The Phillies are about to get a familiar arm back at exactly the right time.
After spending the last few weeks patching together the bullpen without Brad Keller, Philadelphia is set to activate the veteran on July 8, according to Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic on X. Interim manager Don Mattingly said, “The Phillies plan to activate Brad Keller tomorrow. They just wanted to give him a couple days between his last minor-league rehab appearance and major-league activation.”
That timing matters for a relief group that has been in constant motion. Jhoan Duran has been locked in as one of the game’s top closers, and Orion Kerkering has handled setup work well in front of him. But with Keller out, the rest of the bullpen picture has been unsettled, forcing repeated shuffles between the majors and Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The latest changes came before the series with the Cincinnati Reds, when Kyle Backhus was optioned to Triple-A and Max Lazar was brought up to the big league club. Another move is coming before Game 2 of that series, and this one should bring some stability.
Keller made two rehab appearances with Lehigh Valley, allowing two runs over two innings before being cleared for activation off the injured list. The Phillies gave him a few extra days after that final outing before bringing him back.
When he returns, Keller should slide right back into late-game, high-leverage work. That’s the role Philadelphia had in mind when it signed him in free agency after his breakout 2025 season with the Chicago Cubs, when he moved to the bullpen full time.
With Chicago, Keller posted a 2.07 ERA across 69.2 innings and finished with 1.5 bWAR. His numbers in Philadelphia haven’t matched that level yet, as he’s put up a 4.15 ERA over 30.1 innings with 0.5 bWAR.
His most recent outing before landing on the injured list on June 13 was a rough one. Against the Milwaukee Brewers, Keller gave up three earned runs in one inning. It was the first time since April 1 that he allowed multiple earned runs in an appearance, and the first time since May 8 that more than one run crossed the plate against him.
Now the Phillies are hoping the break gets him back on track. With Duran handling the ninth, they still need someone to help carry the load before the game reaches that point. Keller’s return gives them a much-needed shot at doing exactly that.
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