Phillies’ Justin Bour heads to disabled list with strained oblique

WASHINGTON — Justin Bour's big night Wednesday came with a price, as the Phillies placed him on the 10-day disabled list Thursday morning with a strained left oblique.

Bour doubled in the first inning Wednesday and homered in the third. He felt a twinge during his last swing in the ninth, when he struck out with the bases loaded. That was enough to warrant a trip to the disabled list. He was replaced on the 25-man roster by catcher Andrew Knapp.

"Bour is a big loss, period," manager Gabe Kapler said. "We saw how he swung the bat [Wednesday]. He exemplifies what we do here. He sees pitches, takes balls, is aggressive on strikes, and drives the baseball. The fact that we don't have that as a pinch-hit weapon off the bench, the fact that we won't have both Bour and Carlos Santana in the lineup in Toronto, is a blow. But we've weathered the storm before and we'll weather this one as well."

The Phillies also placed reliever Edubray Ramos on the disabled list with a blister. He was replaced by lefthander Luis Avilan, who joined the team after being acquired Wednesday in a trade with the White Sox.

The Phillies acquired Bour earlier this month from Miami. He has had five hits in 20 at-bats with the Phillies but started just three times. It seemed as if he was about to push Santana for playing time at first base. He strained his right oblique last season with Miami and missed seven weeks. He said this season's injury "doesn't feel anything like that," and he expects to recover more quickly. Bour's injury comes just as the Phillies are set to open a three-game series in Toronto, where Bour would have likely seen action as a designated hitter.

"It's what's best for the team," Bour said. "I think it goes without saying that this isn't an ideal thing. It's not what I hoped would happen. But the main focus is getting better as soon as I can and helping the team."

Luis Avilan spent the season pitching for a Chicago White Sox team that stands 25 games out of first place until he was thrust into a pennant race on Thursday afternoon when he joined the Phillies.

"Obviously, whenever you get the opportunity to play for a team that's in the playoff race you feel really happy because that team believes that you're going to help them reach the postseason," Avilan said. "I made really good relationships over there [with the White Sox]. It's a great group of guys. But I feel really happy right now because I'm with this team and I have the opportunity to maybe play in the playoffs."

Avilan was excellent against lefthanded hitters with the White Sox as he limited them to a .136 average since May 21. He could become Kapler's go-to lefthander down the stretch.

Odubel Herrera's homer was his 20th of the season, which makes him the first Phillies centerfielder with 20 homers since Aaron Rowand in 2007. …Catcher Wilson Ramos missed a third straight game due to a sore left wrist but expects to be ready on Friday. … Jake Arrieta will start Friday's series opener in Toronto against Blue Jays lefthander Ryan Borucki.

>> READ MORE: Phillies release 2019 schedule