Michael Stutes is sixth Phillies player on disabled list

PHOENIX — Mike Stutes kept pitching through the soreness in his shoulder because he did not want to admit a problem. He finally said something near the end of spring training and rest was prescribed. He still made the team, but the pain returned.

"Something felt a little funky," Stutes said. "It wasn't killing me. It's just off."

So the 25-year-old righthander became the sixth Phillies player on the disabled list. He was deactivated after Tuesday's 8-5 win over Arizona. Righthander Michael Schwimer was recalled to replace him.

Stutes' shoulder problems are concerning. He said he's unsure whether the two periods of soreness are related, but it's likely considering he admitted to pitching through it during the regular season to maintain his spot.

He has never had a shoulder injury before.

"It just came back," Stutes said. "As a player, you never want to admit anything is wrong. It's frustrating in that sense."

The Phillies will exmaine Stutes with an MRI once the team returns home Thursday. That should provide more insight.

Stutes' fastball averaged 94 m.p.h. in 2011. Early in 2012, it's only down to 93 m.p.h. He had a 6.35 ERA in 5 2/3 innings. Most of the damage came in his last outing, last Saturday against San Diego, when he surrendered three runs in an inning.

The shoulder problem was most noticeable, Stutes said, during his appearance April 17 against San Francisco.

Schwimer, 26, spent 43 days with the Phillies in 2011 and appeared in 12 games. His ERA was 5.02 and he struck out 16 in 14 1/3 innings.

He's been decent at triple-A Lehigh Valley in the early part of 2012. He's allowed one earned run in 8 2/3 innings (a 1.04 ERA) with nine strikeouts and three walks.

The Phillies chose Schwimer over Phillippe Aumont and Jake Diekman, two other IronPigs relievers currently on the 40-man roster. Schwimer is expected to join the team in time for Wednesday's series finale against the Diamondbacks.