Jhoan Duran has just joined the Philadelphia Phillies‘ roster, and the last thing anyone wants to see is him get injured, especially knowing he’s an arm who can contribute a lot to the team. But a recent line drive he took caused many to jump out of their seats at the sight of a possible injury.
The good news, however, is that Duran’s X-ray results were negative, which may indicate that the injury is not “serious.” He will likely rest for a few days while the bruise from the ball heals. So far, he has appeared in five games with the Phillies.
“X-rays on Jhoan Duran were negative,” Scott Lauber reported on X, adding that more tests are expected to see if there is any damage to his foot. “He will be evaluated further tomorrow [Saturday], according to the Phillies.”
What Would Happen If Duran Can’t Return on Time?
If Duran can’t return on time, the Phillies have multiple options in the bullpen. It’s not a good situation for a new pitcher to land on the injured list, but at least he’s not an arm whose absence would completely cripple the team’s mound.
Even so, the Phillies can’t afford to lose someone who has helped them save four of his first five MLB games. In those appearances, he hasn’t allowed a single run, and his ERA has continued to drop since his departure from the Twins, currently sitting at 1.86.
Why Was Duran in the Game?
Some Phillies fans questioned why Duran was even in the game against the Nationals, especially when the team had a four-run lead. However, Anthony SanFilippo of On Pattison explained that it is a normal move to use a reliever in a game like that, particularly when he has gone a few days without pitching.
“For those who think Jhoan Duran shouldn’t have been in the game, please go enroll in Baseball 101 somewhere,” SanFilippo said. “A. Closers frequently come into games with a four-run lead, even though it’s not a save situation. Managers don’t want a lesser reliever to let a team back within one swing of tying the game. B. Duran had not pitched since Sunday. You don’t want your best reliever not pitching for six days. This is the norm across the sport – and has been for a long time.”
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