make a quick return to the club. 

As the Phillies enter a rough stretch of games against the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals, they'll be without a key part of their rotation. Eflin will miss at least two of his scheduled starts.

The Phillies will also head to Canada to face the Toronto Blue Jays on July 12, and with most of the team reportedly unvaccinated, they'll have to make an abundance of roster moves in the coming weeks to prepare for the two-game set.

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