Phillies reliever Brad Keller expected to miss rest of the season with torn elbow ligament

Brad Keller returned from the injured list and threw 14 pitches in a scoreless inning last Wednesday night. He didn’t pitch again before the All-Star break.

And now, his season is over.

Keller, the Phillies’ highest-paid reliever and a primary bridge to closer Jhoan Duran, tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, the team disclosed Thursday. The 30-year-old righty will get a second opinion before likely having Tommy John elbow surgery, which typically involves a 12- to 14-month recovery.

“It’s tough, tough news,” Keller said. “Obviously with the team and the position that we’re in, you want to come in the second half and fight with the boys. Just tough to swallow this pill right now.”

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Keller’s injury may alter the Phillies’ approach to the trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. on Aug. 3. A leverage reliever already ranked among their needs. But it may now move ahead of a right-handed bat and back-end starting pitcher.

Orion Kerkering, already filling a late-inning role, took a 2.43 ERA into Thursday night’s game against the Mets. Fellow righty Jonathan Bowlan, who didn’t allow a run in seven innings before the break, has gained more of interim manager Don Mattingly’s trust.

But even before losing Keller, the Phillies were looking for another reliever. Hard-throwing lefty José Alvarado had a 6.82 ERA entering Thursday, although Mattingly noted his underlying metrics forecast better results. Alvarado’s expected ERA, for instance, is only 3.74.

“Obviously,” Mattingly said, “we’re going to need Alvy to be Alvy.”

And, even then, the Phillies will need to find relief help in a trade market that favors sellers over buyers.

Interestingly, the Mets, with a 40-57 record at the break, are likely to move a few relievers, including walk-year lefties A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley. Luke Weaver, who has one year at an $11 million salary left on his contract, also could be available.

“I know we’re always going to try to get better — everyone’s going to try to get better at the deadline if they can," Mattingly said. “For me, I’m comfortable with where we’re at. If you’d say this is our club the rest of the way and whoever’s in the minor leagues is going to help us and we go forward, we’re good enough to win.”

The Phillies recalled righty Seth Johnson from triple A to take Keller’s roster spot. Another name to watch: Alex McFarlane. The 25-year-old is on the 40-man roster and has a 2.12 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 34 innings in double A, although his 13% walk rate is a concern.

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The Phillies signed Keller to a two-year, $22 million contract in the offseason after a breakout year with the Cubs, a rare instance in which president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski committed more than one year to a free-agent reliever.

Keller overcame a rough start to the season before giving up three runs in the eighth inning June 13 in Milwaukee. He went on the injured list a few days later with what the Phillies classified as forearm tendinitis.

An MRI last month “showed no tear or anything,” Keller said. And the discomfort he had felt, including being unable to straighten his arm after pitching, subsided to the point that he described it as a “night-and-day difference.”

The tightness returned after his scoreless inning last week in Cincinnati and didn’t subside. He got another MRI on Monday, which revealed the tear.

“I don’t really recall a pitch or anything like that I felt a pop or anything, so it’s kind of really strange,” Keller said. “It’s pretty surprising news, for sure.”

Keller said he has a second opinion scheduled with Keith Meister, a Texas-based orthopedic surgeon and the Rangers’ longtime team physician.

In 32 appearances, Keller had a 4.02 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 31⅓ innings.

Set a calendar reminder for March 25, when the Phillies are expected to open the 2027 season in Washington, according to the schedule released Thursday by MLB.

That assumes, of course, that next season starts on time.

Baseball is facing a work stoppage after the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, at which point the owners likely will lock out the players. If a new agreement can’t be reached by mid-March, it’s possible games will be lost.

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Meanwhile, optimists can circle a few dates:

Mattingly said Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler are lined up to start Monday and Tuesday, respectively, against the Dodgers. Sánchez started the All-Star Game for the National League and threw 34 pitches in the first inning. Wheeler will wind up with seven days’ rest. “He’s our oldest guy [36 years old], so we want to keep him strong, give him the best chance to have success through the whole second half,“ Mattingly said. … The Phillies and Mets will be off Friday before resuming their series Saturday night. Jesús Luzardo (8-4, 3.51 ERA) is scheduled to face Mets lefty Sean Manaea (2-4, 4.56).

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