Phillies closer Jhoan Duran expected to return from injured list Tuesday
The star closer has been out since April 11 with a strained oblique muscle in his left side.
MIAMI — Cue up the Durantula scoreboard graphics.
Jhoan Duran will return from the injured list Tuesday “unless something weird happens,” according to Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly. The star closer has been out since April 11 with a strained oblique muscle in his left side.
Duran’s fastball clocked in at 100 mph in the bullpen here. The Phillies considered having him make a minor-league appearance but determined it wasn’t necessary. They treated the bullpen session like an appearance.
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“He was basically cleared to be active today as far as medical,” Mattingly said. “But then talking with Caleb [Cotham] and the pitching guys, they said any time we would send a guy out and he had anything like that intensity, they’d give him two days. So, that’s why we’re doing it [Tuesday].”
The Phillies had only one ninth-inning save opportunity in Duran’s absence. Brad Keller recorded a save Friday night against the Marlins.
Tony Gwynn Jr. is a former major league outfielder and son of late Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Over the last two years, he got to know new Phillies second baseman Luis Arraez, whose contact skills at the plate often draw comparisons to Gwynn. Tony Jr. joined Phillies Extra to discuss his father, Arraez, and the bonds that connect them. Watch here.
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